Childhood Gallery

Ice cream van JLP01_08_071642

Hornchurch Court, Bonsall Street, Hulme, Manchester. A recently completed multi-storey block of Sectra flats in Hulme, probably Hornchurch Court, with a family in the foreground buying from an ice cream van.
Sectra was a French prefabricated steel formwork design for flats which John Laing and Son Ltd acquired the British rights to in 1962. It was a method of using precision made
steel formwork for the placing of structural concrete in tunnel sections in room unit widths and ceiling heights. The units were bolted together in rows on special tracks, with the concrete poured to form the walls and floors in one operation. The formwork was internally heated to accelerate the hardening of the concrete in the mould and the sections were then lifted into position by a tower crane on the construction site.
Hornchurch Court was the first of three multi-storey blocks that Laing built in Hulme for the City of Manchester to replace 5,000 slum houses. The company started working on the site in October 1964 and finished 18 weeks later with the opening taking place on 10th May 1965. The other two blocks were due for completion at seven-week intervals

© Historic England Archive

Playground JLP01_10_46030

NATIONAL INDOOR ARENA, KING EDWARDS ROAD, BIRMINGHAM. A view of the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham during construction, taken from the west, with two children at a playground in the foreground.
I/N is recorded next to this image in Laing's negative register, signifying that it is an internegative. It appears to have been copied from the original in July 1990 and was probably taken shortly beforehand. The image was supplied by Allan Sloan, a regional marketing manager for Laing's Midland Division.
The £50m Design and Construct contract for the National Indoor Arena (NIA) was awarded to the Laing Midlands Division by Birmingham City Council in January 1989. It was officially opened on 4th October 1991 by athlete Linford Christie. At the time of opening, it was the largest indoor arena in the UK and had capacity for approximately 12,000 spectators. The arena has been renamed multiple times throughout its history. Originally the National Indoor Arena (October 1991 to December 2014), it later became known as The Barclaycard Arena (December 2014 to August 2017), Arena Birmingham (September 2017 to April 2020), and Utilita Arena Birmingham (April 2020 to present)

© Historic England Archive

Candy floss JLP01_08_081373

Laing Sports Ground, Rowley Lane, Elstree, Barnet, Greater London. Two young children eating candy floss at a Gala Day held at the Laing Sports Ground at Elstree.
A Gala Day was held by Laing at the Laing Sports Ground on 14th June 1969, as a replacement of the annual Sports Day. Sports events were held by the Sports Club, which included hockey, tennis, bowls, and football tournaments. A traditional English fete programme featured coconut shies, bingo, pony rides, catering and a beer tent, candy floss, and roundabouts. The day ended with a beauty contest, prize draw, and the election of Miss Sports Club. In the evening there was a fireworks display and a gala dance which continued until midnight. This photograph was published in the August 1969 edition of Team Spirit, the Laing employee newsletter

© Historic England Archive