T H A M E S V A L L E Y

S E R V I C E SS O U T H

ARCHAEOLOGICALARCHAEOLOGICAL

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road,Ditton, Kent

Historic Building Recording

by Sean Wallis

Site Code DLD10/104

(TQ 7160 5695)

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent

Historic Building Recording

For Millwood Designer Homes Ltd

by Sean Wallis

Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd

Site Code DLD 10/104

November 2012

i Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd, 77a Hollingdean Terrace, Brighton, BN1 7HB

Tel. (01273) 554198; Fax (01273) 564043; email south@tvas.co.uk; website : www.tvas.co.uk

Summary

Site name: Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent Grid reference: TQ 7160 5695 Site activity: Historic Building Recording Date and duration of project: August 2012

Project manager: Sean Wallis Project supervisor: Sean Wallis Site code: DLD 10/104 Location and reference of archive: The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited with Maidstone Museum in due course. This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder. All TVAS unpublished fieldwork reports are available on our website: www.tvas.co.uk/reports/reports.asp Report edited/checked by: Steve Ford 31.10.12 Steve Preston 31.10.12

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Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent Historic Building Recording

by Sean Wallis

Report 10/104b

Introduction

This report documents the results of historic building recording carried out at Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn

Road, Ditton, Kent (TQ 7160 5695) (Fig. 1). The work was commissioned Mr Pete Bland, for Millwood

Designer Homes Ltd, Bordyke End, East Street, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1HA.

Planning permission (TM/11/01844) has been gained from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council to

demolish most of the existing buildings on the site, and redevelop the area for residential housing. The

permission is subject to several conditions (11, 12 and 13) relating to heritage matters. Ms Wendy Rogers,

Senior Archaeological Officer with Kent County Council, has indicated that three distinct elements of work are

required to satisfy the planning conditions. These entail recording of the main laboratory building prior to its

demolition; an archaeological watching brief to be carried out during demolition to record any historical features

within the building which may presently be obscured; and the formulation of a Heritage Management Strategy.

This report is solely concerned with the building recording, which was carried out in accordance with a written

scheme of investigation submitted to Ms Rogers, and following an on-site meeting with the various stakeholders.

This is in accordance with and guided by PPS5 (2010) and the Borough Council’s policies on the historic

environment. However, it is acknowledged that PPS5 has been superseded by the National Planning Policy

Framework (NPPF 2012). The fieldwork was undertaken by Sean Wallis and Felicity Howell in August 2012,

and the site code is DLD 10/104.

The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited

with Maidstone Museum and a copy of the report sent to the National Monuments Record in due course.

Location, topography and geology

The site is located on the east side of Kiln Barn Road, just over 1km south of the historic core of Ditton, Kent

(TQ 7160 5695) (Fig. 1). Ditton sits west of Maidstone within a broad bend of the River Medway, where its

course north is blocked by the south facing scarp of the North Downs until it breaks through at Halling.

According to the British Geological Survey, the underlying geology consists of the sandy limestone and

calcareous sand of the Hythe Beds (BGS 1993).

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The site is currently occupied by various buildings associated with the Ditton Laboratory (Fig. 2), the

earliest of which date from 1929. Much of the ground between the buildings has been landscaped to some

degree, with many areas covered in Tarmac. The main laboratory building, and most of its smaller ancillary

structures, are currently derelict, but the house in the north-east corner of the site has been used as a hostel for

fruit pickers. The area around the main laboratory building is relatively flat, and lies at a height of approximately

36m above Ordnance Datum.

Methodology

The building survey was carried out in accordance with guidelines set out by the Royal Commission on Historic

Monuments (England) for a level 3 record (RCHME 1996; English Heritage 2006).

The objectives of the project were:

to record information on the plan, form, date, materials, function and condition of the exterior and interior of the building(s), and to discuss their phasing; to highlight constructional details and methods, and materials used. to highlight the most important architectural details, including carpenters marks and any other inscriptions and significant features, such as fixtures and fittings; to note any construction materials that may have been re-used; to set the site in its historical context by doing a short desk-based study; and to discuss the context of the laboratory within its immediate contemporary landscape.

The project comprised a summary analysis of the structure using the architect’s plans of the site, along with a

comprehensive photographic survey, paying attention to the methods of construction, chronological

development, and features of special interest. The building has been recorded photographically on 35mm format

using colour print, and black and white media, along with digital images, which are catalogued (Appendix 1).

Historical Background

Although the wholesale freezing of food was becoming commercially viable by the early 20th century, there had

been very few research studies in food science prior to the First World War, during which the Royal Society’s

(War) Committee was formed to advise the Ministry of Food. By 1914, Britain relied heavily upon imports of

fruit, vegetables, and other foodstuffs from its Empire and elsewhere, to feed its growing population. During the

war, those imports were threatened by the German submarine blockade, and food supplies reached perilously

low levels. The Committee’s chairman, William B. Hardy, was appalled to learn of the gross wastage of

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perishable foods that had previously been accepted by importers as unavoidable and, shortly afterwards, the

Food Investigation Board (FIB) was set up in 1918 following consultations with the refrigeration industry, with

Hardy as its first Director. Two recent graduates, Franklin Kidd and Cyril West, had started their lifelong

partnership during the war, at Imperial College, and by 1918 both of them were working for the FIB in the

Botany Laboratory at Cambridge University. The first storage experiments with apples were carried out in the

same year, in refrigerated rooms at the Medical School at Cambridge. As these facilities were totally inadequate,

Kidd and West persuaded Hardy to hire a large cold store from the Port of London Authority in 1919, where

experiments were carried out in huts within the huge building. In 1922, the research was moved to the newly

opened Low Temperature Research Station for Biochemistry and Biophysics (LTRS) in Cambridge. Although

their early research looked at various foodstuffs, gas storage of fruit soon became the dominant theme, and Kidd

and West produced the first of a series of classic academic papers on the subject in 1925. The term ‘gas storage’

was changed to “Controlled Atmosphere (CA) Storage” around the time of the Second World War, due to the

wartime connotations of the word “gas”. The basic concept of CA storage involves controlling concentrations of

carbon dioxide and oxygen to inhibit the production of ethylene, which is a volatile agent given off by ripening

apples and pears. However, until the early 1960s the generally perceived wisdom was that ethylene concentration

had little or no influence on the ripening process, and controversy raged between scientists for a number of

years.

Problems with obtaining fruit of a suitable standard for experiments from the area around Cambridge led to

the Ditton Laboratory being built in 1929, as a substation of the LTRS, close to the East Malling Research

Station (EMRS). The site at Ditton was partly chosen due to the close proximity of the fruit growing industry of

Kent, but also so that the work on preservation could be linked to the work on fruit growing which was being

carried out at the EMRS. The Empire Marketing Board provided £55,000 for the new building, which was to be

built as a ‘ship on land’, to enable experiments on the bulk storage of fruit to be carried out, under conditions

comparable to a ship’s hold. The close proximity of the main Southern Railway line was also a factor in building

the new establishment at Ditton, and it was an original intention to construct a private siding to serve the

laboratory, although this never materialized.

The laboratory at Ditton was equipped with an extensive system of refrigeration and a number of constant

temperature rooms together with storage cabinets, gas holders and other facilities. These enabled experiments to

be carried out on the effects of temperature and of the concentration of carbon dioxide and of oxygen on the

storage life of fruit, most notably apples. The research carried out at Ditton and the LTRS meant that by 1940 the

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controlled temperature storage of fruit by commercial growers was well established in England. For work on

refrigeration, a large full-scale replica of a ship’s hold, fitted with internal and external coolers, was built at the

western end of the building. This was large enough to hold 150 tons of fruit, with boxes being packed into the

“hold” from above to simulate a commercial load. The research carried out within the “ship’s hold” was

newsworthy enough for a short film to be made about the laboratory during the 1930s. Experiments within this

experimental hold gave information about rates of cooling stacks of fruit, the need for dunnage, the leakage of

heat into stores and the performance of coolers. The results were used in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand,

and elsewhere to build pre-cooling stations, and more widely to develop modern refrigerated ships. Indeed, the

Ditton influenced cargo spaces, which allowed for the rapid and uniform cooling of fruit and other refrigerated

cargos, remained influential into the 1960s.

Work on storage largely stopped during the Second World War and, following the war, much of the work

formerly carried out in the “ships’ hold” at Ditton was taken up by the Refrigerated Cargo Research Council,

which was set up by shipping companies to consider the problems of refrigeration at sea. New methods of

handling and marketing crops, such as canning and quick freezing, also had an effect on the research carried out

at Ditton, as did the relative importance of crops such as potatoes. The research at Ditton came to be largely

limited to problems of harvesting, handling, storage and marketing of fresh fruit and vegetables, and was directly

connected to the widespread adoption of the refrigerated storage of vegetables, which became more popular from

the late 1960s onwards. The refrigeration plant was renewed in 1953, and in 1957 the “ship’s hold” was

dismantled and replaced by new constant temperature chambers. However, this part of the building was always

known as the “ship’s hold”, or the “hold” right up until the building closed.

