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Rochester Site Aerial View circa 1961

Technical Information

Catalogue No: P0222
Picture Type: Photo Print
Topic: Sites / Facilities
Title: Rochester Site Aerial View circa 1961
Platform(s):
Date: circa 1961
Width (mm): 400
Height (mm): 300
Copies: 1
Location: Main Store
Notes:

Photo showing the Towers under construction. Tower 1 looks to be externally complete, but still has scaffolding on its west face.

There are cars parked in what is now called Marconi Way, and in front of the Shorts Building.

To the north of the Rochester site are some post WW2 prefabs, the last remaining of an estate of approximately 350 prefabs.

The line of the old ammunition railway which linked the old Forts can be seen curving away to the east of the site.

The 1950s saw a substantial increase in the business of Elliott Automation and both the Lewisham and Borehamwood sites were gaining work in their own areas but the sites had little room for expansion. The solution was to move some of the work from those two sites to Rochester but the new avionics business was itself growing there. The Company decided that more space was needed and plans were drawn up for a development to the North of the existing factory to reflect the high technology image of the business. The Towers at Rochester were designed by Yorke Rosenberg Mardall a British architectural firm and construction commenced in about 1960; originally there were to be seven, which would add another 450,000 sq. ft. to the total. This extension was to be built in stages, the first of which was ready for occupation at the end of April 1961.

The main contractor was Arnold and Nathan of East Peckham, Kent who still traded until 2003 but as part of the Try Accord group. Trollope and Colls were contracted to carry out the groundwork and building as they were specialists in reinforced concrete, a necessary skill to make the unique cantilevered floor structure. In the event only three towers were built and the final one was occupied in 1966.

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