A sad farewell to Ekco of/in Southend-On-Sea

[TNC]

I'm afarid I can't find a neat topic-fit for this one but I am sure many will wish briefly to mourn the final passing of Ekco in Southend-On-Sea.

For those unfamiliar with their site, this was Ekco's prime manufacturing plant and, I believe, operated until the mid 70s producing Radio/TV - and thereafter for a few more years producing Ekco plastics - which included their luxurious top-of-the-range toilet seats!

The picture shows Ekco's quite handsome, 1930s built, administrative office which in latter years housed the operations of Access - the Joint Credit Card company. The ghastly mansard roof was a late (1980s) addition but for all that, the building had retained a Thirties elegance and was a very attractive office until just a couple of years ago.
The main manufacturing facilities were to the rear and to the l/h side of the building. Note the rather obvious title of "Offices" which has remained to this day.
These photographs were taken this evening at around 20.25 - I imagine a couple more days will see it gone - all rather sad.

Trevor.

[Kat Manton]

Hi Trevor,

It may be sad to see the building go, but we keep Ekco very much alive by preserving their products. Gone but definitey not forgotten

(That reminds me, I must get around to restoring the 1939 PB510 I've had for ages...)

Cheers, Kat

[captain_70s]

I must say I belive it is a shame that this country is throwing away its indutrial heritage by destroying the buildings where this countrys goods were made and designed.

Oh, and Kat, didn't know you were a member here.

[Nickthedentist]

Thanks for that, Trevor, I'd always wondered whether the Ekco factory still existed in any form.

You're right, if you mentally remove the mansard roof and the replacement windows, it would have been a beautiful building.

I wonder whether there were any interesting interior features (staircases, board rooms, clock systems etc.) were still intact?

If you've got any more pics, do PM me.

Cheers
Nick.

[Lloyd 1985]

That is such a shame their demolishing that..
I bet there were quite a few nice features still in there. I'm supprised it wasn't a listed building?!
would have been a great place to house a vintage radio and tv museum

regards,
Lloyd.

[chipp1968]

Sign of the times , we seam to be reverting to the pull down mentality unfortunately .
Its a shame , when its gone its gone forever

[murphyv310]

Originally Posted by chipp1968

Sign of the times , we seam to be reverting to the pull down mentality unfortunately .
Its a shame , when its gone its gone forever

Hi Chipp.
Yes it is a sign of todays mentality but when will it all stop, no doubt when its too late. My dad always said you must judge a country by its manfacturing base surely now we have got to that stage. Ekco produced some wonderful products and lets not forget the war effort, the "plastics" dept too supplied finished cabinets etc in droves.
Trevor

[TNC]

Thanks for all your interesting comments and observations.

Nick: Sadly I do not have any other photographs - it was only by chance that I happened (by mistake!) to have left my small digital camera in the car so was able to stop and take those two shots.
However, I wouldn't be at all surprised to discover that Southend's local record office (in the local library) has some further detail - if I get a chance I will have a look.

As to the interior...when it was in use it looked to be a large and pleasant reception area - but from the exterior one couldn't see any other details.

As you say Kat - Ekco will live on by our own efforts - so some compensation there.

Trevor.

[JoshWard]

A great shame. How many modern industrial buildings are built with style in mind?!
The chap who lives opposite me worked with Mr Cole at one point (I think it was in the R.A.F)

[Aerodyne]

Captain 70s said

I must say I belive it is a shame that this country is throwing away its indutrial heritage by destroying the buildings where this countrys goods were made and designed.

Dead right. To our everlasting shame, historically we as a nation have never valued technology for its true worth, preferring the homes of landed gentry to the structures of industrial endeavour. The mansard roof is indeed ghastly on such a stylish Art Deco-influenced building. Get rid of that, by all means, but why destroy a building with such a heritage? No doubt some highly compressed housing estate will arise in its stead.
Very, very sad. And of course, very wrong. The visible evidence of an empire built on hard work and sacrifice by risk-taking brave entrepreneurs that provided entertainment for many millions and work for thousands; gone with a swish of the developer's pen. No epitaph for Ekco, then.
-Tony

[Mike-repairman]

TNC, OH says was that the building opposite Priory Park?
I though it was somewhere between Rayleigh and S-O-S. We both lived down that way, and I'm sure we went to the radio club in the Ekco building in the late 70's.
Mike.

[Heatercathodeshort]

I am very sad to see the end of the Ekco factory at Southend. It was and is my favourite brand of television receivers. There is a fantastic picture in the book 'The Setmakers' showing Ekco moving into their new factory in 1931 using horses and carts!
The two technologies at the time could not have been further apart. RIP Ekco. RIP ERIC KIRKHAM COLE. John.

[Darren-UK]

We've established that the former Ekco building is now being demolished, so there's really no more to be said on this matter.

With one OT post already deleted, the Mods feel it's now time for this thread to go the same way as Ekco and be closed.