Etymology

Does anyone know the etymology of the Isle of Dogs? - David Stewart 11:05 9 Jul 2003 (UTC)

This is indeed a vexed question! There are those that maintain that it got its name from the King's kennels, which, it is claimed, were handy for the royal palace at Greenwich. Unfortunately this explanation is belied by the fact that there never were any kennels on the Island. Others say that the flotsam washed up by the entrance to Poplar Gut became a regular source of food for local canines. Certainly the first reference is generally recognised as referring to the corner of the Island by Empire Wharf in a document referring to concerns that the Spanish Armada might sail up the Thames. The hope was they would be stopped before they got a chance to pillage Greenwich.

However the term I favour is that it refers to the number of dog tacks required to circumnavigate the Island. In days gone by, ships would stock up with victuals and other supplies in Deptford or Wapping before setting off on a long voyage. However sailing around the Island always proved difficult because no matter which quarter offered a fair wind, the ship would soon be sailing into the wind. Passengers would then journey to Blackwall to embark there after the boat had rounded the Island, and thus save themselves some time on board boat. Blackwall Stairs has been the kicking-off point of a number of expeditions, including that of the Virginia Invaders.

  • There never was, nor is there, a Royal Palace at Greenwich.Lion King 20:43, 5 November 2005 (UTC)
Wrong - Henry VIII had a palace there, the Palace of Placentia. -- ChrisO 10:13, 6 November 2005 (UTC)
You are correct ChrisO - my mistake!Lion King 15:25, 6 November 2005 (UTC)
  • Can someone tell me what the "dog tacks" are that are mentioned in the second paragraph above?
An editor has just added complete b*ll*cks about the name. Since there is a Jacobean play entitled The Isle of Dogs, and the docks were not built until the 19th century, can we do something a bit more credible?
I had heard that it was named the Isle of Doges (a la Venice), for the number of watermen that lived there, but also that it was called the Isle of Dogs for the wild dogs that roamed the marshes - since I have no certainty about this, I'm not going to change it ... for the moment! The previous version was little better, as there was no point landing cargoes there (before the docks), as there was only one road across the marsh to the ancient ferry (at Ferry Lane). Kbthompson 14:54, 9 February 2007 (UTC)


The last bullet item is written as if King Henry was mentioned previously which doesn't seem to be the case: "A later king, Henry VIII also kept deer in Greenwich Park. Again it is thought that his hunting dogs might have been kept in derelict farm buildings on the Island." — Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.222.37.58 (talk) 11:42, 24 September 2011 (UTC)


A rather obvious guess would be that it is a corruption of Isle of Docks. I’m surprised this possible etymology has not been proposed. — Chameleon 04:14, 26 May 2012 (UTC)

The name long precedes the building of the first docks on the 'island'. Pterre (talk) 10:02, 28 May 2012 (UTC)

Batman Begins?

In The Media pruning?

Island vs Peninsula

Verification of information?

Coincidence worth noting?

Republic of the Isle of Dogs

Size?

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