In 1959, both Ditton and the LTRS were transferred to Agricultural Research Council, with their role being

to research the science involved in the loss of fresh quality of foodstuffs during storage and transport. However,

in the mid 1960s, a further reorganization of agricultural research resulted in much of the work previously

carried out at Ditton being transferred to the research stations in Norwich (potatoes and soft fruit), Wellesbourne

(vegetables), and Littlehampton (flowers). Research on tree fruit continued at Ditton, although the workforce

was reduced by about 50% and many of the laboratories in the building were stripped of anything other than the

fixed benches and cupboards. The Ditton Laboratory continued in use until it was replaced by the James Mount

Centre at East Malling in 1991.

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Description

The building recording concentrated on the main laboratory building (Pl. 1), although photographs were also

taken which show this structure in its wider context. The other buildings within the laboratory complex will be

discussed briefly, although these were not subject to the same level of survey as the main building. An initial site

visit was carried out on 23rd August 2012, with a second visit on the 28th August during which the interior of

the building was recorded. I am indebted to several former employees of the Ditton Laboratory who have

provided very useful information on the activities which took place there prior to its closure. Dr Richard

Sharples worked at the site from the early 1960s until it closed, during which time the nature of research altered

somewhat, particularly as far as the importance of ethylene is concerned. Dudley and Lorraine Farman met at the

site in the 1980s, and subsequently married. They were present during the initial site visit and have since

provided valuable notes on the function of various rooms within the complex. As a result of the information they

have provided it has been possible to paint a picture of what life was like at the laboratory during its last years,

and effectively bring what is an empty shell of a building to life. Unfortunately it was not possible to contact any

former employees who worked at the site during its early days, when the original “ship’s hold” was in operation.

However, two short films survive which concentrate on the work carried out at Ditton during the 1930s, and

there are a few old photographs of the site which have provided useful information on the complex’s

development.

The Main Laboratory Building (A)

Exterior (Fig. 3)

The main building is a large red brick structure (Pl. 1), measuring approximately 69m by 38m. It is set back from

Kiln Barn Road, with its front entrance facing the road (Fig. 2). There is a semi-circular Tarmacadamed area

immediately in front of the entrance, with grass verges to either side. Tarmacadamed driveways to the north and

south of these grass verges provide vehicular access to the laboratory complex, via metal gates. Unless otherwise

stated below, the external brickwork is laid in alternative courses of headers and stretchers, in a style known as

English Bond. Where visible, the roofs of the building are covered with plain red tiles, and shaped hip and ridge

tiles where appropriate. The site has been derelict for several years, and many of the windows have been boarded

up to stop trespassers gaining access. This, together with the fact that the area around the laboratory is

overgrown, means that many of the descriptions of the exterior rely on the architect’s drawings of the building. It

should be noted that whilst the descriptions of the various windows of the building are correct, a number of the

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brick lintels are for decorative effect only. The original building was clearly built to be both functional and

aesthetically pleasing. Many of the doors and windows were built in a Romanesque style externally, although in

some cases the interior of the doors and windows were rather more practical. Examples of this include some of

the windows which have external lintels of decorative brickwork, but internally have concrete lintels.

The various roofs of the building were not examined in any detail during the survey and, indeed, some of

the roofs were not clearly visible. In general the roofs of the taller, western, elements of the building are covered

with plain roof tiles. The flat roofs which cover most of the building are of bitumen felt, whilst there is a glass

roof over the central part of the building which provided adequate natural light to the area knows as the “pen”.

West Facing Elevation (Fig. 7)

When the laboratory was originally built, the west facing elevation was designed to be symmetrical, and it is

only the later northern extensions, and the varying height of the flat roofs further back which spoil this

symmetry. The main front entrance is positioned centrally, within what is essentially a stair tower, providing

access to the first and second floors. The entrance is set within a decorative Romanesque arch, built largely of

brick, with an upper arch of closely set red tiles. Three steps lead up to the front doorway, which is medieval in

style, consisting of two wooden doors with metal brackets. The southern door has an antique style door handle

positioned close to the keyhole. Up until quite recently there was a decorative lantern attached to the wall

immediately to the north of the doorway, but this has subsequently been removed. At ground floor level there are

toilets situated immediately to the north (room G2) and south (room G33) of the doorway, and each of these has

a small side window, facing north and south respectively. This doorway is no longer in use. This was the main

entrance into the building, although many staff preferred to use the northern door which led into room G10, as

this was opposite the car park.

There is a large flagpole positioned above the door, with extra support being provided by metal brackets.

Above this is the window of the stair landing between the ground and first floors. The top of this window is

slightly curved, with a brick lintel. The window above this corresponds with the landing between the first and

second floor, and extends right up to the eaves.

At ground floor level the elevations to the north and south of the doorway are symmetrical, each having

four large windows, despite the fact that the internal layout is different. All of these windows are boarded up, but

their curved brick lintels are still visible. To the north of the doorway, the windows serve rooms G2, G3, G4 and

G5, whilst to the south they serve rooms G33, G32 and G31.

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The first floor elevation is also largely symmetrical, apart from the two northern extensions which can be

seen to the rear. Small doorways to the north and south of the stair tower provide access to the flat roof which

runs around the building, from rooms F1 and F2 respectively. These doorways are built in the same medieval

style as the main entrance, with a Romanesque arch of bricks at their heads, and wooden doors with metal

brackets. Windows are visible to the north and south of these doorways, serving rooms F5 and F6 respectively.

Each of these has a flat stone lintel. A window serving room F10 can be seen to the north of room F5, and this

extends up to the eaves.

Apart from the central window in the stair tower, there are no windows at second floor level, as this floor is

largely contained within the roofspace.

North Facing Elevation (Fig. 6)

At the time of the survey this elevation was largely obscured by overgrown shrubs, although the walls were

visible at its western end. As a result the architect’s plans have been consulted to describe the building. At the

eastern end of the building there are eight identical windows with curved brick lintels which, from east to west,

serve rooms G19, G18, G17, G15 and G14. The window for room G14 also has a curved brick lintel, but is

shorter and wider than the ones to the east. To the west of this are two windows with flat lintels, one serving

room G11, and the other serving the room above G11, which could not be accessed during the survey for health

and safety reasons. Immediately west of room G11’s window is a small doorway, which provides a side entrance

into the building. At the time of the survey this door was the only access point to the interior. A northern

extension protrudes from the elevation to the west of this doorway. Although it is built in a similar style to the

earliest parts of the laboratory, it is not depicted on the Ordnance Surveys from the 1930s, and its walls are not

keyed into the main structure (Pl. 18). This extension contains the greater part of room G8, and has three large

windows with Roman brick arches along its northern elevation. The eastern elevation of the extension has a

window of the same size, with a small doorway added, whilst the western elevation is similar but has a large set

of double doors.

To the west of the extension there is a small window for room G7, which has a curved brick lintel, and is

built in the same style as that serving room G13. Room G6 protrudes slightly from the rest of the building, and

has a large central doorway flanked by windows. Although the doorway and western window were largely

obscured by vegetation, it was clear that all the openings for this room have brick built Romanesque arches at

their heads. In contrast, the three windows which serve room G5 at the western end of the building are smaller,

with curved brick lintels. They are built in the same style as the eight at the eastern end of the elevation. A

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number of first floor windows are present at the western end of this elevation, serving rooms F9, F10, F5 and F3,

but can only be seen from a distance. Where they are not obscured by the eaves, these windows appear to have

flat stone lintels.

Room F10 is a later extension, probably dating from the 1950s. The latest Ordnance Survey of the complex

appears to show another extension to the north of room G5, although no trace of such a structure was recorded

during the survey, and it is not depicted on the architects’ plans of the building.

Flat roofs of varying heights can be seen along with elevation, along with the glass roof of the central part

of the building, and the tile covered hipped roofs at the western end. The gable end of the first floor northern

extension can also be seen.

East Facing Elevation (Fig. 7)

This elevation of the building was also largely obscured by vegetation, although the upper parts of the eastern

walls could be seen from a distance (Pl. 10). At the southern end of the elevation, room G20 has a single window

with a curved brick lintel. The central part of the building has five large semi-circular windows, with

Romanesque arch brick lintels, and decorative brickwork which extends to the ground externally. The north and

south windows of this group of five have large doorways beneath them. To the north, room G19 has one window

along this elevation, which has a curved brick lintel.

Flat roofs of varying heights can be seen along this elevation, with the tile covered roofs of the western end

of the building in the distance.

South Facing Elevation (Fig. 6)

There are three windows with curved brick lintels at the western end of this elevation, serving rooms G31 and

G30, although they were obscured by vegetation. The windows for the adjacent room (G29) are similar in style,

but taller. To the east of these are two large semi-circular windows with Romanesque brick lintels, serving rooms

G28 and G27, whose decorative brickwork extends to the ground. A large metal vent protrudes from the building

beneath the window of room G27. The next two windows along this elevation (serving rooms G27, G25 and

G26) are extended arches with Romanesque brick lintels. There is then a large set of double doors, which

originally provided the main access for produce into the building. To the east of this entrance there are two

extended arch windows, a semi-circular window, and a further extended arch window, which serve rooms G24,

G23 and G22. The building protrudes out slightly to the east of these, and there are three long windows (for

rooms G22 and G21), with curved brick lintels. Room G20 is located in the south-east corner of the building,

and has a doorway with a window above it along the southern elevation.

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A number of rectangular windows are visible at first floor level, serving rooms F4, F6 and F6. Various flat

roofs can be seen, along with a large central chimney, and the hipped tiled roofs at the western end of the

building.

Interior

Ground Floor (Fig. 4)

The building essentially consists of a large area surrounded by various rooms to the north, south and west. The

central area itself has various zones constructed within it, each of which contains further rooms. These zones,

from west to east, were commonly referred to as the “ship’s hold’, the “pen”, and the “central corridor”. The

structures which make up these three zones have the effect of creating a continuous corridor around the building.

The Perimeter Rooms

The laboratory would originally have been entered via the main entrance on Kiln Barn Road, although this was

locked during the site survey. On entering the building, there is a small entrance lobby (G1), which contains a

wooden telephone booth and stairs leading to the first and second floors (Pl. 5). The lobby was quite gloomy

when the laboratory was open, and used to contain a large table where the mail was delivered, and a fish tank.

The western wall of the “ship’s hold” has the effect of creating two short corridors, to the north and south. To the

north, the first room encountered is a ladies’ lavatory (G2), which has a separate cubicle for the WC, and still

contains a number of fittings. The room has a window which still retains some of its frosted glass, and the

cubicle has its own smaller window. The next room along the corridor (G3) is a narrow storeroom. This has a

large metal shelving unit running along its south wall, which blocks off a southern entrance to the room. The

room has a single rectangular window. The north wall of the room, which separates it from a similar storeroom

to the north (G4) appears to be a later addition, suggesting that the two formerly formed one larger room.

Room G4 was known as the “battery room” and this was where the large lead-acid batteries used

throughout the building were charged, along with some of the staff’s car batteries on occasion. The only trace of

this former activity is a number of switches on the wall, where the battery chargers were plugged in. Outside the

entrance to room G4, the corridor turns east. This northern corridor extends the entire length of the building.

The first room off this corridor is a large workshop (G5) which was used by the shift attendants, and still

has a lathe in its south-west corner (Pl. 6). The lathe has a maker’s label stating that it was “supplied by Alfred

Herbert Ltd, Coventry”, along with a smaller Ditton Laboratories label. The workshop has four rectangular

windows, and a large doorway (doors removed) in its eastern wall leads into room G6. This room was another

workshop and has a large doorway positioned centrally along its north wall, above which is a semi-circular

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window. The doorway is flanked by two large extended arch windows, and there are also two small rectangular

windows onto the corridor. The room has a small mezzanine area to the south, which runs along the top of the

corridor, and is accessed via a ladder. The next room on the north side of the corridor is a gent’s lavatory (G7).

Two small cubicles in the northern part of the room contain WCs, and there is one small window.

Room G8 (Pl. 10) is L-shaped in plan, although the northern part of the room is actually an extension, built

sometime after 1937. The entrance into the room from the “pen” is not original, as it cannot be seen on a 1930s

photograph. On entering the room there are six small pumps (numbered 1–6) to the left, sitting on a brick built

ledge. There is a set of dials above the pumps. To the right there are a further three pumps. Beyond this the room

opens out into the extension, which contains three very large refrigerating compressors along its north wall (Pl.

11). These were manufactured by the UD Engineering Company, who were based in London and specialized in

refrigeration machinery, largely for the dairy industry. Opposite the compressors are three large electrical

switchgears, made by the Watford Electric and Manufacturing Company. These have been vandalized since the

building went out of use, with much of the copper wiring being removed. The room has doorways through its

east and west walls, along with three large extended arch windows in its north wall. There is a brick built

structure in the south-west corner of the room which is divided into two smaller rooms. One of these leads into

room G9 to the south, whilst the other was presumably a control room for some of the machinery. A ladder

provides access to the area above this structure and an associated metal gangway. The tops of two original

windows, which went out of use when the extension was built, can be seen along the south wall.

Room G9 contains two large metal tanks, which were originally used to hold the brine which was pumped

around the building. A 1930s photograph shows a door in the south wall of this room, leading into the “pen”,

which has subsequently been blocked up.

The next doorway along the northern corridor leads to the side entrance lobby (G10), which was originally

much larger before stud partition walls were inserted to create room G11. Room G11 was a workshop, although

the room is now completely empty. The room has one rectangular window. A wooden staircase to the south of

room G11 leads to an area above the room, but this could not be accessed for health and safety reasons. The next

room along (G12) has an eastern doorway which leads into a short corridor, which in turn leads into room G13.

The fittings within this room, including a timer on one of the walls, show that it functioned as a darkroom,

although all of the photographic equipment has been removed. Going back to the corridor, the next room along

(G14) contains a large wooden display case, which would have been used to store laboratory equipment. The

room has two rectangular windows. A sliding door in the south-east corner of the room leads into room G15, and

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it is possible that the stud partition wall between the two is a later addition. Room G15 has a single rectangular

window in its north wall, and a continuous laboratory table running around its north and east walls. It also

contains several shelves and a small display case.

There is another lavatory (G16) to the east of room G15, which has two WC cubicles within a partitioned

area (G17). The lavatory has one rectangular window. The room next door (G18) has two rectangular windows

and, apart from a cupboard on the south wall, contains no fittings relating to its former use as a computer room

prior to the laboratory closing. A doorway in the south-east corner of the room leads into room G19 which can

also be accessed from the northern corridor. Room G19 is situated in the north-east corner of the building, and

has two rectangular windows in its north wall, and a further window in its east wall. There are cupboards and a

Belfast sink up against the south wall of the room, which also contains a few shelves. Prior to the laboratory

closing this room was used for electrical / electronic engineering. Outside the south entrance of room G19 the

corridor turns, and runs along the eastern end of the building towards room G20. There are double doorways at

the north and south ends of the eastern corridor, which acted as emergency exits when the building was in use.

There is a semi-circular window above each of the doorways, and a further three semi-circular windows between

them. A large, glass-fronted, wooden display case runs along the eastern wall of the corridor (Pl. 12), which

originally stored the glassware used in experiments.

Room G20 is situated in the south-east corner of the building, and has a door in its south wall leading

outside, and a single rectangular window in its east wall. This was the First Aid Room, although it now contains

no evidence of its former function. Prior to the laboratory closing the southern door used to lead into a small

plastic-roofed lean-to structure, similar to a conservatory. This had its own external door. However, no trace of

this structure remains. The room to the west (G21) is accessed via a doorway in the west wall of room G20.

Room G21 was used for storing laboratory equipment, and there are shelves along its east and west walls (Pl.

13), with a further shelf unit in the middle of the room. The shelving along the west wall blocks a doorway to

room G22. Room G21 has a single extended arch window.

Room G22 originally functioned as a laboratory (Pl. 14), and still contains various tables, sinks and

cupboards. One of the cupboards on the east wall blocks the doorway through to room G21, which was used for

chemical analysis of minerals in fruit. There is a later partitioned area in the south-east corner of the room which

functioned as an office, although it also contained small kilns for drying fruit and possibly an “atomic

absorption” spectrometer. This explains the warning sign above the entrance stating “danger 400 volts”. The

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room has one large and two small extended arch windows, with one of the latter being situated within the

partitioned area.

There is another laboratory (G23) to the west of room G22. There is a doorway linking the two rooms, but

this was blocked by a table in room G23. Room G23 contains numerous tables and cupboards, along with a

couple of Belfast sinks. This room is where all the air sampling tubes from the stores terminated. There was a

large array of valves in the room, and air was automatically sampled for carbon dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen

levels. The room has two large extended arch windows in its south wall, and a small rectangular window onto

the corridor, which is positioned above head height. The room to the west (G24) is another laboratory, and still

retains some of its original fittings. The room has one large extended arch window, and there is a small hatch

built into the wall separating G24 and G23. The north and west walls of room G24 may not be original, as they

are stud partitions. Room G24 was used as a computer room prior to the laboratory closing, and had a terminal

linking it to the mainframe computer at the East Malling site. The entrance into the room is through the west

wall, which also has a large window running along it. To the west of room G24 there is a lobby area, associated

with a set of large double doors in the south wall of the building (Pl. 15). These doors provided the only

vehicular access into the building. The lobby is lit by a large skylight, and is situated opposite one of the

entrances into the “pen”.

To the west of the lobby is room G25. Prior to the laboratory closing this was a “taste panel” room. There

was a bench along the east wall, with 4 or 5 dividing screens, where the tasters sat. There is a wooden ladder in

the north-west corner of the room leading to an upstairs area (room G26) which was used for storing nets. These

nets were actually draw-string bags of green nylon netting, which were used to collect fruit and also to store fruit

within the controlled temperature rooms. A large extended arch window serves both rooms. Another large

laboratory (G27) is situated to the west of room G25. This room contains a number of original features,

including a Belfast sink and numerous cupboards. There is also a fume cupboard in south-west corner of the

room. The room has one large extended arch window and one semi-circular window.

