Bauhaus Kolleg XII (2010/2011)
East Tilbury England
topic: A Catalyst for the Region? project participants: Susana S. Saraiva
HISTORY
When starting researching for this topic it seemed not necessary to look for the reasons for Bata UK choice: The company wanted to conquer the British market being the only remaining question why the selection of the particular site of East Tilbury for its main satellite city and how did it relate to its surroundings. However, during the field research we realized that there were technicalities of the Bata company that we were not aware before, namely its organization and strategy to reach foreign markets. In 1931, in order to survive the Great Depression, and the protective policies of European countries applying taxes to foreign companies the company establishes factories abroad, together with housing estates for employees in the style of ZlĂn architecture creating a coherent image recognisable as Bata. In Britain’s case, Bata starts selling in that country around 1920s and a trading office is established in London already in 1924. In 1933 Bata East Tilbury starts producing and until 1965 several others production plants are established in Britain to support East Tilbury production. From 1960s onward Trade Union becomes stronger and Bata company starts its withdrawal from Britain selling part of the estate in 1970; subcontracting and demolishing several communal facilities in the estate around 1975. In 1980 Bata sells the housing estate and the shops to Sears and finally closes in 2006.
PEAK
2004
2006 FACTORY IS DISPOSED PRODUCTION CONTINUES IN RENTED SPACE
PRODUCTION IN RENTED SPACE STOPS
BATA COMPANY CLOSES
BATA BEGANS TO CONTRAC DEMOLISHION OF FARM, SCHOOL, T.COLLEGE, SWIMING POOL
BATA SELLS HOUSIGN ESTATE BATA SELLS RETAIL SHOPS
PART OF BATA PROPERTY IS SOLD TO FAIRVIEW PRIVATE DEVELOPERS
MANUFACTURE BEGANS TO SHIFT OVERSEAS
BATA CUMNOCK, SCOTLAND STARTS PRODUCING FOOTWEAR
BATA ET = 3000 WORKERS BRITISH BATA = 5000 WORKERS
BATA MARYPORT, CUMBRIA STARTS PRODUCING RUBBER FOOTWEAR
BATA DUDLEY, WEST MIDLANDS STARTS PRODUCING HEAVY INDUSTRIAL LEATHER BOOTS AND FOOTBALL BOOTS
BATA EAST TILBURY STARTS PRODUCING RUBBER AND LEATHER FOOTWEAR
BATA BUYS SITE IN EAST TILBURY FOR A BATA CITY
BATA SHOE AND LEATHER CO.:LONDON TRADING OFFICE
BATA STARTS SELLING IN THE BRITISH MARKET
A CATALYST FOR THE REGION - EAST TILBURY SUSANA SOARES SARAIVA BAUHAUS KOLLEG XII (2010|2011) URBAN FOOTPRINTS: BATA CITIES - MID-TERM PRESENTATION
1997 1990 1980
1985 1975 1970 1960
1965 1955 1949 1940
1945 1933 1931 1924 1920
WHY BRITAIN?
In the beginning of 1930s the Bata shoe company rules the European shoe market. It looks only logical its move to conquer the UK market. Britain however, had a well-established shoe industry in the north, based on the British tradition, of customize and quality footwear. British Bata would shake this industry with its cheap prices of canvas footwear sold on groovy shops with complete foot care services. In the Bata organization each subsidiary company had a great degree of independence, following the guidelines of the mother company but with specific goals and market targets. British Bata was responsible for: Far East and West Indies market, inclusive survey for new places for establishing new production plants; Search for new raw materials sources in Africa, USA and Canada; Training workers and managers to supervise actions on those areas like Sierra Leone, Malaysia, USA and Canada; Around 1960s, the Trading office in London is closed and moved to Canada, along with the company headquarters, British Bata planning department is then responsible for designing plans and buildings especially for Bata India. So, unlike our first understanding of the company, East Tilbury was not just a Bata satellite city, producing shoes for the British Market according to the Headquarters commands, but an independent company with its own market targets, goals, suppliers, etc…
It was also pretty much export oriented – 40% of its total production was sent to mainly Far East and West Indies. Confirming this hypothesis is the fact that, when looking for Bata advertisements in UK fashion magazines from 1935 to 1975, we can hardly find anything. The company didn’t focused on promoting its image to the British public. It relied on governmental contracts and exports for its sustainability. So, why Britain? Because of the British Colonies potential, not only in terms of market sells, but also in the opportunity of establishing production plants in places with less protective polices against foreign companies, less demanding bureaucratic procedures, less workers protection, less Trade Unionism (even if that was not always the case, like in India, it still compensated in terms of workers rights, to set up on those countries). And also because of the enormous availability of raw materials at very competitive prices. As production plants start functioning in those countries the company starts exporting mainly to Europe, North America and Canada. As competition grows and Bata starts loosing its governmental contracts (great amount coming from the war), the company’s former leadership is taken over. Today however one of Bata’s main markets is India, which proofs that Britain, was probably a very well calculated bet.
