Munitions workers at White and Poppe, Whitmore Park, Coventry 1916--1918 Personnel records

[Guest]

Does anyone know where I can find out  more about the above and where records might be located?   I am trying to trace a relative who worked at the above workshop.

Her address was given as B Block, Whitmore Park.

My understanding is that this is the White & Poppe factory.

Any  information would be apppreeciated.

Glenda

 

[Terry_Reeves]

Glenda

 

This was the White and Poppe factory in Coventry. The site is now owned by a US Company, Meggit Aircraft Braking Systems Ltd. The last vestiges of the old W & P factory were demolished about 18 months ago. It was a Fuze Filling Factory.

 

The following is from the History of the Ministry of Munitions  at the National Archives:

 

 

National Filling Factory No 10 or 21, Coventry

 

In the summer of 1915 the Ministry suggested that Messrs White and Poppe who owned large engineering works at Coventry and were acting as sub-contractors to one of the great armaments firms, should undertake the erection and control of  a factory for filling graze fuses (No 100). A site of some 109 acres adjacent to their own factory, was acquired by agreement  and by 23 July 1915 the preliminary plans for the factory, with a capacity for filling 150,000 fuses, 150,000 gaines and 300,000 detonators weekly, were ready.

 

Total number of fuses filled during the war:

 

No 80/44 50,300

No 80 2,029,000

No 100 2,695,000

No 106 7,285,000

No 103 2,004,000

No 101 & 101e 7,355,000

No 131 10,100

No12 14,200

 

Total 21.5 million

 

During the winter of 1916/17, numerous prematures were reported in France, a large proportion being fused with rises filled at this factory. Similarly, prematures at gun-proof occurred with numerous fuses and gaines which had been filled at Coventry.

 

On examination it was found that there were many causes of carless assembling eg detonators were found upside down. The issue of fuses and gaines filled at Coventry was stopped, and on 30 December 1916, the use of ammunition containing fuses filled at this factory was prohibited. Further examination served to point to that fact that the 1.8 Gram detonators which were being supplied to the factory were unduly sensitive and were to some extent the cause of prematures.  The issue of detonators was stopped pending special tests, and the contract for them cancelled..

 

The factory was entirely re-organised, and on 7 February , 1917 instructions were given for all fuses there prior to the reorganisation to be emptied and refilled. The number of the factory was then altered to F 21 as ammunition marked F 10 was not unnaturally regraded with suspicion by men in the field.

 

 

Unfortunately, there are no workers records. However, many employees were brought in from around the country and were accommodated in  hostels for single workers and for married workers in Munitions Cottages nearby the factory. The latter was hutted accommodation .

 

The following is a report by Arthur White MD of the company:

 

Review of the Work of National Filling Factory No 21, Coventry (TNA - MUN 5/122.3/66)

 

Managing Agents, White and Poppe Ltd, Coventry

 

Instructions to erect and equip this factory were received by the Company in June 1915. At this time the manufacture and filling of fuses was under one department and coincident with the above instructions the company were instructed to erect and equip  certain machine shops for the manufacture of Fuse No 100. The machine shops were to be capable of an output of 50,000 fuzes per week, and the filling factory 150,000 fuzes and gaines per week, and also for the filling of 1.7 grain detonators. At a later date the  control of filling factories was separated from that of the manufacture of fuzes, and was given over to a separate department of the Ministry of Munitions. This did not affect the management of the National Filling Factory No 21 which remained in the hands of the company.

 

The production programme was modified from time to time, calling for increased capacity, and in January of 1916 the company was instructed  to erect and equip a factory capable of filling 50,000 fuse No 80 per week.This capacity was later increased to 100,000 per week together with the supply of detonators for the same. Simultaneously with the commencement of building operations, the problem of housing and feeding large numbers of workers to be employed was attacked; girls hostels and cottages being erected, also two canteens. Accommodation was thus provided for approximately 3,100 girls and 465 families.  Later the 100 filling factory was largely increased and the 80 filling factory constructed. It became necessary to approximately double this accommodation; the final arrangements providing for the housing of approximately 5,700 girls, 650 single men, 465 families and the serving of 8,400 meals at one time.

