Kynoch's I C I 1800s - 1920s

[MikeRiley]

Please note many images were lost when BHF was hacked so images may not be visible in certain posts.


This thread covers discussion about Kynoch's during the period from the 1800s to the 1920s.

For Kynoch's in the 1930s - 1940s go here: https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/kynochs-i-m-i-1930s-1940s.48346/

For Kynoch's after WW2 go here: https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...nochs-i-m-i-after-ww2.697/page-20#post-459116

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Can anyone tell me something about a munitions factory at Witton? :?: In 1901 my grandfather, who had come to Aston from Runcorn is recorded as living at Holte Road and working as a "glycerine maker" (nitro-glycerine?). He stayed long enough in Aston to meet and marry my grandmother, Annie Beecroft, before moving on again to another munitions factory at Kynocktown (later renamed Coryton), Essex. I am trying to find out something of the Witton company (presumably Kynock's) and what it's links were with the pre-WW1 factory on the Essex marshes. Can anyone tell me where exactly the Witton factory is/was? Pardon my ignorance of the geography of my grandmother's home town.

 

[KeithH]

IMI

The IMI buildings are still there on Witton Road, near Witton rail station and just around the corner from Aston Villa football ground.
I was at the site a few weeks ago and it seems now to be an industrial estate with the old IMI individual buildings being let to out to small businesses. There is little evidence of the former use of this place.

I have a vauge recollection of hearing the test firings of the ammunition years ago.

 

[MikeRiley]

Munitions works

Thanks Keith - the clue "IMI" led me to their website and the following connection to Kynochtown: "In 1862 Scottish Victorian entrepreneur George Kynoch opened a percussion cap factory at Witton in Birmingham, UK. By 1881 it had grown to be Britain's largest ammunition manufacturing company..."

 

[O.C.]

Re: Munitions works

Photo's of the witton site are due to go on the WW1 section

 

[izabellanne]

Wellhead Lodge

I have a very old photo of the Wellhead gate and the lodge I lived in, but I do not seem to be able to upload it.I will e.mail anyone interested.
Great days!!!!!

 

[Pomgolian]

:angel: izabellanne, I have resized your pic' a little as your problem was, it was too large to upload
(Click to see larger view).
View attachment 9219Edit. Unfortunately the attachment is no longer available.
Hope you don't mind.

POM :angel:

 

[izabellanne]

Wellhead Lane Lodge.

Pom..:star:
Thank you so much for doing that.How did you get the photo to resize it though,??? ( I kept getting a message saying I could not upload it ) In case it happens again.
Many thanks Pom...
Izabellanne

 

[Pomgolian]

:angel: Well! I think Rod sent it to the wrong person!!!
However as a site Moderator I thought it would be ok to post it for you rather than bother Rod, when I knew what to do and that's what my job as Moderator is, to help out when and where I can so no prob's.

Cheers Pom :angel:

 

[ChrisM]

Thanks for the Wellhead image, izabellanne (and helper).

I've seen this elsewhere, captioned "Recruiting Drive" but whether the recruitment was of Kynoch workers or of soldiers I don't know. The US flag suggests later in the Great War than earlier and so it's probably dated not before April 1917. The building behind was almost new at that time although it doesn't look it.

The range of shell case sizes in the display is remarkable as well as their polish. And I imagine that the accompanying "Kynoch's Angels" set one or two hearts aflutter!

Chris

 

[GeorgieG]

Kynock

I have a mahogany writing slope that belonged to my Great Grandfather Owen: It has a plaque on the top:
Presented to Mr. S.R.Owen as a mark of esteem by a few friends of the Gauge & Tool Department of Messrs. Kynoch & Co. Witton February 6th, 1897.

Georgie

 

[Wendy]

What a wonderful piece of history Georgie, I bet its a lovely item!

 

[GeorgieG]

Moma P... It could do with a bit of Tender Loving Care... but I keep all my families diaries... rings etc. in it...
Somewhere I have a letter regarding my greatgrandfather starting work at Kynock... must find it one day.
Georgie

 

[rprfryer]

Harry Victor Reginald Fryer - Kynoch Employee

My grandfather, Harry Victor Reginald Fryer, was a carriage builder.

He later worked, as a blacksmith, at Kynoch, which later became Nobel Industries, and then, in 1926, became Imperial Chemical Industries Metals.

In 1931, he received, from ICI Metals, after thirty-five years of service, a gold pocket watch.

He received, from ICI Metals, in 1936, a gold medal for forty years of service.

When he was young, in either 1887 or 1891, he attended, with his father, at the Lower Grounds, Aston Meadow, Aston, Warwickshire, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

Sometime after 1914, he climbed the mast of Royal Navy’s Iron Duke Class Dreadnought Battleship HMS Iron Duke.

Regards, R. Paul R. Fryer

 

[rprfryer]

Kynoch Group Photograph

Jean,

Unfortunately, I never met my grandfather or any of his fellow Kynock employees.

Incidentally, Michigan J. Frog and Marvin the Martian are two of my favourite animated characters.

Regards, R. Paul R.

 

[ChrisM]

When he was young, in either 1887 or 1891, he attended, with his father, at the Lower Grounds, Aston Meadow, Aston, Warwickshire, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

Paul,

The 1891 Buffalo Bill visit gets a mention in a history of Kynoch. Annie Oakley gave a ringing endorsement of the Company's sporting cartridges. "It is of great importance to me that I should have thoroughly reliable cartridges and I shall always use yours in preference to any others as I have great confidence in them."