WHY BRITAIN?
MA T
E
RT PO IM
RA W
R I A L RUBB ER
I
ON TI UC OD PR
MP O
RT
RAW
H EAT MATERIAL - L
ORT EXP RUBBER + O L THE IA R R E T MA
S
OF
L TA TO
ER EATH - L L A RI TE MA
IM PO RT
% 40
RA W
ER
U OD PR
CT IO N
FAR EAST
RT PO IM
W RA
WEST INDIES
EXPORT 4 0% OF TO TA L
DISTRIBUTION CENTERS EXPORTS - MAIN IMPORTS BRITISH COLONIES
BAUHAUS KOLLEG XII (2010|2011) URBAN FOOTPRINTS: BATA CITIES - MID-TERM PRESENTATION
A CATALYST FOR THE REGION - EAST TILBURY SUSANA SOARES SARAIVA
BRITISH BATA British Bata followed the model established by the mother company in ZlĂn including production system, architecture, planning, communication, social and professional ethics. For that reason the company tend to prefer unskilled or semi-skilled people to be trained from scratch, moulded into the Bata way. Even those hired for higher positions, like management, had to complete the Bata training that included experience in all departments of the production plants, from cleaning, to production, sales and management. In British case, as the company decides to settle a production plant in this country around 1930-31, it complied not only with the traditional planning rules, but also the vertical control organization of the company. The new settlement was located slightly near the London Trading office, to the East, along side the River Thames, next to Tilbury docks: the main export/import facility of London and Britain. The central location, near the capital city and the main export facility allowed quick connections both out as to the inner land where there were the more proper places to establish other Bata companies aimed to support East Tilbury:
There was: a leather factory in Lancashire; a Mill in Leicester (textiles); production plant at Maryport, established in 1940, specialized in rubber footwear; production plant at Dudley, West Midlands in 1949, specialized in heavy industrial leather footwear and football boots; production plant at Cumnock established in 1965, we believe specialized in canvas footwear (?). All the production of these facilities would be transported to Bata East Tilbury thru the company’s lorries and then distributed to the British market also by lorry or exported by boat, thru Tilbury docks. Apparently, the train trasportation was never heavily used by Bata, despite its close location to East Tilbury. One of the reasons might be the problems existing between the rail company and Bata from the beginning of the settlement. Bata had to have long negotiations with the rail company to be allowed to build a station on site. It was only built in the end of 1930s, paid by Bata on location chosen by the rail company and not on site desired by Bata.
