Peter MARSHALL
Cuba St, Westferry Rd, Isle of Dogs, Tower
Hamlets. 1982
30l-24.jpg: works, roof
An article on-line from the 1974 on the Commercial Motor archive gives a little more detail about the building before going on to describe the work of the drivers:
"A short distance away, a large modern-looking distribution warehouse of the Beecham group houses pharmaceuticals foods, drinks and sundries. The warehouse, with a distinctive open span roof of advanced European design, seems somewhat incongruous against the older premises in the vicinity. It was built some 14 years ago on land then occupied by a Morton's Foods factory. When Morton's became part of the Beecham Group the bombed factory site was cleared and the depot was built, I gather, with war damage money.Mr J. 0. Randall, assistant depot manager, was not wholly convinced that its siting was ideal for the area it served and he wondered whether more recent distribution depots in the Charlton area were not better placed to serve London and the South East, to the coast."
Given the relative isolation of the Isle of Dogs Mr Randall's comments are something of an understatement. The writer of the article notes it was also difficult to find clerical staff, with one of them suggesting it was a mistake to have put the offices next to the busy Westferry Road rather than with a pleasant view over the river, though I suspect the problems in actually getting to work on the island may have been a greater factor.
The article also discusses drivers for John Lenanton and Son Ltd. timber merchants and at the Hoveringham sand and gravel works whose premises were in a previous picture. I note that drivers in 1974 were earning more than I was as a teacher at that time, though it describes some working for a road haulage company without sickness or holiday pay, with the company not wanting to be identified in case it brought them to the attention of the local T&GW organiser.