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Munitions factory work for women

debhh

debhh

proper brummie kid
Hello all. I've just found this site after following links on various sites, while looking into my family ancestry. On looking at the 1939 census, my nanna is recorded as being a cleaner finisher in munitions factory. On speaking to my nans last remaining sister she mentioned it was 'over Birmingham way'. Was wondering if anyone has any information about such sites and where / how many they were asbthisbwas a total shock to us and especially my dad. Thanks
 
Hi Deb,
There were quite a few munitions factories in or near Birmingham, any idea where she lived?
BSA small arms factory in Armoury Road in Small Heath.
Kynochs Perry Barr or IMI in Aston.
My aunt worked at Lucas Hockley?
Derek
 
Hey Derek. Yes she lived in Madeley, Telford. Shropshire. She never drove as I recall so must have been bussed in or a lift from another worker.
 
debhh said:
Hey Derek. Yes she lived in Madeley, Telford. Shropshire. She never drove as I recall so must have been bussed in or a lift from another worker.
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I think that would have been too far to commute, Deb. If she lived there in wartime then the factory must have been nearer home?
Derek
 
debhh said:
More research needed I think ! Lol thank you.
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Yes, someone may know more information. At Thorp Arch in Yorkshire workers travelled in by train and there was a hostel, as they worked shifts. I don't know if there was such a system in Birmingham?
Derek
 
Hi all so after some more digging and spending time with my nans last living sibling, I can confirm she lodged in Birmingham and didn't as I first thought commute which makes total sense. So I continue to search for info on Birmingham munitions workers and sites.
 
Uffculme said:
My mother worked at Swynnerton during the war for 4 years, their were thousands of female staff and they mostly lived in, I believe the site is now drake hall womans prison,
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Still not sure where nanna worked but definitely can confirm she lodged away from home during her service.
 
debhh said:
Hi all so after some more digging and spending time with my nans last living sibling, I can confirm she lodged in Birmingham and didn't as I first thought commute which makes total sense. So I continue to search for info on Birmingham munitions workers and sites.
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Good luck in tracking your nan down, Deb. My post # 2 gives some of the main places. Do you have any names or addresses or descriptions of her work. The promised database of munitions workers seems not to be on line yet. Some of the factories like Kynoch's in Perry Barr were vast and employed thousands of workers. How did you discover your nan worked with munitions? This might give a clue of where to look. Derek
 
https://www.munitionsworkersassociation.com
Samantha Webb is their historian
There's also a Facebook group. With pictures of the recent installation of the Rotherwas Angel in Herefordshire. https://www.rotherwas.com/news/2024/3/9/the-rotherwas-angel-has-landed


As opposed to Rotherwas which was a ROF filling station, I think the work done in Birmingham may have been engineering? Lots of firms made bases for hand grenades but the filling of bombs and shells and manufacture of explosives was done mainly away from the centres of population. However there were exceptions, Kynoch manufactured a wide range of detonators, ammunition and quick firing shells. Early work on the atomic bomb was done there under the code name of Tube Alloys Project before the Manhattan Project began.
 
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All these from the Imperial War Museum Website:-

Cartridge Making Kynochs 1917:-
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Bullet Velocity Testing Kynochs 1917:-
1710336266681.png

Cartridge Manufacture Kynochs 1917:-
1710336370669.png

Cartridge Barrels Kynochs 1917:-
1710336429030.png
 
The sad story of the bombing of the BSA brings back so many memories. My Dad worked there at that time although on day shift. At the end of the week it was bombed, he had to go to pick up his wages. He let me go with him and I had to wait outside the gates whilst he went in. Right next to the BSA was a sweet factory [I think]. That had also been bombed and set on fire at the same time. I have vivid memories of looking at the walls left standing. They looked like glass. It was where the sugar had melted and run down the walls and then set.
 
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