DUDLEY 1949
CUMNOCK 1964
MARYPORT 1940
MILL FAR EAST
TANERY 300 SHOPS 60%
TRADING OFFICE 1935-1960S
EAST TILBURY 1933-2006
40%
WEST INDIES
BAUHAUS KOLLEG XII (2010|2011) URBAN FOOTPRINTS: BATA CITIES - MID-TERM PRESENTATION
A CATALYST FOR THE REGION - EAST TILBURY SUSANA SOARES SARAIVA
HISTORICAL REASONS FOR ALLOCATION
Following the general common Bata rules, the settlement is located near a big economic centre (and Bata trading office), but far enough to not be influenced by its urbanity. Bata wanted to be located in a region that had no shoe tradition so that the potential employees would not come with “professional habits”; slightly rural in character with cheap land and not influenced by trade unionism. That way people were more likely to comply with Bata rules, and subject themselves to Batas working conditions. The site chosen, in the East of London, was suffering for de-industrialization for some years with a high rate of unemployment being Tilbury docks the main employer of the region. Even if the payments in the docks were high, there was no security in the job, because the workers were hired by the day, and you never knew if you would have a job tomorrow. Bata recruited workers mainly from the surrounding villages or towns.
The site was a potato farm, crossed by a main road that connected an old military fort located on the Riverside (Coalhouse fort) to the rail line and up North to Grays, and London to the West and Southend to the East. There was also a road connecting to Tilbury docks. The land was mainly Marshfield’s with gravel in the sublevel considered good both for laying out the foundations of buildings and to be used as construction material. On the North side the farm was crossed by LondonSouthend rail line. Even if, that track existed since 1850 this area remained quite rural in character (around 90%), which was considered a plus by Tomas Bata. If we analyse the growth of London, and the surrounding area of East Tilbury, we realize that the settlement still remains quite detached from its surroundings, being the exception the neighbourhoods dating from 1970s. The old urban centres continue their modest development, unaware of Bata existence, and some others appear more related to the previous than to Bata settlement.
GREATER LONDON AND EAST THAMES - 2010
GREATER LONDON AND EAST THAMES - 1979
GREATER LONDON AND EAST THAMES - 1940
ROMFORD
CORRINGHAM
LONDON
ORSETT
STANFORD-LE-HOPE
CHAFFORD HUNDRED
Farmer Wilson farm: - marshfields facilitate construction - gravel below can be extracted and used for construction
GRAYS
EAST TILBURY
RIVER THAMES TILBURY
MAIN URBAN SETTLEMENTS
BATA SETTLEMENT
GRAVESEND
THURROCK COUNCIL
RAIL LINE LONDON-SOUTHEND 1850
THURROCK 1935 BAUHAUS KOLLEG XII (2010|2011) URBAN FOOTPRINTS: BATA CITIES - MID-TERM PRESENTATION
MAIN ROADS
A CATALYST FOR THE REGION - EAST TILBURY SUSANA SOARES SARAIVA
CONDITIONS OF THE REGION - URBAN SETTLEMENTS
In 1931, Thurrock council was considered by many “the wasteland of London”, preferential place for settling of industrial activity connected to the River Thames, it was clearly in decay by that time. The main industry in the area was cement (the extraction of chalk and clay led to the existence of a lot of quarries in the area), brick, soap, margarine and oil refineries in west Thurrock, because oil, could not pass Coalhouse fort area, for the safety of London. However, as said before, all these industries were dying around the time Bata announced the intention of coming to the area. Obviously the news was received with appraisal. The council was suffering by severe unemployment rates. The area was mainly rural 90%, mainly potato culture, sold in London on Convent Garden and transported by train. There was clear lack of transport infrastructures and facilities besides the rail and docks mainly existing to serve industry and London. The main settlements were Tilbury town, Grays, Orset, Stanford-le-Hope. The market was in Romford were people from the region would go once a week, and to Gravesend for leisure on the weekends.
As Bata settles in, it catches mainly people from this surrounding settlements, plus Chadwell and some from the other side of the River – Gravesend – who would come by ferry. They would cycle in, walk and use Bata bus service mainly. Besides all Bata promises, the settlement never became more than a small village, hosting less than 1/4 of its workers. Most workers remained in their hometown, commuting everyday to East Tilbury. As reported by a former manager, arriving at East Tilbury train station was impressive: the intense smell of rubber, and the movement of cars and people concentrated in that small place in the middle of green fields was astonishing. The company didn’t seem to have any suppliers in the region besides shoebox making. The facilities on site were enough for residents but didn’t attracted outsiders accept, maybe on weekends, for special events in the ballroom. The surrounding areas continue to develop, independent from the Bata settlement. As it starts its decline, there is no support urban structure to hold it, except, the old residents and the Designation of English Heritage.
