English: Corporation Square (former Ritchie's Dock), Belfast. Corporation Square, Belfast, running from Corporation Street to Donegall Quay. The Victoria Channel runs just beyond the buildings at bottom of the street.

The street is notable in that it sits almost exactly in the space formerly occupied by 'Ritchie's Dock', named after pioneer shipbuilder William Ritchie who came to Belfast from Ayrshire in 1791 and launched his first ship in the city in 1792 (see http://www.ulsterhistory.co.uk/williamritchie.htm for a good short biography on Ritchie). The dock actually predated Ritchie's arrival and was constructed c1784 as one of two Lime Kiln Docks in the city (the other was located at the foot of Waring Street towards Albert Square 1335559). I don't have an exact date of when the dock was infilled but my maps of the city show it still in place by 1830 but gone by 1847.

To the left is the Belfast Harbour Office 860735. A rather ugly extension (not apparent from that picture) is named the 'William Ritchie Building' in honour of the shipbuilder and there is a blue plaque on the side - see 736743.