William Elmgreen worked at Burmeister & Wain in Copenhagen as a 20 year old apprentice in 1922. His father Jens Peter Elmgreen had worked there in the 1890s. He later recalled that at that time some 12,000 workers were engaged to build ships, manufacture diesel engines and carry out ship repairs of all kinds. He was one of 2,500 men on Refshale Island, building and repairing ships. They had private lockers for their gear, their bikes were sheltered in enormous sheds, and had access to modern shower rooms – all regarded as modern conveniences in 1922. In the canteen - seating 2,500 - a hot lunch cost 0.75 Kr, and beer was also available in unlimited quantities. On one hot summer's day, seventy cases @ 50 bottles per case of beer were consumed in the canteen by the workers in their lunch hour and a half. Well-cooked food was picked up at the food bar, run by the Workers’ Cooperative, milk and soft drinks were also available. Tools were available at the tool sheds, workers signed for them and paid if they lost any. Each worker was allocated a number (his was 2274). He was engaged on a piece work basis, and worked in a propeller gang.