East End of London clearance. Industries associated with the sea developed throughout the East End, including rope making and shipbuilding. The former location of roperies can still be identified from their long straight, narrow profile in the modern streets, for instance Ropery Street near Mile End. Shipbuilding was important from the time when Henry VIII caused ships to be built at Rotherhithe as a part of his expansion of the Royal Navy. On 31 January 1858, the largest ship of that time, the SS Great Eastern, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, was launched from the yard of Messrs Scott Russell & Co, of Millwall.
Sam FM (Swindon) awarded the licence, it was renamed as Brunel FM after Isambard Kingdom Brunel, chief engineer of the railway which had converted Swindon from a small village to a large town. Brunel was also the previous name for AM station Classic Gold Radio (now DAB station Gold) when Wiltshire Radio / GWR-FM (now Heart Wiltshire) launched on FM. However, Brunel FM and Brunel Radio / Brunel Classic Gold did not have any connection other than their name and studio location. Brunel FM launched at 10am on 2 September 2006, and remained under control of The Local Radio Company until its sale