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9
Annual Report 1955
SECTION A:—STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS
OF THE AREA
A (1) Physical Situation and Amenities
Erith is situated in the north-west corner of Kent, and
is bounded on the north-east by the River Thames, to which
it has a frontage of about 4 miles; on the west by the Metropolitan
Borough of Woolwich and the Borough of Bexley
and on the south by the Borough of Bexley and the Urban
District of Crayford. The Borough still retains in many
places a rural aspect, and views from the many vantage
points in the district alford evidence of its undulating nature,
and the tree-endowed areas of Belvedere and Abbey Wood.
Shopping facilities, though not concentrated, are nevertheless,
advantageously situated, and the area is supplied with a
copious water supply which is provided and maintained by
the Metropolitan Water Board.
The chief industries are light engineering, edible oil refining,
manufacture of chemicals, coal shipping and lighterage,
and the production of building materials. Manufacture of
radio and television equipment, and also toys, are established
industries.
Industrial expansion has progressed during the year and
in July the new heavy turbine shop at an engineering factory
was opened by the Chairman of the Central Electricity
Authority. A new jetty is in course of construction so that
coal can be discharged from vessels continuously, and the
site of the new Electric Power Station in Norman Road,
Belvedere is now laid out.
In November, the Minister of Works visited the district
and toured a plasterboard factory at which premises machinemade
partition panels were being constructed for utilising
at newly erected bungalows in an adjacent Metropolitan
Borough. The using of this type of factory-made component
is said to reduce by £241 comparable costs of each traditional
building, and at the same time to lessen construction time
from 16 to 11 weeks.