Barnbow Munition Works "T.N.T. Tales"

[Dust Jacket Collector]

I thought members might be interested to see this little volume I came across recently. It's a series of anecdotes concerning life at the Barnbow Shell Filling Factory during the War. Some of it consists of factual accounts of the daily operations in the factory interspersed with short stories gleaned from the daily gossip of the workers.

Of particular interest to me is the jacket design, shown below, by Jacob Kramer. He was a Jewish artist associated with the 'Whitechapel Boys' & as can be seen from this image, The Vorticists. He's probably best known today for his rather Nevinson like 'Day of Atonement' in Leeds Art Gallery. The book was published by Blackwell's in 1919, but its scarcity today suggests this may have been a private printing.

[eairicbloodaxe]

Fascinating!

Jacob Kramer also had Leeds College of Art named after him...

Regards

Ian

[Dust Jacket Collector]

Thanks Ian. Clearly an artist of note in his time although I believe he died in relative poverty.

[Falloden]

In the 1980's I used to visit the Royal Ordnance Factory, Barnbow as a parts supplier for Challenger tanks, was this the same factory as the shell filling factory ?

[Dust Jacket Collector]

In the 1980's I used to visit the Royal Ordnance Factory, Barnbow as a parts supplier for Challenger tanks, was this the same factory as the shell filling factory ?

Yes. It started as a Munitions factory in 1915 then became a Royal Ordnance factory in 1936.

[Roger Thompson]

If I remember correctly, the Munitions factory was a little bit lower down the road and on the left hand side, where Manston Lane peters out into a very narrow lane.

Cheers Roger.

[stoj22]

You're right, there were still some traces of the old munitions factory when I was a lad.

I worked at the R.O.F. for some years but is now being replaced by houses!

[Roger Thompson]

They have named the roads after some of the women that where killed in the December 1916 explosion.

Cheers Roger.

[dink_and_pip]

Leeds central library lists this book in their WWI collection.

Andy.

P.S. Has mike skipman come across a free copy?

[simondigs]

Thanks for sharing this. Very interesting. Have to get Leeds library staff to take another look at their holdings as this wasn't drawn to my attention recently.