The Ordnance Wharf was the place where military supplies arrived – the British army’s Board of Ordnance was responsible for supplying weapons and ammunition, which can be clearly seen in the foreground of this photograph. The round shot is stacked awaiting transportation on the railway to reach the army camps besieging Sevastopol. The performance of the Board of Ordnance came under heavy criticism during the Crimean War, particularly during the 1854–5 winter. As a result, after a 400 year existence, the Board was abolished and its responsibilities were transferred to the War Office.

From the collection of the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII