The next Bata Heritage Centre Open Day will be held on Saturday, 26 April 2025. Admission is free.
It will be another two-centre event as follows:
- 10:00 – 13:00 – Building 13 (the old admin building of the Bata factory), Thames Industrial Park, Princess Margaret Road, East Tilbury, Essex RM 18 8RH
- 10:00 – 16:00 – East Tilbury Library, Princess Avenue, East Tilbury, Essex RM18 8ST
It is recommended that all those attending the Open Day head for Building 13 initially where ample WC facilities are available. We anticipate that three Optional guided walks around the Bata estate will leave from Building 13 11 am , 11.30 am & 12 noon. and will finish at the Library. Booking for the tours is essential – please email us at brrcatbatamemories@hotmail.com to reserve your place. A donation of £5 per person** is suggested and this will be collected at the start of the tour. If the demand for walks is high, we may be able to organise an additional one. However, this is dependent on volunteer availability, which at the moment we cannot guarantee.
At 1:30pm, there will be a free, illustrated “Heritage Talk” at the Library and all are welcome to attend.
**Open Day special offer – For just £8, combine the purchase of our informative booklet about the history of Bata at East Tilbury (normally £4) with your donation for the tour.
In addition to the displays in Building 13, in our museum at the East Tilbury Library, there are many more exhibits from our collection to view, together with more photo-boards. The Library is our base where we hold all our records and have our research facilities. Here you will find out more about the life and times of the Bata factory and those living on its residential estate between the 1930s and the early 2000s.
We look forward to seeing you there.

The next Bata Heritage Centre Open Day will be held on Saturday, 12 October 2024. Admission is free.
It will be another two-centre event as follows:
- 10:00 – 13:00 – Building 13 (the old admin building of the Bata factory), Thames Industrial Park, Princess Margaret Road, East Tilbury, Essex RM 18 8RH
- 10:00 – 16:00 – East Tilbury Library, Princess Avenue, East Tilbury, Essex RM18 8ST
It is recommended that all those attending the Open Day head for Building 13 initially where ample WC facilities are available. Optional guided walks around the Bata estate leave from Building 13 at 10:30am, 11.15am and 12:15pm and will finish at the Library. Booking for the tours is essential – please email us at brrcatbatamemories@hotmail.com to reserve your place. A donation of £5 per person** is suggested and this will be collected at the start of the tour. If the demand for walks is high, we may be able to organise an additional one for 12.00pm. However, this is dependent on volunteer availability, which at the moment we cannot guarantee.
At 1:30pm, there will be a free, illustrated “Heritage Talk” at the Library and all are welcome to attend.
**Open Day special offer – For just £8, combine the purchase of our informative booklet about the history of Bata at East Tilbury (normally £4) with your donation for the tour.
Many of our exhibition displays, records and research facilities are on show in the newly refurbished East Tilbury Library. Here you will find displays of some of our collection illustrating the life and times of the Bata factory and those living on its residential estate between the 1930s and the early 2000s.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Hockley & Hawkwell U3A
Walk around the Estate and Talk by Mike Tarbard
