The Bata Reminiscence & Resource Centre held its biannual Open Day last Wednesday 8 October in East Tilbury library. The morning heavy rain and flooded car park did not stop Bata friends and guests arriving to view the work undertaken by a small team of energetic volunteers.
Among the invited guests was the Mayor of Thurrock, Councillor Steve Liddiard. It was his first visit to the Centre and he was impressed with the continuance of the Bata name and he noted that 2014 was the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Bata empire in Zlin, Czechoslovakia. Among the Bata friends was 93 years young Ken Stanley who is a regular visitor to the Centre.
Donations were made during the day of various artefacts and included a 1945 Bata VE Day Remembrance badge.
The next Open Day will be on Wednesday 15 April 2015, again at East Tilbury library. The opening times will be from 11.00am to 1.00pm and then 4.00pm to 7.00pm which are different to the usual format.
The second interview was broadcast later as part of a feature on Company Towns in Essex. East Tilbury Bata was compared to Silver End, the Company Town built for the Crittal Window Company. This section of the feature, which covers the a walk around East Tilbury and some of it’s fascinating history, can by heard by using the link below:
