Percussion Cap Manufacturing In Birmingham

[Pedrocut]

Situation of Percussion Cap manufacture in 1863.

In July 1863 the Royal Commission enquiring into the employment of children and young persons in trades and manufacturers not already regulated by law, made their first report. A blue book of 340 pages, some of which were concerned with the enquiry by Mr White into percussion cap manufacture.

The Gazette reported....The people of Birmingham have reason to know that those who are engaged in the manufacture of Percussion Caps run no small risk of losing life or limb. The several explosions which took place within the last few years in the manufactories of this town were attended with such fearful consequences, that they are not likely to be soon forgotten. The Legislature are not usually moved to action without some powerful stimulus; and as if to urge them to take immediate measures to remove, in far as possible, the dangers which hourly surround the considerable number of persons employed in the manufacture of percussion caps, the dreadful explosion at the factory of Messrs Walker, of Graham Street, took place so soon after the departure from it of the Government Commissioner, that official, though gratitude for past favours should form never so small a part of his character, must have been fervently thankful for his escape from a death so sudden and inglorious.

The report....... "Exclusive of the Government factory at Woolwich Arsenal percussion cap manufacture is very limited in extent, there being but six manufactories in the kingdom, two of which are in London, and four in Birmingham.

It is carried on mainly by female labour, including that of many young girls, and is, in the opinion of Mr White, the most dangerous of all general manufactures. It appears that the total number of persons engaged in the manufacture is 665, of whom 566 are females, and about 150 are children and young persons. The sources of danger, as described by Mr, White, are the priming, the mixing, and the drying....

"The Commissioners observe that it is obvious that it would greatly conduce to the safety of the workpeople generally if it were made imperative by law that all these processes should be, in all cases, carried on, and that the materials should be stored, in buildings separated by a sufficient space to ensure safety from the rest of the workshops.

That such provisions are especially needed in Birmingham is clear from Mr White's description of the buildings there, in which these dangerous processes had been carried on, the defective arrangements of which have already occasioned so much loss of life, and no small amount of bodily injury and suffering. Mr White states that the four factories in Birmingham are merely adaptations of private houses, in crowded streets, "and the necessary space is obtained only by throwing out small workshops and narrow galleries in the yards at the back. The result, in addition to the danger of explosions, is that the working rooms are cramped, low, and ill-ventilated, and without suitable provision for the comfort of those employed...

(The descriptions of the factories to follow)

 

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Messrs Walker...(described 1863)

The first factory mentioned by the report is that of Richard Walker, which due to the explosion referred to by the report was closed. There were probably a few more percussion cap manufactures before 1863, and Messrs Walker advertised themselves "the original percussion cap manufactures and the oldest in the universe," established 1820 and at 60/70 Graham St. They had gained a prize medal awarded at the Great Exhibition. In 1837 S Walker disolved the partnership with her son and continued to trade at 12, Legge St.

Report...."This factory being no longer in existence, and it seeming improbable that the site will ever be allowed to be used again for a like purpose, need not be noticed further than by saying that, as a building it was an extreme instance of what has been described as the general character of the Birmingham percussion cap manufactories, cramped, crowded, and ill-arranged. There was on each side a factory, separated by a party wall, and there were other buildings, a cartridge manufactory and three dwelling houses adjoining at the back. So violent was the explosion, that not only was the greater part of the factory utterly destroyed, but the factories on each side were seriously injured, holes being blown.....(unreadable line)...was killed, though separated by an entire shop, i.e., by two partitions from the Walkers' factory. The whole party wall on this side was pulled down on the evening of the explosion, for the safety of those who were seeking the bodies amongst the ruins. The mutilation and disfigurement of body caused by an explosion of this kind cannot be more than referred to. On this occasion one of the Messrs. Walker who was killed could not be recognised by his own brother, another man was equally mutilated. At the time of the explosion there were 54 persons on the premises, of whom several were under the age of 18, and of the latter three were killed."


"From the evidence given at the inquest it appeared that explosions of a less destructive character than that just spoken of frequently took place. Small exploions of about 2,000 caps, happened several times within the experience of one witness. Explosions of this kind always shook the factory, blew the windows out, and burned the faces, hands, and clothes of the persons employed in the factory. The verdict of the jury, on the inquiry upon the bodies of persons killed by the explosion at Mr. Walker's factory, in June 21, 1862 was that "Nine persons died from an explosion of percussion powder in the cellar of the Walkers' premises, in Graham Street, but that there was no evidence to show how that powder ignited.