Room G28 has a single semi-circular window, and very little to indicate its former function as a kitchen. It

formerly had a cooker and table, and was used by the shift attendants and cleaners. To the west of it, is another

former laboratory (G29). There are two small partitioned areas in the eastern part of this room were offices. Most

of the fittings of the laboratory have been removed, although there is a Belfast sink along the north wall, and the

remains of a fume cupboard in the south-west corner. There is another, smaller, laboratory (G30) to the west of

room G29. This room has one small rectangular window, and still contains a Belfast sink and a fume cupboard.

13

Room G31 is situated in the south-west corner of the building, and can be accessed via rooms G30 and

G32. Apart from a few shelves, the room has been completely stripped of any original fittings. It has two

rectangular windows along its south wall, and a further window in its west wall. Prior to the building closing this

room was an office and laboratory, largely used by students. The corridor turns north outside room G30, and

heads back towards the entrance lobby (G1). Room G32 can be accessed from the corridor or from room G31, to

the south, although the door to the corridor was closed off in the period before the complex closed. An original

entrance into the room from the entrance lobby (G1) has been blocked up and, as a result, rooms G30, G31 and

G32 formed a suite of rooms which could only be accessed via room G30. There is a partitioned area in the

north-east corner of room G32 which is entered via two sliding doors which were used to create a sterile

environment within the partitioned area. There are no fittings within room G32 to indicate its former function,

but it was probably another laboratory. There is a lavatory to the north of room G32, which is accessed from the

entrance lobby, and which is a mirror image of lavatory G2.

‘The Ship’s Hold’

The large rectangular structure at the western end of the main laboratory building was commonly referred to as

the “ship’s hold” right up until the establishment closed in 1989. This was despite the fact that most of the

fittings associated with the original hold were removed when it was dismantled in the 1950s. That hold was an

original feature of the building when it was built in 1929, and was apparently a quarter scale model of a ship’s

hold, large enough to hold 150 tons of fruit and fitted with internal and external coolers. A film from the 1930s

shows the hold being loaded with boxes of apples, which were hoisted up from the ground floor and lowered

down through hatches into the hold. The hoist is clearly visible in the background of a 1930s photograph of the

building (Pl. 9). Although the hoist was retained, it is clear that this part of the building was dramatically altered

after the hold was dismantled.

Prior to the closure of the laboratory in 1991, the ground and lower ground floors of this part of the

building housed a number of controlled temperature rooms. Above these, at first floor level, were several offices,

laboratories and a library. The second floor was largely occupied be a suite of four controlled temperature rooms.

Ground Floor

The central entrance into the “ship’s hold” is not an original feature, as it is not visible in a photograph taken in

the 1930s. It is flanked by two small controlled-temperature stores (G35 and G36) to the south, and another to

the north (G34), which have been stripped of all their original fittings (annotated ‘CA’ on plans). There is also a

14

metal ladder outside the entrance which provides access to the second floor. The lower section of this ladder, and

the small platform it leads up to, are not original, as they are not shown on the 1930s photograph. Beneath this

platform there is a rack for gas cylinders.

On entering the “ship’s hold” there is a central corridor (G37), with a small offshoot to the north which

contains a large number of pipes. There are two large controlled-temperature rooms (G38 and G39) on the south

side of the corridor. Both contain large steel refrigeration units and associated piping. There are smaller

controlled-temperature rooms at the western end of the corridor (G40), and to the north (G41 and G42). All the

original doors for these rooms have been removed.

On the north side of the ship’s hold structure there are several rooms (LG1, LG2 and LG3) which are

entered via a set of steps from the northern corridor. Room LG1 merely provides access to rooms LG2 (to the

east) and LG3 (to the west), which were controlled temperature chambers. Room LG2 (Pl. 16) still contains

much of the refrigeration equipment, whilst room LG3 is an empty shell. Rooms LG2 and LG3 were both used

for storing fruit samples at -80º C, and LG3 was the more modern of the two.

First Floor (Fig. 5)

The first floor is accessed via a staircase at the western end of the building, which leads to a landing. There are

small identical rooms to the north (F1) and south (F2) of the landing, which have doors leading to the flat roof

outside. A central door on the landing leads into an east-west corridor, which has a number of rooms off it on

either side. On the north side the first room (F3) used to function as a “balance room” (Pl. 19). The only

remaining evidence of this was a small shelf in the corner of the room which was formerly used as a low-

vibration table for a 4-decimal-place balance (Pl. 20). It has one rectangular window in its north wall, and a high

window facing out into the corridor. Room F4, on the south side of the corridor is essentially a mirror image of

room F3, and also has a vibration-proof table in one corner. However, in the final years of the complex being

open, this room was used as a chemical store. The part of the first floor described so far is not technically within

the “ship’s hold”, but is part of the original building. This is confirmed by the fact that the window of room F4 is

clearly visible in a 1930s film on the laboratory. However, the area beyond rooms F3 and F4 has been

significantly altered in the past, and the various rooms probably date from the late 1950s. The wall between

rooms F3 and F5 (and F4 and F6) is thick, and was previously the west wall of the original “ship’s hold”. It is

not clear whether the entrance through this wall into the eastern part of the corridor was created after the original

hold was dismantled in 1957, and there is no evidence in the corridor to support or refute this idea.

15

The eastern part of the corridor is formed from partition walls, the upper parts of which consist of glass

panels. Heading east, the first room encountered is room F5, to the north. This room was formerly used as a

laboratory although, apart from a large vent which used to be connected to a fume cupboard, there are no fittings

within the room to indicate its former function. The room has two small rectangular windows in its north-west

corner, which were probably inserted after the original ship’s hold was dismantled in the late 1950s. On the other

side of the corridor is a large room (F6), the eastern end of which has partition walls creating two smaller rooms

(F7 and F8). Room F6 was previously used as a laboratory, and still contains part of a fume cupboard. Room F7

can only be accessed from room F6, and was an office. There are three rectangular windows in the south wall,

serving rooms F6 and F7, along with a further window in the south-west corner of room F6. It seems likely that

these windows were all created after the original ship’s hold was dismantled in the 1950s, as none of them are

visible in a 1930s film about the Ditton Laboratory.

Room F8 can only be accessed from the far end of the corridor, and contains a large amount of cabling.

This was formerly an “instrument room” and used to contain a number of machines which recorded the

conditions in the controlled-temperature stores on the second floor above. The surviving cables are from

thermocouples, but originally there were also a lot of air tubes in this room to sample the atmospheres in the

stores. Room F9 is also accessed from the far end of the corridor, and was formerly a laboratory, as evidenced by

the fact that it still contains part of a fume cupboard. It has rectangular windows in its north and east walls,

which were probably inserted sometime after 1957. Prior to the laboratory closing the room was used as an

office by doctoral research students.

There is a short north-south corridor leading off the main one, between rooms F5 and F9. This corridor

leads to a set of steps which provide access to room F10 (Pl. 21). This room is located within a later extension to

the building, which was probably built after the original ship’s hold was dismantled. The room has four

rectangular windows, and was formerly used as a library and reading room. At the eastern end of the main

corridor, another corridor leads south to a set of steps, which in turn lead to a small platform overlooking the

central part of the laboratory. There was a small control room around the corner of this platform, but it was not

entered during the survey, for health and safety reasons. There used to be a set of wooden steps here, which

provided the main route between the ground and first floors.

Second Floor (Fig. 5)

The second floor is accessed via the staircase at the western end of the building. The first room encountered is

room S1, which contains a large water tank. From here there is a short corridor through to a large room (S6),

16

which is surrounded by the eaves of the this part of the building, which are split into separate rooms (S2, S3, S4

and S5), and were mainly used in the past for storage.

Room S6 previously contained four controlled-temperature rooms (Pl. 22). Although the refrigeration units

of these rooms are still fixed to the walls, most of the partition walls have been removed, with just the doorways

surviving. It is likely that this room contained the hatch of the original ship’s hold, and there is still part of the

girder upon which the hoist ran surviving at the eastern end of the room. A special door at this end of the

building leads out onto a small platform area (S7). The top panel of this door could be opened independently to

allow the hoist to be moved into room S6. The platform area (S7) contains the hoist, and there is a sheer drop to

the east where the hoist could be lowered down to the ground floor. An interesting feature of this part of the

building is an ocular window in the east wall opposite the platform (Pl. 23).

The Pen

The central area of the building was commonly referred to as the “pen” (Pl. 7–9). This was an inspection area

where apples could be sorted at harvest time, and examined at the completion of each trial. Originally it was a

large open area, as evidenced by a photograph taken in the 1930s, but partition walls were subsequently built to

create rooms G43, G44, G45 and G46. The largest of these (G43) was still used for the inspection of fruit prior

to the establishment closing. A photograph from 1989 shows boxes of apples and rows of tables. At the time of

the survey the area contained nothing to indicate its former function. Rooms G44, G45 and G46 were small

controlled-temperature rooms. Unfortunately, since the building has been derelict, rainwater has entered the

building through holes in the large glass roof which covers the central area. The ingress of water has caused the

ceilings of rooms G45 and G46 to partially collapse.