CONDITIONS OF THE REGION - URBAN SETTLEMENTS
THURROCK 1935
THURROCK 2010
ROMFORD
BASILDON
NORTH OCKEDON
CORRINGHAM
ORSETT
CORRINGHAM HORNDON HILL
SOUTH OCKEDON STANFORD-LE-HOPE
STANFORD-LE-HOPE
ORSETT NORTH STIFFORD
CHAFFORD HUNDRED
CHAFFORD HUNDRED
AVELEY EAST TILBURY
GRAYS
SOUTH STIFFORD PURFLEET
GRAYS
CHADWELL ST.MARY
LINFORD EAST TILBURY
WEST THURROCK TILBURY
TILBURY
GRAVESEND
GRAVESEND
BAUHAUS KOLLEG XII (2010|2011) URBAN FOOTPRINTS: BATA CITIES - MID-TERM PRESENTATION
A CATALYST FOR THE REGION - EAST TILBURY SUSANA SOARES SARAIVA
CONDITIONS THE- TRANSPORT REGION - TRANSPORT CONDITIONS OF THEOF REGION
THURROCK 2010 WARLEY ST
M25
3 A1
RD
ON ND LO
THE MAN ORWAY
K
ST.CHADS TA
RD
RD
CAL CU T
RD
EAST TILBURY
DO C
RAINH A
RD
EAST TILBURY ST.CHADS
DO CK
A1 30 6
A128
RD
CAL CUT TA
NORTH ROAD
ON ND LO
RO AD
RD NDON
OAD OD R
RDS
THE MAN ORWAY
OCKE
TWO BREN
M NHA
NE W
A128
NORTH ROAD
A1 30 6
RD NDON
ROAD OOD
RDS
AD
RAI
M NHA
RO
TW BREN
RAI
NE W
OCKE
A127
M RD
ST MA RYS L N RAINH A
LN
M RD
ST MA RYS
WARLEY ST
THURROCK 1935
A206 GRAVESEND
BAUHAUS KOLLEG XII (2010|2011) URBAN FOOTPRINTS: BATA CITIES - MID-TERM PRESENTATION
GRAVESEND
A CATALYST FOR THE REGION - EAST TILBURY SUSANA SOARES SARAIVA
CONDITIONS OF THE REGION Today, Thurrock Council presents, ironically many characteristics of 1930: suffering severely from the effects of de-industrialization, lack of infrastructures, lack of facilities, high rate of unemployment, lack of life quality standards. The area remains a mix of countryside with industrial landscape. Tilbury docks are still operating as major receiver of imports to the country – goods and people. But a new container port is being planned East of East Tilbury that will certainly produce some changes in the character of the region. There is also a lot of pressure to extend the growth of London to this area, but maybe because of its past history, Thurrock people tend to mistrust London’s intentions. Curiously enough, they tend to refuse any kind of development for the region. The Bata settlement, remains, a small village in the middle of green fields, enclosed by the rail line. Only residents go to that area.
