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Remembered Today:

Kynochs Ltd, Birmingham - did they build aeroplanes?


Errol Martyn

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According to New Zealand newspaper reports one Reginald Boyne (who had migrated from England to New Zealand in 1906 but had returned to England in 1913 to play football) was reported in June 1915 as ‘helping in the munitions factory of Kynochs., Ltd., Birmingham’. In December 1916 the papers reported that ‘for the last 18 months [he had] been engaged on war work, and is now engaged on the manufacture of aeroplanes.’ It is not clear from the report if in 1916 he is now working for a different company.

 

Does anyone know if Kynochs were engaged in the manufacture of aeroplanes in whole or in part during the war?

 

Errol

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On 11/11/2018 at 02:30, Errol Martyn said:

According to New Zealand newspaper reports one Reginald Boyne (who had migrated from England to New Zealand in 1906 but had returned to England in 1913 to play football) was reported in June 1915 as ‘helping in the munitions factory of Kynochs., Ltd., Birmingham’. In December 1916 the papers reported that ‘for the last 18 months [he had] been engaged on war work, and is now engaged on the manufacture of aeroplanes.’ It is not clear from the report if in 1916 he is now working for a different company.

 

Does anyone know if Kynochs were engaged in the manufacture of aeroplanes in whole or in part during the war?

 

Errol

 

No: It was a manufacturer of (small arms) ammunition and propellants only.

 

Cheers,

 

GT.

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Many thanks GT, much appreciated.

 

Cheers,.

Errol

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Austin's car makers were building SE5A,s others built the huge Handley Page 0/400,s so may have moved to other work

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9 hours ago, salientguide said:

Austin's car makers were building SE5A,s others built the huge Handley Page 0/400,s so may have moved to other work

Yes, rather looks that way, doesn't it?

 

Cheers,

Errol

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In WW2 Kynoch had an assembly line assembling aircraft wings.

 

Dave

 

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The Contract Ledger makes no mention of Kynoch as an aeroplane manufacturer.  The S.E.5/5a manufacturers listed are: Air Navigation Co; Austin Motor Co; Bleriot; Martinsyde; Royal Aircraft Factory; VIckers Crayford; Vickers Weybridge; Whitehead Aircraft; Wolseley Motor Co.

 

Graeme

 

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Many thanks Graeme. Probably not possible now to pin down exactly who he was with when working on aeroplanes, given the number of companies involved and the thousands of personnel who would have been involved in the Birmingham area alone. There seem to have been quite a few Kiwis who made their way to the UK before or during the war and 'did their bit' working as civvies in aviation-related work.

 

In mid-1916 there was even a one-time New Zealand lady resident 'appointed to manage the canteen for women and girls at the Government aeroplane factory at Farnborough, under a Y.W.C.A. committee. . . . a club for off-duty hours for about 250 clerks, typists, tracers, etc. . . .' They too serve who serve!

 

Errol

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