Editing Victoria Embankment (section)

== History ==
===Earlier embankments===
The Victoria Embankment was preceded by many earlier works along the tidal Thames, including central London.
{{main|Embanking of the tidal Thames}}

===Construction===
[[File:Embankment Construction of the Thames Embankment ILN 1865.jpg|thumb|Victoria Embankment under construction in 1865]]
[[File:Jablochkoff Candles on the Victoria Embankment, December 1878.jpg|thumb|Electric light provided by [[Yablochkov candle]]s in December 1878]]

The Victoria Embankment was designed by civil engineer [[Francis Webb Sheilds]], who submitted designs to a Royal Commission<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol9/pp62-91#h2-0004 |title=98. Thames Embankment 1861-31 |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2020 |website=British History Online |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |access-date=18 September 2020 }}</ref> appointed in 1861. Following acceptance of the designs, construction was carried out by the Metropolitan Board of Works on the lines of his scheme.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/bernard-burke/a-genealogical-and-heraldic-history-of-the-landed-gentry-of-great-britain--irel-kru/page-322-a-genealogical-and-heraldic-history-of-the-landed-gentry-of-great-britain--irel-kru.shtml |title= A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland (volume 2) online |first=Bernard |last=Burke |date=2020 |website=Online library eBooksRead.com |publisher=Burke's Peerage Enterprises Limited |access-date=13 September 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Francis_Webb_Wentworth-Sheilds |title=1907 Institution of Civil Engineers: Obituaries, Francis Webb Wentworth-Sheilds |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2020 |website=Grace's guide to British industrial history |publisher= Grace's Guide Ltd |access-date=6 September 2020 }}</ref> Construction, which started in 1865, was completed in 1870 under the direction of [[Joseph Bazalgette]].

The Victoria Embankment was one element of a three-part work, the other two parts being the [[Albert Embankment]], from the Lambeth end of Westminster Bridge to Vauxhall; and the [[Chelsea Embankment]], extending from Millbank to the [[Cadogan Pier]] at Chelsea, close by [[Battersea Bridge]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Thornbury|first1=Walter|title=The Victoria Embankment|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol3/pp322-329|website=British History Online|access-date=15 February 2015}}</ref> It was a project of the [[Metropolitan Board of Works]]. The contractor for the work was [[Thomas Brassey]].<ref>{{cite book | last =Walker | first =Charles  | title =Thomas Brassey, Railway Builder | publisher =Frederick Muller | year =1969  | location =London | pages =151 | isbn =0-584-10305-0 }}</ref> The original impetus was the need to provide London with a modern [[London sewerage system|sewerage system]]. Another major consideration was the relief of congestion on the [[Strand, London|Strand]] and [[Fleet Street]].

The project involved building out on to the foreshore of the [[River Thames]], narrowing the river. The construction work required the purchase and demolition of much expensive riverside property. The [[tunnel#Cut-and-cover|cut-and-cover]] tunnel for the [[District Railway]] was built within the Embankment and roofed over to take the roadway. The embankment was faced with granite, and [[penstocks]], designed to open at [[ebb tide]] to release diluted sewage when rainstorms flooded the system, were built into it as a means of preventing backups in the drainage system and of periodically flushing the mud banks.<ref name="Porter">{{cite book|last1=Porter|first1=Dale|title=The Thames Embankment: Environment, Technology, and Society in Victorian London|date=1998|publisher=U of Akron|location=Akron, OH|isbn=1-884836-29-1}}</ref>

At ground level, in addition to the new roads, two [[Victoria Embankment Gardens|public gardens]] were laid out. One of these backs onto the government buildings of [[Whitehall]], and the other stretches from [[Hungerford Bridge]] to [[Waterloo Bridge]]. The gardens contain many statues, including a monument to Bazalgette. The section of the gardens between Waterloo Bridge and [[Charing Cross railway station|Charing Cross station]] also includes a large [[bandstand]], where musical performances are given, and the 1626 watergate of the former [[York House, Strand|York House]] built for the first [[George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham|Duke of Buckingham]].

The Victoria section was the most complex of the three sections. It was much larger, more complex and more significant to the metropolis than the other two and officially opened on 13 July 1870 by the [[Edward VII|Prince of Wales]] and [[Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll|Princess Louise]].<ref name=Baker>{{cite book|last1=Baker|first1=Margaret|title=Discovering London Statues and Monuments|date=2002|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=9780747804956|page=125}}</ref> When people refer to "the Embankment" they are usually referring to that portion of it. The total cost of the construction of the Victoria Embankment is estimated to be £1,260,000 and the purchase of property at £450,000. The total cost includes the cost of materials used in the construction of the embankment.<ref name="Porter"/>

=== Issues in construction ===
Construction of the Victoria Embankment proved to be difficult because of the grandness of it.  Parliament was assured that three years would be ample time to complete the project, which did not hold true.

In addition to not having a large enough labour force to complete the work on schedule, the project's architect and property appraiser were challenged in successfully securing rights to all the wharves and other property that were required for access and storage during the project's construction. They also ran into difficulty in acquiring contracts to maintain access to the steamboat landings at Westminster and Hungerford.

In addition, extra time and money were spent experimenting with a new type of [[cofferdam]], a structure used to keep water out of the construction site, which was crucial for building along the tidal Thames.<ref name="Porter"/>

=== Electrification ===

In December 1878 Victoria Embankment became the first street in Britain to be permanently lit by electricity.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.utilex.com/history_of_electricity.htm |title=History of Electricity |access-date=16 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625005542/http://www.utilex.com/history_of_electricity.htm |archive-date=25 June 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The light was provided by 20 [[Yablochkov candle]]s powered by a [[Gramme machine|Gramme DC generator]]. 16 March 1879 the system was extended to 40 lamps and 10 October to 55 lamps.<ref name=EC1987>{{cite book|title=Electricity Supply in the UK: A chronology|year=1987|publisher=[[Electricity Council]]|pages=11–12|url=http://www.etk.ee.kth.se/personal/nt/elecpow/history/electricity_supply_in_the_uk__a_chronology_ocrnopic.pdf}}</ref> Previously the street had been lit by gas, and in June 1884, gas lighting was re-established as electricity was not competitive.<ref name=EC1987/>