People Gallery

Unveiling the Cenotaph SAM01/02/0074

The unveiling ceremony of the Cenotaph on Whitehall, Westminster, Greater London. The Cenotaph was unveiled on Armistice Day, 11 November, 1920 by King George V. He is shown in this photograph to the right of the Cenotaph, having just pushed the button which caused the two Union Jack flags to fall (they can be seen at the base of the memorial). The memorial to the war dead was constructed by Sir Edward Lutyens in 1919-20. From the Julian Joseph Samuels collection

© Historic England Archive

Coryton Refinery flood defences JLP01_08_020888

CORYTON OIL REFINERY, THURROCK, ESSEX. Workers constructing a protective wall of precast concrete blocks at Coryton Oil Refinery, as part of extensive flood prevention work at the site.
On the night of Saturday 31st January through to the morning of Sunday 1st February 1953, severe floods struck parts of the UK, Scotland, Belgium and the Netherlands. The natural disaster is often referred to as the North Sea Flood of 1953. Severe flooding occurred along the east coast of the UK. The site of Coryton Oil Refinery flooded as the river wall protecting the site was breached in 14 places. An article detailing the disaster and subsequent recovery operation was published in the March 1953 edition of Laing's monthly newsletter; Team Spirit. A programme of extensive sea and river defence works was carried out following the flooding

© Historic England Archive. John Laing Photographic Collection

Piling foundations JLP01_01_167_38

CORYTON OIL REFINERY, THURROCK, ESSEX. Foundation work in progress for the Crude Distillation Unit at Coryton Oil Refinery, showing men working on pile foundations and a back actor machine excavating between piles.
The caption beneath this album print reads Crude Distillation Unit - 16" x 16" vertical and raking piles, breaking away concrete surrounding main reinforcement prior to burning off at cut off level. Back Actor excavating between piles (Tower Foundations).
Coryton Oil Refinery was ceremonially opened in May 1954 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. It was operated by Vacuum Oil Company; a unit of Mobil. From 1996, the refinery was run by BP as part of a joint venture with Mobil. Ownership of Coryton Refinery was later transferred to BP in 2000, and then Petroplus Holdings in 2007. Major products of the refinery included petrol and diesel, aviation fuels, liquefied petroleum gas, fuel oils and bitumen. Coryton Oil Refinery was closed down in 2012

© Historic England Archive. John Laing Photographic Collection