A late canal on the London scene, the Hertford Union followed on the success of the Regents Canal. The route via the Limehouse Cut and a semi tidal stretch of the River Lee (or Lea) neccisated an alternative route. The proximity of the Regents to the non-tidal River Lee in the Old Ford area enabled a connecting link, allowing boats to avoid the semi tidal section.

The Hertford Union opened in early 1830. It was built by Francis Giles. Just over a mile and a quarter in length, it runs dead straight from the Regents Canal in a north easterly direction to a junction above the River Lee's Old Ford Lock. To confuse matters somewhat, the three locks on the Hertford Union have been known as Old Ford Locks (plural). The Hertford Union is also known as Duckett's Canal after the proprietor of the River Lee Navigation - Sir George Duckett (junior). Why it was called the Hertford Union is a little strange as Hertford is about 25 miles up the River Lee Navigation - this anamoly may have in fact given rise to the alternative name of Duckett's. The odd thing is Duckett wasnt even the man's name in the first place! He had changed it at some point and the old tokens for the Stort Navigation in fact have his original name on the reverse.

Despite its usefulness as a short cut between two major waterways, the Hertford Union's commercial success was not insured As early as 1831 toll-free passage was offered. From the late 1840's to mid 1850's it lay derelict, having been stanked off to prevent water loss from the Regents. Attempts to sell it off were made in 1851. On 28th October 1857 the Hertford Union became part of the Regents Canal system. Apart from being widened and deepened, the Hertford Union did not receive pairs of locks as the rest of the Regents Canal system because the lower traffic levels did not warrant it.

Other changes to the Hertford Union saw its fall reduced when changes on the nearby Lee Navigation neccesitated an alteration to the bottom lock, providing a shallow fall instead of the previously deeper fall. This change in fact saved an extra lock going up the Lee Navigation!

The Hertford Union runs alongside the south east side of Victoria Park for most of its length as far as the middle lock. Despite the proximity of large residential estates and tower blocks in the Old Ford area, the top of the lock flight can be said to be the most attractive in the whole of the London Region. There is a garden centre adjacent to the middle lock