London`s Docklands have a rich and varied history. Dating from the Middle Ages they developed into one of the biggest docks in the world. The riches of Britain`s Empire found its way into the country through the River Thames and into London. Unfortunately, the people who worked and lived in London`s dockland rarely shared in the riches arriving from around the world. The area around the docks was one of the poorest in the country with men working on a casual basis and often fighting other men for the few jobs available in the docks. As well as the docks the area along the Thames was also a major shipbuilding site until the early twentieth century where many of the early warships were built.