CONDITIONS OF THE REGION
BULPHAN
GREAT LONDON
NORTH OCKENDON
LITLE MALGRAVES
ON ND LO
ND HE UT O -S
M2
5
FORBING
CORRINGHAM
HORNDONON-HTE-HILL
STANFORD-LE-HOPE CORYTON ORSETT SOUTH OCKENDON
LONDON GATEWAY
A1 3
SHELL HAVEN
NORTH STIFFORD arena essex raceway
CHAFFORD HUNDRED
LINFORD
lakeside WEST THURROCK
EAST TILBURY
CHADWELL ST.MARY
BADGERS DENE
SOUTH STIFFORD
PURFLEET
WEST TILBURY
TILBURY
EU RO ST A STONE
EAST TILBURY
RIVE
GRAYS
BATA SETTLEMENT
R TH AMES
AVERLY
R
GREENHITHE SWANSCOMBE
NORTHFLEET
RIVER THAMES
GRAVESEND
THURROCK COUNCIL
RIVER THAMES
MAIN ACCESS ROADS
BATA SETTLEMENT
SECONDARY ACCESS ROADS
SURROUNDING URBAN AREAS
RAIL LINE
RAIL LINE STATION
EUROSTAR
EUROSTAR STATION
BAUHAUS KOLLEG XII (2010|2011) URBAN FOOTPRINTS: BATA CITIES - MID-TERM PRESENTATION
A CATALYST FOR THE REGION - EAST TILBURY SUSANA SOARES SARAIVA
CONDITIONS OF THE REGION - COMMERCIAL CENTRES CONDITIONS OF THE REGION - COMERCIAL CENTRES
THURROCK 2010
THURROCK 1935
BASILDON
ROMFORD
NORTH OCKEDON
CORRINGHAM
ORSETT
STANFORD-LE-HOPE
STANFORD-LE-HOPE
ORSETT NORTH STIFFORD CHAFFORD HUNDRED
AVELEY
CHAFFORD HUNDRED
SOUTH STIFFORD PURFLEET
GRAYS EAST TILBURY
GRAYS
CHADWELL ST.MARY
LINFORD EAST TILBURY
WEST THURROCK TILBURY
TILBURY
SHOPPING
MARKET - ONCE WEEK BATA SETTLEMENT
CORRINGHAM HORNDON HILL
SOUTH OCKEDON
GRAVESEND
BAUHAUS KOLLEG XII (2010|2011) URBAN FOOTPRINTS: BATA CITIES - MID-TERM PRESENTATION
BATA SETTLEMENT
GRAVESEND
A CATALYST FOR THE REGION - EAST TILBURY SUSANA SOARES SARAIVA
CONDITIONS OF THE REGION - MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE
CONDITIONS OF THE REGION - MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE
THURROCK 1935
THURROCK 2010
ROMFORD
MAR KET ONC
COMMUT
BASILDON
E A WEE K
D HEN
T SOU CORRINGHAM
ING TO LONDON ORSETT
CO MM
UT IN G
STANFORD-LE-HOPE
NORTH OCKEDON
TO
LO
ND
CHAFFORD HUNDRED
WORK
TILBURY
MARKET - ONCE WEEK LEISURE - WEEKENDS
NORTH STIFFORD
SOUTH STIFFORD PURFLEET
EAST TILBURY
STANFORD-LE-HOPE
ORSETT
ON AVELEY
GRAYS
CORRINGHAM HORNDON HILL
SOUTH OCKEDON
CHAFFORD HUNDRED
GRAYS
CHADWELL ST.MARY
LINFORD EAST TILBURY
WEST THURROCK
WORK
TILBURY
SHOPPING GRAVESEND
LEISURE - WEEKENDS
GRAVESEND
BATA SETTLEMENT
BAUHAUS KOLLEG XII (2010|2011) URBAN FOOTPRINTS: BATA CITIES - MID-TERM PRESENTATION
A CATALYST FOR THE REGION - EAST TILBURY SUSANA SOARES SARAIVA
PORTRAIT THE REGION PORTRAIT OF THEOF REGION
PITSEA BENFLEET
LEIGH-ON-SEA
BARKING DAGENHAM DOCK FENCHURCH STREET
WEST HAM
RAINHAM STANFORD-LE-HOPE
LIMEHOUSE
PURFLEET PORTRAIT OF THE REGION
EAST TILBURY
GRAYS
BAUHAUS KOLLEG XII (2010|2011) URBAN FOOTPRINTS: BATA CITIES - MID-TERM PRESENTATION
TILBURY
A CATALYST FOR THE REGION - EAST TILBURY SUSANA SOARES SARAIVA
THE END
BAUHAUS KOLLEG XII (2010|2011) URBAN FOOTPRINTS: BATA CITIES - MID-TERM PRESENTATION
A CATALYST FOR THE REGION - EAST TILBURY SUSANA SOARES SARAIVA