The Central Corridor (Pl. 18)

The eastern end of the building is largely occupied by a series of controlled-temperature rooms, which are

arranged in two blocks, either side of a central east-west corridor. Just outside the western end of this corridor

there are three small rooms (G47, G48 and G49) which were standard controlled-temperature rooms. Room G49

used to house a large centrifuge. The rest of the controlled-temperature rooms vary in size and are all slightly

different in terms of the refrigeration equipment they contain. This is due to the fact that they were used to

examine the effects of differing conditions on produce.

Room G50 was essentially a control room for the various controlled-temperature rooms, and contains a

large number of pipes and valves. A number of the rooms, including room G50, have wooden floorboards with

large gaps to improve the circulation of air around them. Room G51 contains several large refrigeration units,

17

along with coolers around its walls. Room G52 has a single large refrigeration unit against its north wall, with a

vent from it on the ceiling. In room G53 the large refrigeration unit is positioned centrally. The same can be said

for room G54 (Pl. 17), next door, although this contains a different type of refrigeration unit which has been

painted bright green. Room G55 is actually divided into two by a partition wall. The pipes and valves are located

in the smaller (southern) portion of the room, and the air entered the main (northern) part of the room via a small

vent.

On the south side of the corridor room G56 has a refrigeration unit suspended from the ceiling. A partition

wall separates it from room G57, which can only be accessed from the corridor which runs along the southern

side of the building. The refrigeration unit in room G57 is also suspended from the ceiling. The large

refrigeration unit in room G58 is positioned centrally, and the layout of room G59 to the west is very similar.

Room G60 could not be accessed during the survey as its doorway had been blocked up. Room G61 [Pl. 24]

has a refrigeration unit suspended from its ceiling, and is unusual as its walls and ceiling have a timber-framed

look. The reason for the elaborate design of this room is unclear, although it is likely that the hexagonal ceiling

may simply have been constructed to go around a central duct, similar to the those in rooms G54 and G58. The

duct appears to have been removed at some point to make the room more usable.

A number of small controlled-temperature rooms located above the main suite, were originally entered via

sets of steps in the north and south corridors of the building. However, due to health and safety concerns, these

were not investigated during the survey. The whole of the area above the “central corridor” stores was

accessible, and used for storing various bits of junk. There was a narrow walkway (possibly just a plank) linking

the north and south sides. A room above G60 housed the monitoring system for the room below.

The Ancillary Buildings (Fig. 3)

As well as the main laboratory building (A), the complex at Ditton contained a number of ancillary buildings,

which date from the late 1920s onwards. Immediately north of the main laboratory there is a small brick built

electricity substation (B). This is to be retained when the area is redeveloped, and was not investigated during the

survey. Further north is a house (C) which is currently used as a hostel for fruit-pickers working in the area. The

house was originally built as a hostel for those laboratory workers who refused to relocate to the Maidstone area

when the laboratory became operational in the early 1930s. It later served as offices, and also provided self-

catering accommodation for visiting workers, students and, occasionally, retired staff members. An office within

the building was provided for Dr Cyril West, from his retirement aged 65, until his death in his mid 90s. He

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devoted a lot of his time there to studying the wildflowers of the surrounding area. As this building will not be

significantly affected by the re-development of the site it was not investigated during the survey.

To the east of the house there is a flat-roofed structure (D), which is located within the overgrown car park.

The function of this building is unknown, and access could not be gained during the survey as the locks have

rusted up. It does not appear on the 1937 Ordnance Survey. The modern Ordnance Survey shows another

structure immediately east of building D, but only its concrete slab floor remained at the time of the survey. Prior

to the laboratory closing, there was a cooling system within the building which had to be treated regularly for

legionnaire’s disease.

Close to the south-east corner of the main building is a brick-built structure with a corrugated asbestos roof,

known as the ‘flower store’ (E). This was originally built as a laboratory for research on cut flowers, which had

to be kept separate from the fruit stores within the main building, due to the very high concentrations of ethylene

produced by ripening apples. During the 1970s its function changed, and experiments on the ripening of apples

took place within several controlled-temperature stores, although it retained its original name. The building was

not entered during the survey.

Another building (F), to the south of the flower store, is largely brick built, with a corrugated asbestos roof

(Pl. 2). It has a timber-built canopy, with an asbestos roof, running along its northern side. This was originally an

engineering workshop, although it later housed a library. For many years this building housed a wind tunnel and

was used for studying ways of controlling air flow in containers and stores. It was also used during the Second

World War for work on developing de-icing methods for aircraft flying at high altitudes. It was not entered

during the survey.

The modern Ordnance Survey shows another building to the west of buildings E and F, and to the south of

the main laboratory. However, at the time of the survey only the concrete base of this structure remained, and it

appears that this building had been demolished several years before the complex closed. A trailer for dumping

fruit waste used to be parked on the roadway next to this concrete base, which produced a problem with wasps

during the summer months. Immediately west of this is another building (G), which originally served as the tea-

room for the laboratory (Pls 3 and 4). The building was largely built of timber and has partially collapsed with

the area around it becoming heavily overgrown. However, a photograph taken in 1989 shows what it looked like

shortly before the establishment closed. The tea room was used by all the staff and was often very crowded. The

staff also held their Christmas parties in the room, having cooked the food in the kitchen in the main building

(room G28).

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There is a large building (H) immediately west of building G, which functioned as an equipment store. This

is a metal-framed structure, covered with corrugated iron panels. To the west of this structure is building I, which

was built in a similar style to the main laboratory. This originally housed another large store, and a separate

laboratory with small cold rooms for work on flower crops and ethylene. Apparently the building was hit by a

bomb during the Second World War, but it did not explode. This building was not entered during the survey, and

was never used during the last years of the laboratory being open.

Experimental Research at Ditton Laboratory

The earliest documented scientific study of controlled atmosphere storage was carried out in France in 1819,

when Jacques Etienne Berard discovered that harvested fruit absorbed oxygen and gave out carbon dioxide. His

experiments also showed that fruit stored in atmospheres containing no oxygen did not ripen. Although further

work was carried out during the 19th and early 20th centuries, Franklin Kidd and Cyril West are regarded by

many as the founders of modern controlled atmosphere storage and, from 1930 onwards, much of their research

was carried out at the Ditton Laboratory (Thompson 2010). Their early work was spurred on by food shortages

caused by the German submarine blockade during the First World War. It was during this conflict that the

amount of food wastage previously accepted by shipping companies began to be thought of as unacceptable.

A recent publication (Thompson 2010) on the controlled atmosphere storage (sometimes referred to as

controlled temperature storage and, prior to the Second World War, gas storage) of fruit and vegetables states

that over the last eighty years or so, an enormous volume of literature has been published on the subject. There

are conflicting views on the usefulness of controlled atmosphere storage, with some people regarding it as

deception of the consumer, whilst others praise the fact that it has reduced the cost of fruit and vegetables to the

consumer, and extends the period of availability of certain produce. The basic concept of controlled atmosphere

storage requires that fruit be loaded into an insulated store room whose walls and door have been made gas-tight.

In 1930 most of the English apple crop was being stored in ambient air-ventilated barns and sheds

(Sharples 2012). The Ditton Laboratory was purpose-built to study the science associated with the controlled

atmosphere storage of fruit and vegetables, with additional research being undertaken at a later date in respect of

cut flowers. To enable this research to take place, one end of the main laboratory consisted of a simulated ship’s

hold, into which boxes of produce could be lowered to simulate a commercial load. The temperature and levels

of various gases within the hold could then be monitored and altered, depending on the specific aims of any

particular experiment. The ship’s hold was used to simulate the transport of fruit and vegetables from overseas,

20

and the duration of the experiments were therefore based upon the amount of time any particular sea crossing

was likely to take. Priority was given to experiments designed to improve the uniformity of air distribution

within ship’s holds. Numerous smaller controlled atmosphere rooms were constructed elsewhere in the building

to enable further experiments to be carried out. In the early days of research at Ditton, the experiments were

usually concerned with the transport of produce from the British Empire and its self-governing dominions,

especially Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. These countries were, and still are, major producers of

apples and pears and much of the research at Ditton therefore focused on these fruits. One of the earliest

published reports based on research carried out at Ditton was written by Kidd and West in 1934. The paper’s title

was “Injurious effects of pure oxygen upon apples and pears at low temperatures”, and concluded that the

storage of apples in pure oxygen could be detrimental. Kidd and West continued to produce academic papers on

related subjects for many years. This branch of food research science is known as Pomology.

