, traditional boundary between the
Soke of Peterborough and Huntingdonshire The sub-soil is
Oxford clay, the character of which led to the establishment of large brickworks which were economical to excavate. The area gave its name to the Fletton Brick Company and to
Fletton Brick in the 19th century, when a large area of land was sold to investors; this eventually became the
London Brick Company, now owned by
Forterra plc. The dominance of London Brick in the market during this period gave rise to some of the country's best known landmarks, built using the ubiquitous
Flettons. During the 1950s the requirement for workers in the brick industry was far greater than the numbers available locally, and as a result many
Italians—initially housed in the old prisoner of war camps and in barracks and hostels belonging to the company—were recruited from the impoverished southern regions of
Apulia and
Campania. By 1960, approximately 3,000 Italian men were employed by London Brick, mostly at the Fletton works. Very soon after the first men had arrived, they were followed by around 2,000 Italian women, some of whom worked alongside the men, whilst others worked in sectors such as clothing, rubber, ceramics, food processing, agriculture and the
National Health Service. Consequently, Fletton has a significant
Italian population today. The Fleet complex, off the High Street, has been managed by the Italian Community Association since it opened in 1985 and accommodates the Italian honorary consul for Peterborough. Historically, diesel manufacturers,
Perkins Engines (previously Joseph Farrow & Co.'s canning factory) and Bennie Lifts (later
Kone) also gave work to a large number of people locally. Elliot Medway, manufacturers of mobile classrooms, occupied a site on Glebe Road until its demolition in 2008, to make way for regeneration of the south bank. ==Amenities==