 

Doubtless the department responsible for the erection and administration of these hostels and cottages will have presented its own report, and it is, therefore, unnecessary to pursue this particular subject further.

 

The problem of handling traffic, both of the building material and  of the components to be filled was a serious one, necessitating the construction of the extensive sidings  adjoining the factory and of six and a half miles of railway inside its boundaries. From the date of their construction to the signing of the Armistice, some 50,000 trains passed over these lines, and 322,000 tons of traffic were dealt with.

 

The staff and the operatives in the factory came from all over England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales; from the Channel Islands, Australia; India; China; Mexico, Chile, Canada, United States of America, British Guiana, Norway, Belgium, Spain., South Africa, France and Serbia and numbered some 4,500.

 

It was obviously desirable that where so many people were not only employed, but housed, the greatest precautions should be taken to avoid the spread of epidemic or contagious diseases. For this reason a lady doctor was appointed to take charge of medical arrangements assisted by an adequate staff of nurses. A lady inspector was given the responsibility of reporting continually upon sanitary and similar arrangements. The arrangements worked exceedingly well. Due greatly to the efficiency of the medical staff, it was possible to cope with the influenza epidemic of the autumn of 1918 and to keep the general health of the works at a high level.

 

At the time when food conditions were causing grave anxiety, it was decided to cultivate as much as possible of the land lying between the various buildings, and also to take over more land for food production purposes. Acreage particulars are given below.

 

Credit is due to the Fire Brigade consisting of a permanent staff of men, and men and women volunteers. No serious fire occurred in the factory, due to the promptness with which minor fires were extinguished, and also to the efficiency of the fire fighting arrangements generally. Arrangements were made for the direct communication  with the City Fire Brigade, whose immediate support in cases of danger should receive special recognition.

 

The factory was in the area of airships raids, which on three occasion gave cause for great anxiety, bombs being dropped  in the near neighbourhood. It is very certain that had not the most stringent precautions taken for the extinguishing of all lights upon the receipt of warning, the factory being so extensive, would have received considerable damage. Upon all these occasions it was noteworthy that the operators acted with the greatest calmness, the senior factory and medical staff always being present in sufficient number to deal with an emergencyThe explosive material that the factory had to deal with were fulminate of mercury, C. E. , Black Powder, and a small amount of TNT.

 

There was from time to time , difficulty in obtaining labour for the CE sections, due to the disfiguring nature of the rash produced, from which rash, few, if any, were immune. Thew discolouring effect upon the skin causers a certain amount of uneasiness a times but to no serious extent.

 

The zeal of the people in the fulminate shops  cannot be to highly praised. they were remarkably steady under the most trying conditions and it often required the greatest firmness to induce those suffering from the initial stages of fulminate poisoning to leave their work even temporarily. To be in the fulminate section was considered an honour. In this section occurred the one fatal accident which the factory suffered.

 

Staff and work people performed their duties with the greatest enthusiasm and self-denial, especially we wish to acknowledge the excellent and steady work of the women who formed by far the greater number of  the employees at the factory.

 

The welfare department of the factory was found invaluable i keeping up the tone of the workers. It is not proposed to mention any names in this report as worthy of any special recognition by the Ministry of Munitions. Lists of such names have been forwarded from time to time, and a few cases have received recognition.

 

It is withy the greatest of pleasure we are able to state that for the whole period of the war for which this company was responsible for the management of No 21 Filling Factory their relationships with the Ministry were of a most cordial nature.

 

Below we give a few of the more important data concerning the factory.

