I got down with the tourist's and began this last night as the sun was getting lower and lower, finishing touches added this morning from photos etc.
Albert Dock is the largest group of Grade I listed buildings in Britain and the Dock was officially opened on 30 July 1846 by Prince Albert.
It was the first enclosed, non-combustible dock warehouse system in the world and the first structure in Britain to be built entirely of cast iron, brick and stone. In 1848 the world's first hydraulic warehouse hoists were installed.
The Dock was built to accommodate sailing ships with up to 1,000 tons' cargo capacity but by the turn of the century only 7% of ships using the Port were sailing ships. The Dock's days were numbered and it was finally closed in 1972.
The refurbishment of Albert Dock was carried in 1983 and the first phase was opened in 1984 in time for the arrival of the Tall Ships Race and the International Garden Festival.
The official re-opening ceremony was performed by HRH Prince Charles on 24 May 1988. The original building cost was £514,475-8s-ld. The present day insurance valuation of the buildings, however, is in excess of £250 million.
http://www.albertdock.com/index.php?page_id=2
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