Exhibition: Made in Barking and Dagenham

Barking and Dagenham owes much of its character and appearance to industrialisation. In less than a century, industry transformed what were two fishing and farming settlements in Essex into expansive suburban towns within Greater London.

What makes Barking and Dagenham unique, however, is the astonishing range of industrial activity and endeavour. Whilst many towns and cities were famous for making one type of product, for example Stoke-on-Trent for pottery and Sheffield for steel, Barking and Dagenham was producing a huge variety of interesting and bizarre products.

During the 20th century, industries based around, or producing, chemicals, food and drink, power and energy, mechanical engineering, iron and steel and minerals all flourished and diversified, and at times failed. Some were small-scale and short-lived, others gargantuan and long-lasting.

Barking and Dagenham’s manufacturing profile is unrivalled by any other London borough within Greater London.