How they wrecked Beckton gasworks

The film "Full Metal Jacket" was made in Beckton Gas Works - by blowing up and wrecking much of the then unused works.

Many of the buildings had been designed by 19th century architect, Francis Edwards, and had considerable merit.

Once they were wrecked and covered with Vietnamese slogan they were left to rot for many years.

In the film many of the buildings are easily recognisable - and must have been a sad sight for those who had maintained them in good order and worked there for many years. However it the film is worth seeing for the old gas works shots - despite being about about an American military subject.

I am attaching some of my not very good photographs taken soon after they were wrecked - taken from some distance and sadly not really showing the slogans - and I am now very sorry that I didn't get better and more interesting shots. It was a pretty dramatic site.

Gas Holder in Florence

Picture of gas holder in Florence,sent to us by Roger, with thanks.

Letter in the Guardian

In 1805, John Southern, an engineer for the Boulton and Watt Company, was arguably the first person to demonstrate the vital part gasholders would play in the economics of gas manufacture and also the first to complain about the misnomer "gasometer", writing: "I do not like the name, for it is not a meter. You may as well call a pool a hydrometer." Two hundred years on, the error persists, as your editorial demonstrates (In praise of… gasometers, 20 July).

letter from Dr Ian West