93-year-old returns to Fawley with invitation to historic 1951 opening

Derek Newcombe, 93, has returned to ExxonMobil Fawley carrying the original invitation he received when Prime Minister Clement Attlee officially opened the refinery in 1951.

Seventy-five years after standing among the crowd at one of the UK’s most significant post-war industrial developments, Derek revisited the site where his career began, bringing with him a remarkable piece of history that he has carefully preserved for more than seven decades.

The Esso Refinery was officially opened by Clement Attlee on 14 September 1951. The occasion marked a major milestone for the region, helping transform employment opportunities across the Waterside. For Derek, who had gone from working as a butcher’s boy in Blackfield to joining Fawley as an 18-year-old apprentice, it was an occasion he never forgot.

Returning during ExxonMobil Fawley’s 75th anniversary year, Derek toured locations connected to his early career, explored the transformation that has taken place since and viewed archive photographs capturing the site’s earliest years.

Meeting with Joel Mizen, Fawley Site Manager, at the location where Attlee delivered his address, Derek reflected on both the ceremony and the changes he had witnessed since his time at the site.

“We were given the day off to attend the official ceremony, and I remember it being a very pleasant, warm day. It was my first glass of wine and the first time I had ever tried coleslaw. It felt like a very big occasion,” said Derek.

He added, “To remember the site in its early days and then return after all these years is quite overwhelming. The scale of the transformation and the progress made is outstanding. There is so much that has changed, but there are also parts I still recognise that immediately bring back a lot of memories.”

During his time at Fawley, Derek worked across the instrument department, machine shop, mechanical fitting roles and drawing office, gaining specialist knowledge and experience at a time when the new refinery was still taking shape.

“I used to cycle to work for 8am,” he said.

“It was very hands-on. In the mornings I’d change charts and collect recordings from the transmitters, and in the afternoons, I’d be assigned to whatever work was taking place.

“When the new site opened, I was calibrating instruments under the guidance of American engineers. It was all very new.”

Reflecting on the impact Fawley had on his career, Derek said, “Fawley gave me self-confidence and laid the foundations for my career. I gained knowledge and experience that I would never have had without that background, and it helped shape the rest of my working life.”

“My advice to young apprentices would be to build a good, enthusiastic routine and never stop asking questions.”

Today, ExxonMobil Fawley supports approximately 2,500 jobs and has welcomed more than 200 apprentices over the past 20 years, with more than half continuing to work at the site today.

Following Derek’s return to the site, Joel Mizen said, “It was a privilege to welcome Derek back to Fawley during our 75th anniversary year. Hearing his memories of the site’s opening and seeing the invitation he has kept since 1951 brought an important part of our history to life.”

“While the site has changed significantly over the years, the opportunities it creates for people remain just as important today. Derek’s story is a reminder of the generations of people who have helped shape the site and the lasting impact it has had on local families and workers.”