Over time the methods of fruit and vegetable storage on ocean going vessels improved dramatically, and

many of the changes were a direct result of the research carried out at Ditton. Indeed, throughout the sixty year

period, the engineering group evaluated all new techniques in store construction, instrumentation, and

temperature/ store atmosphere control systems. By the 1950s it was felt that the large ship’s hold within the

Ditton Laboratory was obsolete, and it was therefore dismantled. However, controlled atmosphere storage

experiments continued within the building in smaller purpose built rooms up until the complex closed. Other

rooms were built to monitor the effects of storing produce at differing temperatures. The rooms continued to be

re-built and adapted throughout the life of the laboratory, to keep in line with the latest developments in

shipping. The experiments at Ditton covered such topics as harvest and pre-harvest factors, pre-storage

treatments, pests and diseases, and modified atmosphere packaging. Much of the work was focussed on the

flavour, quality and physiology of the fruit and vegetables, and especially apples (Thompson 2010). A large open

area within the building, known as the “pen”, was used to inspect produce before and after the experiments, and

tasters were drafted in to comment on the firmness and taste. One of the more recent developments in controlled

atmosphere storage was the realization of the importance of ethylene. The existence of this gas, which is

produced by ripening fruit and vegetables, had been known for years, but it was not until after the Second World

War that its significance in the ripening process began to be studied. Dr Richard Sharples, who worked in the

Ditton site until it closed, recalls that the importance of ethylene was a hotly debated subject when he started

work there in the early 1960s. Indeed, he soon found that he had entered an establishment where any suggestion

of a role for ethylene in pome fruit storage was regarded as heresy. Experiments involving ethylene required

21

specialist equipment as the gas is flammable under certain circumstances, and ‘spark-free’ electrical systems had

to be installed in the laboratory.

Details of the wide ranging research programmes and experiments carried out at Ditton appear in numerous

scientific publications and journals, such as the Journal of Horticultural Science and the Commonwealth

Agricultural Bureaux Research Review. However, the best source of information is the annual reports of the East

Malling Research Station. As well as the ongoing research regarding the storage of apples, experiments were

carried out during the Second World War on developing de-icing methods for aircraft flying at high altitudes.

The list of experiments is obviously too long to include in this report, but Dr Richard Sharples has mentioned the

following three research programmes, which he believes should be mentioned:-

1) Work was carried out on the relationship between pre-harvest factors (eg. Climate, tree-nutrition,

cropping level, etc.) and the storage potential of the crop. It was found that the mineral and

carbohydrate content of the fruit had significant effects on the incidence of storage rots and

physiological disorders. This work led to a new advisory service aid, in which samples of fruit are

taken shortly before harvest from each orchard on a farm. The storage potential was categorized so that

fruit of similar marketing potential could be stored in the same chamber. This work also extended the

study between eating quality and cell wall composition.

2) Another new area of research concerned the development of chemical, anatomical, and taste panel

assessments to determine the eating qualities of new varieties, different pre-harvest cultural practices

and the effects of different storage conditions on fruit eating qualities. Since individual apples from

any individual tree vary in taste and texture, special statistical techniques had to be developed for the

analysis of taste panel data.

3) Throughout the whole sixty year period, the engineering group evaluated new techniques in store

construction, instrumentation, and temperature/ store atmosphere control systems. This service ensured

that only the most reliable and cost effective improvements were introduced to the UK fruit industry.

Any problems which arose in commercial practice were invariably referred to this group either directly

or via the Ministry and private advisory services.

There were similar advances in post-harvest technology, and in improving the quality of fruit and

vegetables available to UK consumers. Throughout its existence, researchers and other interested visitors came

to Ditton from all over the world to learn how the techniques being developed could be applied to their own fruit

22

industries. This led to a long-term tradition of personal friendships amongst the scientific community, based on

the free exchange of information and active participation in international conferences.

Conclusion

The fieldwork carried out in August 2012 has recorded the Ditton Laboratory complex prior to its planned

demolition. This report, along with the photographic archive which supports it, provides a record of the

laboratory complex as it looked in its final days, after being derelict for over twenty years. The report also details

some of the pioneering work which was undertaken at the establishment from the 1930s onwards.

As can be seen from the report, apart from the actual bricks and mortar of the building itself, there is very

little evidence within the laboratory complex to indicate the type of research work carried out on the site during

the sixty years it was operational. This is particularly true as far as the earliest experiments are concerned, as the

building obviously underwent major changes during the 1950s when the original “ship’s hold” was dismantled

and two new extensions built on the north side of the main structure. The paucity of features and fittings dating

from the laboratory’s early years is not surprising, given the cutting edge nature of the work that was carried out

on the site. Whilst the actual building itself may have changed little over the years, advancements in controlled

temperature science would have necessitated new equipment being installed, and obsolete features being

removed. By the time Dr Richard Sharples started work at the complex in the 1960s the importance of the

laboratory had been eclipsed by other establishments, and he encountered a reduced workforce. Some parts of

the building, particularly the perimeter rooms, appear to have been disused from the late 1950s onwards.

However, ground-breaking work continued at the Ditton Laboratory until it closed, and this report has attempted

to illustrate life at the complex during its final years.

In an age when UK consumers take the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables all year round for granted,

the pioneering work carried out at Ditton should be remembered.

References

BGS, 1993, British Geological Survey, Sheet 288, Solid and Drift edition, 1:50,000 series, Keyworth EH, 2006, Understanding Historic Buildings, English Heritage, London NPPF, 2012, National Planning Policy Framework, Dept Communities and Local Government, London PPS5 2010, Planning for the Historic Environment, Planning Policy Statement 5, TSO, London RCHME, 1996 Recording Historic Buildings, A Descriptive Specification Third Edition Sharples, R, 2012, Notes on the History of the Ditton Laboratory, unpublished notes Thompson, A K, 2010, Controlled Atmosphere Storage of Fruits and Vegetables, 2nd Edition, Wallingford

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APPENDIX 1: Photographic Catalogue (All photos refer to building A unless stated otherwise) A .Colour prints

No. Description

1 Exterior, general view, looking E 2 Exterior, general view, looking NE 3 Exterior, detail of front entrance, looking E 4 Exterior, general view, looking NE 5 Exterior, general view, looking S 6 Exterior, general view showing building D, looking NE 7 Exterior, general view, looking SW 8 Exterior, general view, looking SW 9 Exterior, general view of building E, looking S

10 Exterior, general view, looking NW 11 Exterior, general view of building F, looking SE 12 Exterior, general view of building F, looking NE 13 Exterior, general view of building G, looking NW 14 Exterior, general view, looking NW 15 Exterior, general view of buildings H and I, looking SW 16 Interior, building H, looking S 17 Exterior, general view, looking NW 18 Interior, entrance lobby (G1), looking NW 19 Interior, room G5, looking W 20 Interior, room G6, looking NW 21 Interior, dials outside room LG2, looking S 22 Interior, general view showing the exterior of the ‘pen’ (room G43), looking SE 23 Interior, entrance to room G8, looking N 24 Interior, pumps in room G8, looking NW 25 Interior, dials above pumps in room G8, looking W 26 Interior, pumps in room G8, looking NE 27 Interior, pumps in room G8, looking NW 28 Interior, switch gears in room G8, looking S 29 Interior, general view of room G8, looking SW 30 Interior, corridor along eastern end of building, looking S 31 Interior, corridor along northern side of building, looking W 32 Interior, storeroom G21, looking S 33 Interior, close-up of shelving in storeroom G21, looking W 34 Interior, laboratory G22, looking W 35 Interior, laboratory G22, looking E 36 Interior, corridor along southern side of building, showing upper storage area, looking NW 37 Interior, corridor along southern side of building, looking E 38 Interior, room G23, looking NE 39 Interior, general view looking into the ‘pen’ (G43), looking NW 40 Interior, southern entrance, looking S 41 Interior, Room G24, looking NE 42 Interior, laboratory G27, looking SW 43 Interior, general view, looking N 44 Interior, corridor along southern side of building, looking W 45 Interior, room G29, looking E 46 Interior, room G32, looking NE 47 Interior, entrance lobby (G1), looking SW towards room G32 and toilet G33 48 Interior, close-up of telephone booth in entrance lobby G1, looking W 49 Interior, general view looking NW towards the ‘ship’s hold’ and room G34 50 Interior, room G37, looking N 51 Interior, room G38, looking S 52 Interior, general view of the ‘pen’ (G43), looking SW 53 Interior, general view, looking W 54 Interior, room LG2, looking E 55 Interior, view of room G47, looking S 56 Interior, northern corridor, showing steps up to upper storage area, looking W 57 Interior, room G54, looking N 58 Interior, room G61, looking S 59 Interior, room G50, looking N 60 Interior, first floor landing and corridor, looking E 61 Interior, room F5, looking NW 62 Interior, room F6, looking E 63 Interior, room F9, looking NW 64 Interior, corridor leading to room F10, looking N

24

No. Description 65 Interior, room F10, looking E 66 Interior, view along northern eaves (S3), looking E 67 Interior, room S6, looking SW 68 Interior, close-up of hoist within room S7, looking SW

