EPW006574 ENGLAND (1921). T.W. Ward Ltd Shipbreakers Yard and the Railway Sleepers Wharf Timber Yard, Grays, 1921

Unfortunately only one of this set of seven pictures includes a view of the west side, and here we see at least a small part of the Grays cement plant (also known as Brooks Works or Anchor Works). The plant was started in 1871 by Brooks, Shoobridge & Co, was merged into Hilton, Anderson Brooks & Co in 1893, and became part of APCM in 1900.



The picture shows a few units of the long bank of chamber kilns, and confirms that the plant was still operating, although it probably shut down in 1922. A number of decrepit old plants were revived during 1919-1922 in anticipation of what turned out to be a very short post-war boom. An number of Thames sailing barges can be seen heading for it, presumably bringing clay from Cliffe Marshes or the Medway.