In a memorandum which they made on the record, they noted their opinion "that on the 21st June, 1862, there must have been on the premises large quantity of percussion powder greatly in excess of what is lawful under the 23rd and 24th Vict., cap. 139. The explosion ought to act as a warning to all engaged in the manufacture not to allow a large stock of explosive material to remain on their premises. Before the Whittall Street explosion, which happened a few years ago it was usual to take in a much larger stock of cyanide of mercury than has been received since : and it would be an advantage to the trade if the Graham Street explosion had the effect of reducing the quantity still further."

 

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Messrs Ludlow's factory, Aston Park... (described 1863)

This place is two or three miles at least from the town, and approached only through fields, by a private road. It in under the care of a manager, an intelligent woman. The workshops are mere sheds, built almost entirely of board, but comfortable scattered over large grass fields, and well lighted and ventilated. The magazines and store rooms also stand a great distance from one another and the workshops.

The priming shop is a small shed, in which only the priming woman works, herself priming the caps and wetting them, when primed, to hold in the powder, both processes being done by means of machines worked with the hand.

The shed likewise contains helves of sheet iron let into a brick wall. For drying the caps when primed and wetted. No one else is allowed to enter the place. When I was there (the Inspector) the woman had just left and the processes were explained to me by the manager. I was struck with the extra caution which she showed in so doing. When about to touch part of the apparatus she drew bark from it, though there was then apparently no powder near, and merely pointed to the different parts with her finger. In another shop two young women were making fog signals, one charging them, the other closing them down with a hand press, ...

....Some of the girls employed in this factory are in the habit of dining sometimes in the place where they work—a practice which, we observed in a previous article, is exceedingly injurous to health. An alarming explosion took place at Messrs, Ludlow's since the Commisioner visit. Some damp and damaged cartridges were being opened when, from some unknown cause, they exploded. Two young women jumped out through the window, and were taken to the hospital, severely burned about the face and trunk. The explosion took place about two o'clock—about the time when work would have been commenced after dinner. Neither fire nor gas was burning at the time. Happily there was but a small quantity of powder in the hut.

(Messrs Ludlow's other premises were at Legge Street.....in 1859 Messrs Ludlow and Ludlow carried on the business of percussion cap manufacture in Legge Street formerly conducted by S Walker)

 

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Mr Cox's factory, Great Charles Street.... (Described 1863)


"This like many Birmingham factories has the appearance of a common house in a street. The only persons under 18 here, as I was told are two girls cutting paper labels, the other punching out tinfoil. The caps I am told are primed out of this town by a man. During the time I was on the premises caps were snapping overhead, no doubt in the operation of polishing the tinfoil put into each cap to keep the powder in place. The number of young hands employed here is, I
understood, now very much reduced owing to different circumstances and amongst others to the American war....

....one of the witnesses examined, a little girl of 15 or 16, who formerly worked at Mr Cox's factory, said that, after the explosion at Whittall Street her father and mother would not allow her to work in a percussion cap factory..."

Mr Cox had been questioned by the Commission concerning working hours.

[There seems to have been two John Cox, a father and son. In June 1865 there is a record of a marriage of a John Cox, eldest son of the late John Cox, percussion cap manufacturer of Ward End, to Sarah Ann Timings the only daughter of JH Timings, gun manufacturer of Gt Chas St.

Cox must have been in business since at least 1854 as there is a petition for a patent by John Cox of Birmingham, percussion cap manufacturer. Also in Feb 1856 the Cox premises in Great Charles Street were broken into and copper and brass blanks stolen. By 1870 he had three premises, 56-7 Great Charles Street, Ward End and Newton Street. Ward End was probably acquired around the same time as Messrs Pursall and Phillips acquired the land in Witton in order to move from Whittall Street. It had been required that the dangerous parts of the production be located in more rural areas, but there was a case against Cox in 1870 where it was thought that he carried on the processes in all establishments. Ludlow also acquired land at Witton to move from Legge Street.

