This week we continue to look at Industry in Purfleet.

Van Den Berghs & Jurgens was a well known company in Thurrock.

In 1869 Margarine was invented and patented by a French chemist.

In 1871 Jurgens was a butter wholesaler in Osch, Holland, who began to produce margarine.

Van den Bergh, another wholesaler from the same village in Holland also began to produce margarine.

Most of their products were exported in particular to Britain.

In 1901 the Stork brand of margarine was registered. In 1908 the two companies agreed to share profits, and in 1917 they both established factories in England.

By 1927 they had joined two other businesses, Centra & Schicht, to create Margarine Unie. In 1929 they merged with Unilever.

In 1959 they employed over 1,000 workers making Stork margarine, processed cheese and soft drinks.