2-854-195 - Historic England Archive/Heritage Images

Sir Maurice Laing at the topping out ceremony on the roof of the office building at the Wills tobacco factory at Hartcliffe, a packet of Embassy cigarettes has just been symbolically buried in the last pour of concrete. Behind the crowd workers hold up placards protesting about poor wages. One placard refers to "Mac's Labourer" wages, McAlpine was one of the main subcontractors for the project as was Drake and Scull which is also mentioned on the sign. This project was the first in which Laing acted only in a management capacity, not directly employing their workforce, instead using subcontractors.