B. Monochrome images No. Film / Frame No. Description 1 797/6A Exterior, general view, looking E 2 797/5A Exterior, general view, looking NE 3 797/4A Exterior, detail of front entrance, looking E 4 797/3A Exterior, general view, looking NE 5 797/2A Exterior, general view, looking S 6 797/1A Exterior, general view showing building D, looking NE 7 727/36A Exterior, general view, looking SW 8 727/35A Exterior, general view, looking SW 9 727/34A Exterior, general view of building E, looking S 10 727/33A Exterior, general view, looking NW 11 727/32A Exterior, general view of building F, looking SE 12 727/31A Exterior, general view of building F, looking NE 13 727/30A Exterior, general view of building G, looking NW 14 727/29A Exterior, general view, looking NW 15 727/28A Exterior, general view of buildings H and I, looking SW 16 727/27A Interior, building H, looking S 17 727/26A Exterior, general view, looking NW 18 727/18A Interior, entrance lobby (G1), looking NW 19 727/17A Interior, room G5, looking W 20 727/16A Interior, room G6, looking NW 21 727/15A Interior, dials outside room LG2, looking S 22 727/14A Interior, general view showing the exterior of the ‘pen’ (room G43), looking SE 23 727/13A Interior, entrance to room G8, looking N 24 727/12A Interior, pumps in room G8, looking NW 25 727/11A Interior, dials above pumps in room G8, looking W 26 727/10A Interior, pumps in room G8, looking NE 27 727/9A Interior, pumps in room G8, looking NW 28 727/8A Interior, switch gears in room G8, looking S 29 727/7A Interior, general view of room G8, looking SW 30 727/6A Interior, room G13, looking NW 31 727/5A Interior, room G14, looking SE 32 727/4A Interior, room G19, looking SE 33 727/3A Interior, corridor along eastern end of building, looking S 34 727/2A Interior, corridor along northern side of building, looking W 35 727/1A Interior, storeroom G21, looking S 36 829/36A Interior, close-up of shelving in storeroom G21, looking W 37 829/35A Interior, laboratory G22, looking W 38 829/34A Interior, laboratory G22, looking E 39 829/33A Interior, corridor along southern side of building, showing upper storage area, looking NW 40 829/32A Interior, corridor along southern side of building, looking E 41 829/31A Interior, room G23, looking NE 42 829/30A Interior, general view looking into the ‘pen’ (G43), looking NW 43 829/29A Interior, southern entrance, looking S 44 829/28A Interior, Room G24, looking NE 45 829/27A Interior, laboratory G27, looking SW 46 829/26A Interior, general view, looking N 47 829/25A Interior, corridor along southern side of building, looking W 48 829/24A Interior, room G29, looking E 49 829/23A Interior, room G32, looking NE 50 829/22A Interior, entrance lobby (G1), looking SW towards room G32 and toilet G33 51 829/21A Interior, close-up of telephone booth in entrance lobby G1, looking W 52 829/20A Interior, general view looking NW towards the ‘ship’s hold’ and room G34 53 829/19A Interior, room G37, looking N 54 829/18A Interior, room G38, looking S 55 829/17A Interior, general view of the ‘pen’ (G43), looking SW 56 829/16A Interior, general view, looking W 57 829/15A Interior, room LG2, looking E 58 829/14A Interior, view of room G47, looking S 59 829/13A Interior, northern corridor, showing steps up to upper storage area, looking W 60 829/12A Interior, room G54, looking N

25

61 829/11A Interior, room G61, looking S 62 829/10A Interior, room G50, looking N 63 829/9A Interior, first floor landing and corridor, looking E 64 829/8A Interior, room F5, looking NW 65 829/7A Interior, room F6, looking E 66 829/6A Interior, room F9, looking NW 67 829/5A Interior, corridor leading to room F10, looking N 68 829/4A Interior, room F10, looking E 69 829/3A Interior, view along northern eaves (S3), looking E 70 829/2A Interior, room S6, looking SW 71 829/1A Interior, close-up of hoist within room S7, looking SW

26

C. Digital images No. Description 1 Exterior, general view, looking E [Pl. 1] 2 Exterior, general view, looking NE 3 Exterior, detail of front entrance, looking E 4 Exterior, general view, looking NE 5 Exterior, general view, looking S 6 Exterior, general view showing building D, looking NE 7 Exterior, general view, looking SW 8 Exterior, general view, looking SW 9 Exterior, general view of building E, looking S 10 Exterior, general view, looking NW 11 Exterior, general view of building F, looking SE [Pl. 2] 12 Exterior, general view of building F, looking NE 13 Exterior, general view of building G, looking NW [Pl. 3] 14 Exterior, general view, looking NW 15 Exterior, general view of buildings H and I, looking SW 16 Interior, building H, looking S 17 Exterior, general view, looking NW 18 Exterior, detail of wall by northern side entrance, looking SW 19 Exterior, general view, looking SW 20 Interior, entrance lobby (G1), looking NW [Pl. 5] 21 Interior, toilet (G2), looking NW 22 Interior, storeroom G3, looking W 23 Interior, room G4, looking W 24 Interior, room G5, looking W [Pl. 6] 25 Interior, lathe in room G5, looking SW 26 Interior, detail of lathe in room G5, looking S 27 Interior, room G5, looking E 28 Interior, room G6, looking NW 29 Interior, room G6, looking SE 30 Interior, dials outside room LG2, looking S 31 Interior, room G7, looking NW 32 Interior, general view showing the exterior of the ‘pen’ (room G43), looking SE [Pl. 7] 33 Interior, entrance to room G8, looking N [Pl. 10] 34 Interior, pumps in room G8, looking NW 35 Interior, dials above pumps in room G8, looking W 36 Interior, pumps in room G8, looking NE 37 Interior, pumps in room G8, looking NW [Pl. 11] 38 Interior, room G8, looking W 39 Interior, switch gears in room G8, looking S 40 Interior, close-up of switch gear in room G8, looking S 41 Interior, dials on pump in room G8, looking W 42 Interior, makers’ label on pump in room G8, looking W 43 Interior, small partitioned area in room G8, looking SW 44 Interior, general view of room G8, looking SW 45 Interior, large tanks in room G9, looking S 46 Interior, general view of room G8, looking E 47 Interior, general view showing northern side entrance lobby (G10) and room G11, looking N 48 Interior, entrance to room G12, looking NE 49 Interior, room G13, looking NW 50 Interior, close-up of timer in room G13, looking SW 51 Interior, room G14, looking SE 52 Interior, room G15, looking NE 53 Interior, toilet G16, looking N 54 Interior, room G18, looking SE 55 Interior, room G19, looking SE 56 Interior, corridor along eastern end of building, looking S [Pl. 12] 57 Interior, corridor along northern side of building, looking W 58 Interior, door in NE corner of building, looking E 59 Interior, room G20, looking SW 60 Interior, storeroom G21, looking S [Pl. 13] 61 Interior, storeroom G21, looking S [Pl. 24]62 Interior, close-up of shelving in storeroom G21, looking W 63 Interior, corridor at eastern end of building, looking N 64 Interior, corridor along southern side of building, looking W 65 Interior, laboratory G22, looking W [Pl. 14] 66 Interior, partitioned area in SE corner of room G22, looking SE

27

No. Description 67 Interior, laboratory G22, looking E 68 Interior, corridor along southern side of building, showing upper storage area, looking NW 69 Interior, corridor along southern side of building, looking E 70 Interior, room G23, looking NE 71 Interior, general view looking into the ‘pen’ (G43), looking NW 72 Interior, southern entrance, looking S [Pl. 15] 73 Interior, Room G24, looking NE 74 Interior, room G25, looking S 75 Interior, room G26 (above room G25), looking SE 76 Interior, laboratory G27, looking SW 77 Interior, laboratory G27, looking SE 78 Interior, general view, looking N 79 Interior, general view, looking E 80 Interior, room G28, looking S 81 Interior, corridor along southern side of building, looking W 82 Interior, room G29, looking E 83 Interior, room G29, looking W 84 Interior, room G30, looking S 85 Interior, room G31, looking SW 86 Interior, room G32, looking NE 87 Interior, corridor at western end of building, looking N 88 Interior, entrance lobby (G1), looking SW towards room G32 and toilet G33 89 Interior, close-up of telephone booth in entrance lobby G1, looking W 90 Interior, rooms G35 and G36, looking W 91 Interior, general view looking NW towards the ‘ship’s hold’ and room G34 92 Interior, entrance to the ‘ship’s hold’, looking W 93 Interior, view looking up towards the hoist in room S7, looking W 94 Interior, room G37, looking N 95 Interior, room G38, looking S 96 Interior, room G39, looking S 97 Interior, room G40, looking S 98 Interior, room G41, looking E 99 Interior, room G42, looking N 100 Interior, general view of the ‘pen’ (G43), looking SW 101 Interior, general view, looking W 102 Interior, view of entrance to room LG1, looking S 103 Interior, room LG2, looking E [Pl. 16] 104 Interior, room LG1, looking W into room LG3 105 Interior, entrance to room G44, looking S 106 Interior, entrance to room G45, looking S 107 Interior, entrance to room G46, looking S 108 Interior, view of room G47, looking S 109 Interior, corridor along northern side of building, looking E 110 Interior, northern corridor, showing steps up to upper storage area, looking W 111 Interior, room G55, looking S 112 Interior, room G55, looking N 113 Interior, room G56, looking S 114 Interior, room G54, looking N [Pl. 17] 115 Interior, room G58, looking S 116 Interior, view of central corridor, looking W [Pl. 18] 117 Interior, room G53, looking N 118 Interior, room G59, looking S 119 Interior, room G52, looking N 120 Interior, room G51, looking N 121 Interior, close-up of control panels outside room G51, looking N 122 Interior, room G61, looking S 123 Interior, entrance to room G60, looking SE 124 Interior, room G50, looking N 125 Interior, view towards room G48, looking N 126 Interior, view into room G49, looking SE 127 Interior, room G57, looking N 128 Interior, first floor landing and corridor, looking E 129 Interior, view into room F1 from first floor landing, looking N 130 Interior, view into room F2 from first floor landing, looking S 131 Interior, stairs to second floor, looking W from first floor landing 132 Interior, room F3, looking NE [Pl. 19] 133 Interior, room F4, looking SE 134 Interior, room F5, looking NW 135 Interior, room F6, looking E

