Galley Quay

Names

  • Galley Quay
  • Galey Key
  • Galy Key
  • Galley Key
  • Gilly Key
  • Gally Key

Street/Area/District

  • Galley Quay

Maps & Views

Descriptions

from A Dictionary of London, by Henry Harben (1918)

Galley Quay

South out of Lower Thames Street, east of the Custom House and Wool Quays (P.O. Directory). In Tower Ward.

Earliest mention: "Galey key" given to Wm. Marowe and Joan his wife 1488 with "le Maydenhede," etc. (H. MSS. Com. Var. Coll. IV. 336).

Other names: "Galy key," 1504 (Ct. H.W. II. 606)., in possession of Wm. Marowe. "Galley Key," 1539 (Lond. I. pm. L. and M. Arch. Soc. VII. p. 64). "Gilly Key" (Rocque, 1746).

One of the Legal Quays, so called from the Act of Parliament, passed 1559, establishing them as quays for the landing of goods, subject to duties. See Legal Quays.

Derivation of name: So called from the Galleys bringing wine and other merchandize from Genoa and those parts, and unlading there (S. 134–7).

It seems more probable that the designation came into use in the same way as Galley Row, from the name "Petit Wales" or "Petit Gales," given to the eastern end of Tower Street. See Petty Wales.

from the Grub Street Project, by Allison Muri (2006-present)

Galley Key, one of the 19 "Wharfes and Keyes for Ladinge and Discharginge Places, within the Porte of London, for Merchandises" which were "Appointed to be general Lading and Discharging Places for all manner of Merchandises" in the Order for the Wharfs, 1559.—Strype (1720), book 2, chapter 3, p. 49.

Gally Key, listed by Strype (1720) as one of the 21 "Keys, Wharfs and Docks, which are now assigned and allowed to be lawful by an Act of Parliament, for shipping, lading and landing of Goods and Merchandizes" (book 2, chapter 10, p. 172).