From The Beginning
The Dagenham site was bought by May & Baker (then based in Wandsworth), for £11,000 in 1919, but did not open for business until 1934.
It was to become the headquarters of the multinational, May & Baker Group, a subsidiary of Rhône-Poulenc S.A. and in it’s heyday the site employed some 4,500 people
The extensive site was like a small town, with a power station and boilers to produce steam and generate electricity, a drawing office, two large restaurants, it’s own fire station (with fireman) , an ambulance and sick-bay, insurance/travel office, a stage used for amateur productions, a pristine bowling green and large selection of sports pitches.
The plant manufactured a huge range of medicines, active pharmaceutical ingredients, veterinary medicines, aromatic chemicals, agrochemicals, photographic chemicals, plastics, industrial and fine chemicals until it’s closure in 2013.
May & Bakers , Chemical Production, Dagenham Site on Facebook here.
May and Baker Saved Churchill
May and Baker’s most famous product was M&B 693, Sulphapyridine. First produced in 1937, it was one of the first generation of sulfonamide antibiotics
During WW2, M&B 693 saved many thousands of lives, including Sir Winston Churchill who was treated with it for pneumonia infections twice during the war.
In a subsequent wartime radio broadcast on December 29th 1943 he said:
"This admirable M&B, from which I did not suffer any inconvenience, was used at the earliest moment; and after a week's fever, the intruders were repulsed."
The 693 numeric still features on the badge of May & Baker FC
The Sports & Social Club.
The M&B Club was formed in 1945 to provide facilities for popular leisuretime activities on the company’s premises (and outside) for any employees who wished to take advantage of them.
The club ran inter-departmental sports competitions, as well as having busy football, cricket and rugby teams who represented the May & Baker company.
Many sports team continue to operate under the May & Baker banner, but are now drawn from local residents rather than employees.
The current clubhouse was opened in 1978, and facilities were upgraded and improved in 1999.
(source “Made In Dagenham” )
After the plant closed in 2013, Sanofi donated over 50 acres of sports fields and the May & Baker Social Club to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, who lease the site to May and Baker Eastbrook Community Club Limited, a registered charity that manages the day to day operation and development of the May and Baker sports ground and associated facilities.
The purpose of the club is to promote community participation in healthy recreation particularly ( but not exclusively) for the benefit of the residents of Barking and Dagenham , by the provision of facilities for playing a variety of sports.
The club also operates as a community hub , and is a vital resource used by many local community groups . During the Covid pandemic, hosted a variety of NHS teams in the car park.
The club remains active in the area of advancing the education of disadvantaged young people and young adults, in the provision of sporting facilities, physical activity and youth work programmes in order to encourage their independence and integration into the community.
The social side of the club continues to grow, and there’s always a welcome at the bar for locals, and visiting supporters of sports teams. The club has a busy social programmes, offering a variety of activities like quiz nights, bridge, pool , live music and live sports on the tv.
With our neighbours Elutec offering wonderful educational opportunities, and a 22 acre film studio soon to follow, the club remains right at the heart of the community……