28

No. Description 136 Interior, room F6, looking NW 137 Interior, room F8, looking W 138 Interior, corridor at eastern end of first floor, looking S 139 Interior, view from platform at eastern end of first floor, looking N 140 Interior, room F9, looking NW 141 Interior, corridor leading to room F10, looking N [Pl. 21] 142 Interior, room F10, looking E 143 Interior, view towards second floor landing from stairs, looking NE 144 Interior, room S1, looking E 145 Interior, view along western eaves (S2), looking N 146 Interior, view along northern eaves (S3), looking E 147 Interior, view along western eaves (S4), looking S 148 Interior, view along southern eaves (S5), looking E 149 Interior, room S6, looking SW 150 Interior, room S6, looking NE [Pl. 22] 151 Interior, close-up of hoist within room S7, looking SW 152 Interior, room S7, looking W towards room S6 153 Interior, room S7, looking N towards eastern eaves 154 Interior, room S7, hoist and ocular window, looking E [Pl. 23]

56000

57000

58000

TQ71000 72000

SITE

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent, 2012Historic Building Recording

Figure 1. Location of site within Ditton and Kent.

DLD 10/104

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Explorer 148 at 1:12500Ordnance Survey Licence 100025880

SITE

Tonbridge

Sevenoaks

Royal TunbridgeWells

Maidstone

Rochester

Canterbury

Ashford Dover

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent, 2012Historic Building Recording

Figure 2. Current detailed location of site.

TQ71400 71500 71600 71700

DLD 10/104

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping at 1:2500

56900

57000

57100

SITE

56800

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent, 2012Historic Building Recording

Figure 3. Plan showing location of photographs taken(external)

TQ71500 71600

DLD 10/104

Scale: 1:1250

56900

57000D

B

C

A

E

H

G

F

I

1 3

2

4

5

6

7

8

9

1011

14

13

12

16

1517

1918

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road,Ditton, Kent, 2012

Historic Building Recording

DLD10/104

West facing

East facing

Figure 4. Elevations (1).

0 10m

Figure 5. Elevations (2).

0 10m

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Kent, 2012, Historic Building Recording

DLD10/104

North facing

South facing

Figure 6. Internal photographs (digital) ground floor.

0 10m

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Kent, 2012, Historic Building Recording

UP

UP

UP

Brine tank room

Pump

Pump

Pump

Pump

Pump

Pump Pump

UP

No access

No access

UP

UP

Unsafe

Unsafe stairs

Platform

Unsafe

Platform

No access

UP

G2

G33

G3

G4

G6

G7

G9

G8

G10

G11 G13

G12

G15

G16

G17G18

G20G21G22G23

G25

G27

G26ABOVE

G34

G35

G36

G44 G45 G46

G49

G48

G47 G50 G51 G52 G53 G54 G55

G56

G57

G58G59

G60G61

G43

G38G39

G40

G41

G37

G42

LG2LG1

LG3

G28G29G30G31

G32

G24

G19G14G5 24

43

100

88

85 7659

44

25

31

86

73 70

52

48

125

36

37

49

91

71 68

3428

97

109

103

98

32

5554

66

77

75

67

5150

29

46

82

79

62

126

123

69

58

27

53

87

99 94

78

114117119120121124

112

127

63

4733

39

45

40

7484 80

96 95

72 60 61

56102

105 106

115118122 113

111

108

107

30

26

41/42

65

83

93 92

110101

90

81

116

64

57

38

35

104

23

22

21

89

20

G1

UP

WC WC

WC

WC

UP

UP

UP

WC WC

UP UP UP

UP

UP

No access

DLD10/104

N

CA store

CA store

CA storeCA store

CA store

CA store CA store

CA store CA store

CA store CA store CA store

CA store

laboratorylaboratorylaboratory

?laboratory

laboratoryand office laboratory laboratory laboratory

laboratory

laboratory

PENSHIP'S HOLDlobby

lavatory

store

battery room

workshop

workshop

extension

pump room

lobby

work-shop

darkroom

equipment store computer room electrical engineering

lavatory

controlroom

CA CA CA CA CA

CA

CA

CACA

CACA

CA

CA

central corridor

Figure 7. Internal photographs (digital) first floor.

0 10m

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road,Ditton, Kent, 2012

Historic Building Recording

DLD10/104

N

DOW

N

UP

UP

DOWN

Un-safe platform

Cill 1.14Head 3.05

Cill 1.14Head 3.05

Cill 1.14

Head 3.05

Cill 2.13Head 3.14

Cill 1.14Head 3.05

Cill 1.14Head 3.05

Cill 1.37Head 3.00

Cill 1.37Head 3.00

Cill 1.37Head 3.00

Cill 1.37Head 3.00

Head 3.17

Cill 1.71Head 3.01

Cill 1.71Head 3.01

42.41

Cill 1.45Head 3.15

DH

DH1.99

DH2.00

DH1.99

DH1.99

DH2.00

DH2.01

DH1.94

41.03

3.31

Cill 2.13Head 3.14

F2

F3

F4

F5

F10

F9

F6

F8

F7

F1

139

142

141

129

138

130

135

128

133

136

140134132

137

131

Figure 8. Internal photographs (digital) second floor.

0 10m

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road,Ditton, Kent, 2012

Historic Building Recording

DLD10/104

N

DOWN

DOWN

DO

WN

DO

WN

DO

WN

Sc= 3.00

Sc=1.20

Sc=1.20

Sc=

1.20

1.20 Sc= 1.20

Sc= 3.00

Sc=3.00

Sc=3.00 Sc= 1.20

Sc= 1.20

Sc=1.20

DH1.89

DH1.88

DH1.99

DH1.03

DH1.39

DH

2.73

DH2.11

45.06

Sc=1.20

3.14

DO

WN

Un-

prot

ecte

d ed

ge

S2

S4

S3

S6

S5

S7S1 147

153

145

148

154

146

144

150

152

151

149

143

water tank

stores

platformCA store

Plate 1. Exterior of main building, looking east.

Plates 1 to 4.

DLD 10/104

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent, 2012

Historic Building Recording

Plate 2. Exterior, Building F, looking south south east.

Plate 3. Exterior, Building G, looking north west. Plate 4. Interior, Building G, tearoom as it was in 1989.

Plate 5. Interior, entrance lobby (G1), looking north west.

Plates 5 to 8.

DLD 10/104

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent, 2012

Historic Building Recording

Plate 6. Interior, workshop (G5), looking west.

Plate 7. Interior, exterior of 'pen' hold (G43), looking south east.

Plate 8. Interior, hold (G43) in 1937.

Plate 9. Interior, original 'hold' prior to replacement.

Plates 9 to 12.

DLD 10/104

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent, 2012

Historic Building Recording

Plate 10. Interior, entrance to room G8, looking north.

Plate 11. Interior, compressors in room G8, looking north west.

Plate 12. Interior, corridor along east end of main building, looking south.

Plate 13. Interior, shelves in storeroom (G21), looking south.

Plates 13 to 16.

DLD 10/104

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent, 2012

Historic Building Recording

Plate 14. Interior, laboratory (G22), looking west.

Plate 15. Interior, southern doorway, looking south. Plate 16. Interior, room LG2, looking east.

Plate 17. Interior, column in room G54, looking north.

Plates 17 to 20.

DLD 10/104

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent, 2012

Historic Building Recording

Plate 18. Interior, central corridor, looking west.

Plate 19. Interior, room F3, looking north east. Plate 20. Interior, room F3 with balancing shelf, from 1989.

Plate 21. Interior, corridor leading to first floor extension (F10), looking north.

Plates 21 to 24.

DLD 10/104

Ditton Laboratories, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Kent, 2012

Historic Building Recording

Plate 22. Interior, room S6, looking north east.

Plate 23. Interior, winch and occular window (S7), looking east.

Plate 24, Room G61, refrigeration unit and timber framing, looking south.

TIME CHART

Calendar Years

Modern AD 1901

Victorian AD 1837

Post Medieval AD 1500

Medieval AD 1066

Saxon AD 410

Roman AD 43BC/AD

Iron Age 750 BC

Bronze Age: Late 1300 BC

Bronze Age: Middle 1700 BC

Bronze Age: Early 2100 BC

Neolithic: Late 3300 BC

Neolithic: Early 4300 BC

Mesolithic: Late 6000 BC

Mesolithic: Early 10000 BC

Palaeolithic: Upper 30000 BC

Palaeolithic: Middle 70000 BC

Palaeolithic: Lower 2,000,000 BC