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Does anybody recognise this factory?

johnsillitto

New Member
It is a group photograph outside a factory incuding my wife's grand father Alfred Smith.

I know that he worked for a company called Kynoch who were, amongst other things, the biggest explosives and munitions manufacturers before, during and after WW1. They were at The Lion Works, Witton.

There is an interesting history of the company here https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/G._Kynoch_and_Co
and also here https://www.staffshomeguard.co.uk/KOtherInformationKynoch.htm

He also worked for a company called Craig and Naish but I can't find anything about that company.

Has anybody any idea if this is Kynoch & Co. or recognize anybody in the picture?

The signs on the walls warn of, 'smaoking within the precincts of the building', which might indicate that there was a fire hazard as would be the case with an explosives factory.

I have a much higher resolution of the picture if anybody wants it.
 

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  • Alfred SMITH Apprentice Metallurgy Laboratory.small_resize.jpg
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Note. There is another noticeboard on the other wall of the building at the extreme left of the picture. Although I doubt it says anything different to the one expanded on the inset, it might just have some reference to the company. It's not legible on this scale so you'd have to check the original.
 
I thought that too, and, to me, it does look as if the layout is a little different, so maybe the wording is differeent
 
Mmm I've had a really close look and sadly it is pretty much the same as the big sign. I've isolated it and rotated it a bit to make it easier to read - attached.

It says "ANY PERSON FOUND SMOKING WITHIN THE PRECINCTS OF THIS BUILDING WILL BE SEVERLEY DEALT WITH by order".
 

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Maybe someone else will remember better than I do, but I seem to remember that Kynoch became part of ICI in the 50s. There was a factory at Witton.
 
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