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Drews Lane Factory Washwood Heath

S

sylviasayers

master brummie
Edit. This thread concerns the site of the factory of
- the Electric & Ordnance Accessories Co. Ltd
- sold by Vickers to Wolseley in 1919
- the renamed company: Tractor & Transmissions Branch of BMC.

Went past the old Morris Commercial/LDV site corner of Drews Lane and Washwood Heath Road yesterday, just a pile of rubble in the car park. Don't know whether the office building further down Drews Lane is still standing.
 
Pity it's gone. My grandparents worked there during the First World War when they made munitions at Drews Lane. Viv.
 
The demolishing of our old factories has been something that has really bothered me in years gone by and it is great to see that there are other people who feel the same way.

It was really nice to hear about the reopening of JW Evans earlier this year. A lot of these buildings are relics from the industrial revolution and as such are of vital historical importance!

Great to see this thread!
 
Agree Birminghamster. We should be giving higher priority to preserving our industrial heritage as it reveals so much about our families, our towns and our country. Where would we be without the Industrial Revolution? Where would Birmingham be without it's enterprising spirit? Viv.
 
I agree it is very important to preserve our industrial heritage, I just wish that more factories were in existence producing goods today.
 
Neither the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine company, nor Morris Commercial were ever at Drews Lane.
Everything made by Wolseley Motors in WW1 was made at the Adderley park works in Bordesley Green Road and their aeroplane factory in Bordesley Green, opposite the Thornley & Knight paint factory.
The Drews Lane factory was built by the Electric & Ordnance Accessories Co. Ltd. in late 1914 and Vickers sold the factory to Wolseley in 1919 and they remained there until the company was renamed Tractor & Transmissions Branch of BMC.
I have researched this company in some depth and published three books about Wolseley, from 1889 to 1926.
I tried to get a plaque put up on the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co. Ltd., factory in Alma Street, Aston, where Herbert Austin made his first motor car, but nobody was interested, and the factory was demolished to build houses.
 
That's helpful Boomy, thanks. So my grandparents would have worked for the Electrical & Ordnance when they were at Drews Lane (not Wolseley). I put a photo on the forum of the workforce at the time, but can't now find it. Shall have another look for it.

Viv.


Edit. For Wolseley car history please see this link:
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/wolseley-car-history.4169/

Edit. For Wolseley factory at Adderley Park please see here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...eley-factory-adderley-park.48573/#post-611291
 
I tried to get a plaque put up on the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co. Ltd., factory in Alma Street, Aston, where Herbert Austin made his first motor car, but nobody was interested, and the factory was demolished to build houses.

hello boomy i find the above info you posted very interesting...i had no idea that the first austin car was made in alma st....must try and find out where the wolseley sheep shearing machine co was...

lyn
 
The Electric & Ordnance Accessories Company at Drews Lane also made Timken roller bearings as well as munitions, the company was owned by Vickers Ltd.
Herbert Austin was Works Manager at the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co. Ltd., and the company moved to Alma Street in 1895, a few months before Austin made his first "Wolseley" car; the factory was just below Clifford Street before you get to Porchester Street.
 
thanks boomy....i am hoping to get a map showing the exact position of the company but i have a rough idea

lyn
 
Vivienne,
Yes, your grand parents would have been working for the Electric & Ordnance Accessories Co. Ltd., not Wolseley, and I would date your picture to 1917 or later, as the building in the background was a temporary pre-fabricated welfare centre exactly the same as those put up at the Wolseley Works in Adderley Park and Bordesley Green.
boomy
 
My Grandfather worked at Adderley Park and Castle Brom, Dad worked at Drews Lane. I have several photos from the Drews Lane plant. From the 1960's should I put them up here?
 
hi graesaint a warm welcome to the the forum... if he worked at the wolesley works drews lane then yes please we would love to see your photos...

lyn
 
It was Austin Morris and British Leyland and Joe Sutton worked in the Metallurgy Lab & Heat treatment section at Drews lane. AS you can see we are an engineering family. Frank McKeown was a colleague during that period.
 

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Graesaint said:
It was Austin Morris and British Leyland and Joe Sutton worked in the Metallurgy Lab & Heat treatment section at Drews lane. AS you can see we are an engineering family. Frank McKeown was a colleague during that period.
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i worked in the jig and tool drawing office,at drews lane 1966-67.i also played for B,block in the inter departmental,football cup which by the way we won. re,gards,brian henry gill
 
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I was there between 1976 and 1981 working on the front axle of most models, Mini, Maxi, Marina, Allegro,Princess, MG..Taxi and the Sherpa van at one time or other, this is when it was British Leyland, I was working on the Metro when I took my redundancy....lack of investment which I blame for the end of BL, I was working on the tracks which were used to build equipment for WW2....
 
They were tough times. My dad was made redundant when he was no longer a useful asset. But he enjoyed all his time there because of the history and old time family feel of each factory. The business was caught in a government cleft of nationalisation and world commerce. They failed on both branches, hence the loss of British Industry.
But here are a few more BL photo's Each with their BL numbers because they had their own photography dept.
 

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MyB/Law for years worked there many years on Vehicle developments and design.Liasing between there and MIRA(Motor Industry Research Ass) atNuneaton on the A5
 
Graesaint said:
It was Austin Morris and British Leyland and Joe Sutton worked in the Metallurgy Lab & Heat treatment section at Drews lane. AS you can see we are an engineering family. Frank McKeown was a colleague during that period.
Click to expand...
I was at Austin Morris in the Lab. a few years after Joe was promoted. I worked there from 1968 until they shut the place.
 
Hello, I was born in Drews Lane in the 1950s and can remember the works 'hooter' and also the air raid siren being tested occasionally.

I was told that the factory (producing munitions) was bombed during WW2 and workers were killed. I was also told that not all of the bodies were recovered and that some were still there today buried under the old factory.

Anyone have any details of this please?

KH
 
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