Monument record FEX 306 - Oil Tanks Felixstowe Docks

The oil farm, to the north of the Marriages Mill on the north quay of the Dock Basin, was conceived in 1911 as the Royal Navy was changing from coal to oil powered vessels. From 1909 the Admiralty had moored an oil barge in the Dock Basin to service its boats, but in January 1911 the Felixstowe Railway and Dock Company entered into an agreement with the Admiralty to construct two 2500 ton capacity oil tanks at a cost of £6000, which would then be rented by the navy. By 1917 a further three 200 ton capacity tanks had been built with associated piping to the quayside .
In the inter-war period the five tanks took on a commercial role storing fuel from imports and for export from the docks, as well as continuing to service the navy and Air Station. During WWII the Navy requisitioned the tanks once again, and it is probable that it was during this time that the blast wall was constructed to protect tank 3.
It is not clear exactly when the oil farm was enclosed within a compound of bund walls, but these are shown as in need of repair by 1958. A further tank with a capacity of 250 tons had also been added by 1958.
From the 1950s, the commercial role of the storage tanks began to grow rapidly as the demand for imported and exported oil increased. Several tanks were also cleaned and used to store molasses, chemicals and alcohol as the port began to expand and adapt to new commercial requirements. During the 1970s and early 1980s some of the tanks were re-roofed, lagged and had new concrete floors inserted (S2).