Joseph Walshe

Isle of Dogs

The Isle of Dogs is a peninsula based in East London. The land was formerly home to several operational docks which increased business and structural development in the area. Maritime business in the Isle was booming at the time from ship building at Millwall Docks to the trading of spices and teas at West India Docks. During WW2, the area fell victim to German bombings. Social housing replaced the destroyed buildings and in the 1980’s both West India and Millwall docks were closed down, leaving behind a vivid memory of a once booming area.

Today, it is home to nearly 40,000 residents, populating most of the Southern area. The Isle of Dogs has developed extensively from increased infrastructure to multi-million pound investments in residential and office buildings. Nevertheless, The Isle still remains a tight-knit community under the encroaching presence of Canary Wharf.

This body of work is a photographic documentation of the Island’s current residents who are living in a world of 21st century retail and leisure in which regeneration is prominent. The diversity of both its inhabitants and landscape are showcased through the images in this book.