In April 1865 percussion cap manufacture was brought under Govt inspection by the Factory Acts..."The four percussion cap manufactures in Birmingham and together with cartridge makers employ 123 adults, 54 young persons, and 18 children, a total of 196 of whom 180 are females...annual report says all workshops where there might be danger have been removed from the town to a distance of 3 to 5 miles....(Inspector) has visited works at Greet and Witton."

In December 1865 there was a fatal explosion at Ward End killing a girl named Charlotte Cheshire. I'm not sure as yet of the location of the premises in Ward End, but in October 1861 at the Erdington Petty Sessions Cox applied for a license for newly erected premises situated on the old Chester Road, about half a mile from the Bell and Cuckoo Inn, and near the entrance gate to the estate of Mr Ralph Bagott of Pipe Hall; consisting of a range of one-storey shopping, about 50 yards from which Cox built a residence for himself, and three cottages for his workers, the property of Mr Bagott being situated on the other side of the road. Bagott offered to reimburse Cox for every farthing he had laid out, one hundred guineas, and defray the cost of the conveyance of the license should it be withdrawn, and the property handed over to Mr Bagott. Offer accepted.

In 1871 the executors of the late John Cox were found guilty of an infringement of the Gunpowder Act and fined 10 pounds.]

 

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Messrs Pursall and Co's factory, Hampton Street...(described 1863)

The same character as the others of its kind in Birmingham. The priming, I (the Inspector) was told is done out of town by a women, a girl of 17 working with her to shake the caps into a frame ready for priming. Here to, owing too the state of the trade, only a small number of young hands were at work. Ther average number of persons under 18 is about 6 girls and 3 or 4 boys.

Mr Kynoch, a partner in the firm, had given evidence at the enquiry.

[An artist's impression of the explosion of 1859 at Messrs Pursall and Philip's Whittall Street factory wher 19 of the 70 employees killed, can be seen in the attached clip.

In 1863 George Kynoch is a partner in the firm Messrs Pursall and land has already been purchased at Witton. The Oxford National Dictionary of Biographies says..."On 3 February 1863 he (George Kynoch) married Helen, the daughter of Samuel Birley, a well-to-do jeweller at Edgbaston, from whom he later separated. Aided perhaps by capital from his father-in-law as well as his own ability, Kynoch's business prospered and by 1864 Kynoch & Co. had obtained contracts for the supply of ammunition to the war department and the Turkish government."]

 

[Pedrocut]

From the Birmingham Daily Post in December 1870 there is an interesting mention of just where Ludlow’s set up their first premises in Witton….

"On August 22 in 1859, less than a month after the catastrophic disaster, Messrs Ludlow had another explosion, though, happily, not so serious in its results. Acting on the advice of the Coroner, they had taken a small building outside the borough for the purpose of carrying on the more dangerous part of their business, the mixing and priming. The building thus obtained was an old uninhabited cottage, two storeys high, standing on the margin of the Aston Furnace Mill Pool. The mixing was done in an upper room, and all the other work in an old wash-house.

A man and two girls were at work there that day, and shortly after noon they were getting their lunch in the work-house when an explosion occurred. They were thrown to the ground and literally buried in debris of the fallen house, but alarmed by the report several persons came to their assistance, and they were extricated with no further injuries."

 

[Stitcher]

 

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View attachment 119576

Thanks Stitcher for the lovely memorial to the young women and girls who were killed in the explosion at Whittall Street. It could be considered that the national public outrage at this explosion left the government with no alternative than to recommend that all such factories should be moved from the dense areas of population. Hence by 1861 Pursall and Phillips had moved to the quiet hamlet of Witton.

George Kynoch was part of Pursall and Phillips at the time, and around 1862 he took the lease. It became Kynochs and he remained with the company until he resigned in 1888 “siting” ill-health. During his tenure the exploitation of women and children continued.

 

[Heartland]

The Ward End factory, I have come to believe was in, or near, Drews Lane. The site was later acquired by the Electric Ordnance and Accessories, which in turn became Wolseley.

 

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1915

 

[mikejee]

Do you have a year for th photo. Would it have been during WW1 or before?

 

[Pedrocut]

Do you have a year for th photo. Would it have been during WW1 or before?

1915. I don’t recall any other info on the page, but will look to see if any more in that edition. Think it was The Graphic.

 

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Illustrated London News, January 1916, intricacies of the modern projectile shell...