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Bsa Factory 1900s - 1930s

fergie

master brummie
Edit. This thread is about the Birmingham Small Arms factory during 1900s - 1930s. For discussion about the factory in other periods please see the thread links here:

BSA early years to late 1800s https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...m-small-arms-early-years-to-late-1800s.48410/

BSA 1940s onwards https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...l-arms-1940s-onwards.13894/page-2#post-101688


BSA during the Blitz https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...birmingham-small-arms-factory-in-blitz.48277/

BSA bikes https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/bsa-bikes-birmingham.8582/
 
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BSA Ad 1919

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image.jpeg
 
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Hi,

I am looking for information on the BSA factory in Small Heath during the First World War.

My great-grandfather William Tippin worked there during the First World War and was a tool grinder when his son was born in 1916.

Has any sort of documentation survived for the First World War area?

Tippin
 
I found this in Birmingham's Industrial Heritage by Ray Shill
 
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Type "BSA" into search on this forum and you will get lots of threads on the Armoury Rd factory. Len.
 
all the men on mum's side worked at the Beezer, on the guns.They were gun polishers and barrel makersin the late 1800's and in early 1900, Before he became a clerk(due to bad heart) at the BSA my dad was one of the "heavy Boys" that moved all the machinery and stock on and off the trains at Small heath,where he met my mom who was a guard on the goods trains but that was 2nd world war 1941 onwards.
thanks again ,shelagh
 
I have found reading all on this thread as most interesting - thank you all.
I am afraid I now little of my grandad, other than he worked at the BSA, prior to 1940. I need to try and find out if my elder sister knows anymore, if his service there continued through the war years.
Jan
 
mstephens what a set of fantastic pics. from what i can remember the house were knocked down from about 1986/7 onwards. the main factory from about 1977 ish onwards. (it took years if i remember)
the first pic is taken from Golden Hillock Rd near to the junction of Anderton Rd looking towards the factory
the second is taken just inside the factory right at the top of Armoury Rd - the pub was called The Sydenham, from where the pic is took used to be a huge christmas tree every year
the third is from the same position as the second but panned slightly to the right,
the fourth......well says it all reaally
i remember when the BBC filmed gangsters, they were there for about two or three days. i have some pics of the road when they were knocking the house and the factory down if anyone is interested. also i could take my camera and take some from the above positions sort of then and now again if anyone is interested.
once again thanks for showing them.

Thanks for the information. I am planning to do some sort of website which shows all the locations used in Gangsters. It came out on DVD a couple of years ago (which is where the pics come from) so it would certainly be interesting to see how the locations look now. As I don't live in Birmingham, most of my research relies on Google Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth so thanks again for your help.
 
An interior view, before the Second World War, of motorcycle production. B.S.A. was known in full as the Birmingham Small Arms Company. They started in the jewellery quarter of Birmingham manufacturing guns and ammunition and were major suppliers for both world wars. the factory was targetted and bombed during the blitz in the Second World War with many lives sadly lost. The company had manufactured motorcycles for most of it's history and as demand for weapons decreased this became their main stock in trade. Although they are no longer based in Small Heath they still continue to trade from Southampton where they produce limited runs of retro- motorcycles. Len.
 
Len, thanks for posting that photo, I worked on that line in the early 60's then later moved onto the gear shop where this photo was taken in 1964. Graham.
 
My gGrandfather worked at the BSA from after the first world war till he retired in the 1970's. Does anyone know if there are any workers records to view from this time?
Gemma
 
Hello Lencops,
My gGrandfather was called Sydney George Smith. I dont know what department he worked in. All I know was at one time he was a screw wrapper. He met his wife at the factory too, her name was Ethel Lavinia nee Stagg.
Gemma
ps Thanks Alf for the link to the other threads, they are really interesting.:cool:
 
hi all..just found this pic of bsa cycles dated 1910

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I wonder if anyone can help me. My Grandfather worked at BSA at end of WW1. However the strange thing is he appears to have been working for them during WW1, at the same time I have go him as being in the Army with the MGC - Machine Gun Corps. I know that BSA was making Lewis Guns, etc that were used by the MGC. THe dates of his Army service and BSA service seem to cross, does anyone have any ideas why this would be the case. Thanks i n advance.
Simon T
 
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hi simon my brother has an old call up letter for someone in birmingham it was addressed to his place of work informing them that he must be released from his dutys to fight for his country....it could well be that at the time your grandad was called up he was working for BSA....i would also think they sent a letter to their home address as well as to the employer..

just a guess..

lyn
 
Hi Tin 123
It may be that your Grandfateher while working at BSa may have been involved in the making of the Lewis guns and was shoved off into the the MGC to instruct in the repair and that sort of thing to the chaps that would be using these guns In that case he would have been shown perhaps as doing 2 jobs at the same time
 
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