I wonder if she, or her boss, had to pay for any of them.

Chris

 

[rprfryer]

Annie Oakley Reference

Chris,

Thank you for the Annie Oakley Kynoch information.

I was previously unaware of the relationship.

I consider myself an "infovore" or, when carefully pronounced, an "infomaniac"!

Incidentally, I have just noticed that my tired brain made the mistake of spelling Kynoch as Kinoch and Kinock (ouch!), in my previous two posts, mentally updating the spellings, when it proof-read them, to the correct ones.

I do know better!

I did spell the company name correctly in the employment event for my grandfather, Harry Victor Reginald Fryer, in my Fryer family database.

My apologies to all.

Regards, R. Paul R.

 

[Astoness]

Edit. Image unavailable.

this is a pic i find very sad...this young lad cant be much more than 12 years old and he is filling cartridges at kynochs in aston...dated 1905...and the kids today moan about having to take on certain jobs...

lyn

 

[Phil]

Re: Munitions works

Just a few photo showing some of the excellent war work carried out by women during the two world wars.

1. Assembling Mills bombs (grenades) at the Mill Munitions factory (WW1)
2. Some of the women workers outside the Mills Factory (WW1)
3. Assembling Aircraft Wings. (WW2)
4. B.S.A. Works (WW2)
5. Parkinson Cowan Works. (WW2)

Phil

 

[Vivienne14]

A good example of 1920s advertising. This 1923 ad for Eley and Kynoch cartidges is a very bold design which predates IMI. Viv.

 

[mike jenks]

hi



Nobel Industries1918 The company was merged into Explosives Trades Ltd, along with Eley and other ammunition makers.
1920 Explosives Trades Ltd changed its name to Nobel Industries; Kynoch retained its own name.
1920 John Marston Ltd "the manufacturers of the world famous Sunbeam cycle and motorcycle" was purchased by Kynochs[5]
1923 Arthur Chamberlain resigned as chairman of the local Board and was replaced by Sir Harry McGowan who was also Chairman of Nobel Industries.
The South African explosives interests were transferred elsewhere in the Nobel Industries organisation.
The Witton activities of soap, candles, cycles and general engineering products were abandoned. The site's activities comprised effectively "the ammunition side" and "the metals side". Three departments at Kings Norton, especially involving strip, were re-opened to meet increasing demand.
1924 Three more electric melting furnaces were ordered.
1925 Investment was made "to fit up the old Machine Shop at Witton to undertake metallic work for sporting cartridges and metal sundries". Copper consumption soon reached 400 tons per month. Despite Eley being the senior partner in the area of sporting ammunition within Nobel Industries, Kynochs succeeded in persuading the Board of Nobels to concentrate all production on the Witton site. The transfer of plant and personnel from Eley's Waltham Abbey factory, and the transformation of production facilities at Witton, was a long and gradual process. The Eley name was preserved by renaming all Nobel sporting ammunition "Eley-Kynoch".
1926 A new company was formed: Lightning Fasteners to handle the zip fastener business.
ICI Metals Division
1926 As part of Nobel Industries, the company became part of the newly formed Imperial Chemical Industries; the Witton factory continued as the ammunition manufacturing centre and became the centre of ICI Metals Division.

A real piece of Kynoch History that I wasn't aware of. Nobel Industries were the Fore Runner of
the Giant ICI

Thanks a real find

Mike Jenks

 

[Vivienne14]

Hi Mike thanks for the interesting info. I'd never heard of the Eley connection before. I remember the sound of the ammunition being tested in the 1950s/60s, all part of the normal background noise then. I lived in Kingstanding, but it must have been very noisy around Witton etc when they tested it. Viv.

 

[ChrisM]

A lot of the detail is here, Viv.

Chris

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Chris. Interesting history and some excellent shots of the workshop interiors. Viv.

 

[mike jenks]

Hi

Found on the Aerial Photographs a superb photo of the Lion Ammunition Factory
and Villa Park in 1921.
The Kynoch plant is clearly Visable A B and C departments. The Main Headquarters
building. The Kynoch Press area and the Huge Engineering area where I worked.

Mike Jenks

 

[Vivienne14]

This 1904 OS extract might be of interest showing the Lion Works. I remember the sound of ammunition testing ringing out from there when I lived in Kingstanding. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

A great photo of the floats at Kynoch's for 'Win the War Day' in September 1918. Viv.

 

[mike jenks]

Hi

just guessing I think we are near the wellhead lane entrance
many years in and out of that gate to catch the 51 great Barr bus
Happy days

Mike Jenks

 

[Vivienne14]

Think the gate is still there Mike according to Google. Looks like it needs a bit of restoration - hope it doesn't get demolished. I don't think I've ever seen such a lovely factory entrance. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Two more 1918 'Win the War' photos. Wondering what the letters 'O' and 'F' represent in the second photo. Also interesting that the gate is dated 1915, date no longer visible, but must have been built early on in the First World War. Viv.

 

[Di.Poppitt]

Love the photo's Viv. There is a thread on ICI or, as we usually called the company, Kynochs. I think those lodges were probably built in 1915, and I have a notion that one of the Forum members lived in one of them.

One of my Aunts worked in Tracer Bullet from about 1914 until she retired in 1965, so she would have been around when the photo's were taken.

I worked there when I left school, and I have friends I met in those days, we meet up for a catch up and are due for one this year.