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male munitions workers

B

bert morel

Brummie babby
Hello,
I'm new to the group and am researching an ancestor of mine named Charles Bertram Morel, who normally lived in Lambeth but worked at a munitions factory in Birmingham from at least December 1916, when the job is noted on his marriage certificate. I am trying to narrow down the possibilities of where he might have worked, and also to find out more of the male experience of working in these factories. Most of what I come across is about the female workers. Does anyone out there have ancestors like my Bert, or any information that might help me? Why would he have left London to work in Birmingham? Family lore says that he worked here rather than enlisting because of a shoulder problem; and that he died young, in his 30s, due to lung problems -- perhaps cancer as a result of his munitions work?
 
bert morel said:
Hello,
I'm new to the group and am researching an ancestor of mine named Charles Bertram Morel, who normally lived in Lambeth but worked at a munitions factory in Birmingham from at least December 1916, when the job is noted on his marriage certificate. I am trying to narrow down the possibilities of where he might have worked, and also to find out more of the male experience of working in these factories. Most of what I come across is about the female workers. Does anyone out there have ancestors like my Bert, or any information that might help me? Why would he have left London to work in Birmingham? Family lore says that he worked here rather than enlisting because of a shoulder problem; and that he died young, in his 30s, due to lung problems -- perhaps cancer as a result of his munitions work?
Click to expand...


hello bert and welcome.. i am taking that charles married in birmingham so could you tell us the address he lived at thats on his marriage cert please..

lyn
 
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Hi Astoness. I've muddled this a bit. His marriage certificate says only that he was a munitions worker, and he gives his address as Lingham Street in Stockwell. It's family lore that tells us he worked in Birmingham at this time, so I have no proof of that, though the information came from his daughter.
 
hi bert well this could be difficult to prove anything then but if he came to birmingham after getting married and worked as a munitions worker as he did in stockwell then the only place i can think of off hand is mills munitions in bridge st west...as you say mainly women took on this job but there would have been the odd male worker to act as a manager...here is a link to the mills thread...sorry i cant be of more help but if any of our members have access to the electoral rolls for 1916 onlwards maybe they could see if they can find charles on them giving his address in birmingham

lyn

https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=41136&highlight=mills+munitions
 
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Kynochs Works in Witton was a major producer of munitions and employed many people as seen in this pic from elsewhere on the forum. They were also known as Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) and later Imperial Metal Industries (IMI)
Image5_Kynocks_at_Witton.jpg
 
Can anyone work out what position that pic was taken from? The building and chimneys in background look familiar. I used to live near IMI in 60s
 
Below is a picture from the Britain froma above site of the factory in 1920, a bit after the photo was taken. also a map c 1913. Can't quite see where the phot is taken from tongive the factory on the left of theroad.
The picture shows the railway in the top right curving round, whiel the map shows it towards the bottom.

kynoch_works_1920_from_britain_from_above_site.jpg


map_c_1913_kynoch_munitions.jpg
 
So interesting to see the image and map, Mikejee, thank you. Oldmohawk, I would love to see that footage! But when I click the link, it says the video is not authorized for my location, which is Canada.:frown:
 
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