1963 The Empire Expands
In
1963
the
Ditchburn
empire
had
grown
too
big
for
its
current
premises
with
all
divisions
literally
working
out
of
two
small
buildings
on
Dock
Road,
it
was
decided
that
the
company
needed
a
larger
premises
to
evolve
and
grow.
land
was
acquired
on
the
opposite
side
of
the
road
to
the
old
Laundry
Building
and
a
new
modern
factory
was
put
before
the
local planning department.
The
event
was
highlighted
by
a
visit
from
the
President
of
the
USA
Wurlitzer
Company,
Mr
R
C
Rolfing,
who
was
asked
to
take
part
in
the
tradition
of
“cutting
the
sod”
an
English
tradition
of
digging
the
first
hole
on
the
new
land
that
the
factory would be built to signal the start of the construction.
Below is Mr R.C. Rolfing and Mr Ditchburn ( 8th and 9th from the left ) with Ditchburn’s senior staff
Photo Ref: DB547 Courtesy of Paul Walker
Aerial photo showing the newly built factory on Dock Road
Photo Ref: DB575 Courtesy of Lytham Past FB page