Looking down Fraser Road from the junction with Bexley Road towards the Fraser and Chalmers factory.

This was one of the largest companies in Erith and began its roots in the USA by two young men from Scotland, David Fraser (a millwright) and Tom Chalmers (a foundryman).

In 1890 the company was approached to establish a factory in England to supply machinery for the South African goldfields and the Erith works began in May 1891.

The site of the new factory had been used for some years as a recreation ground. The British company expanded into steam plant, milling machinery and general engineering.

In 1918 the factory was bought by the General Electric Company and by the 1950s covered 34 acres and employed about 4,000 workers.