 

Contract Numbers 94/F/2  and 94/F/35

 

Date of instruction to erect   No 100 filling factory June  1915

          No 80 filling factory Jan    1916

                      to start food production Jan    1917

Date of commencing filling   No 100 Fuzes Mar    1916

          Detonators May   1916

          No 80 Fuzes Dec   1916

First hostel opened April  1916

 

Acreage of factory 141 acres approx.,including food production section.

 

Of above food production took           90 acres

 

Railways inside factory 6 and a half miles

 

Trolley line in clean area 5 and a half miles

 

Clean platforms 6 and a half miles

 

Max No of operatives employed

in any one week 4,382

No 100 Fuze filled

and passed proof 9,014,689

 

No 106 Fuze as above 7,341,000

 

No 103 Fuze as above 1,914.050

 

No 80 Fuze as above 2,014,746

 

No 80 Fuze converted to AA     86,400

 

No 83 Fuze soldered 1,440,000

 

No 94 Fuze soldered     234,165

 

Gaines filled and passed proof 10,940,343

 

Detonators 1.7 grain 18,860,221

 

Detonators 4 grain 7,600,415

 

Detonators 10 grain 6,390,358

 

Traffic dealt with 50,000 wagons

322,00 tons

 

No of fire hydrants

in factory 106

 

Capacity of fire reservoir

served by two stationary pumps 158,000 gallons

 

Fatal accidents One

 

Capacity of hostels-girls 5,700

 

ditto       -men 650

 

ditto       -cottages 465 families

 

Signed A White - Managing Director

 

Death of Ada Curtis in an Accident at White and Poppe NFF No 10

 

3rd July, 1917

Reporting the Accident

 

HM Filling Factory No 21

Holbrooks Lane

Coventry

 

The Controller of Gun Ammunition Filling

28 Northumberland Avenue

WC2

 

Sir

 

ACCIDENTS

 

I have the honour to report that shortly after-noon today an explosion of 6:6:4 composition occurred in there hatchway of a detonator filling room which resulted unfortunately in the death of Ada Curtis, an unmarried female operative.

 

The circumstances attending the accident are as under:

 

At 12:15 pm today I was informed by telephone that an explosion had occurred in

Corridor 107, Room F.

 

I proceeded immediately to the scene of the accident and on entering the room I found the operative , Ada Curtis, lying on the floor with her heard towards the partition which divides the room from the passageway of the corridor and her feet just clear of the protecting shield surrounding the filling machine and pointing towards the hatchway. Dr Cripps

informed me that she was dead.

 

There was a quantity of broken glass and timber on the floor, but the filling machine itself, although covered with a litter of wood splinters and other debris, was apparently intact.

 

The hatchway was completely destroyed, portions of it having been blown both inwards into the room and outwards on to the gantry, along which the Explosive Carriers pass to feed tyne filling rooms of the corridor with 6:6:4 composition. From the condition of the room, and the injuries to the operative , it is evident that the explosion occurred within the hatchway. The exact cause of the explosion is uncertain but it was due (probably) to the door of the hatchway coming into violent contact with the papier-mâché pot containing approximately 4 ozs. of 6:6:4 composition. There were two other operatives in the room at the time the explosion occurred, who beyond shock, suffered no harm. Unfortunately these operatives  are unable to give any information which might be of assistance in determining the cause of the explosion as they both state that the deceased operative was standing behind the protective shield when the accident happened. The protective shield, which was undamaged by the explosion was an effective protection to the operatives mentioned above.

 

The deceased operative bears the reputation of having been a careful worker. She had been employed in the Filling Factory for a considerable time.

 

I understand that the inquest on the deceased operative will be held on Friday next, July the 6th, 1917 at 3 pm.

 

I have the honour to be Sir

 

Your obedient servant

 

(signed) J. B. BOSUSTOW

 

Lieut. DCLI and Senior D. B. O.”
 

TR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 10 January , 2021 by Terry_Reeves

[Guest]

Terry,

 Thank you for your prompt reply and all the information you have provided regarding the structure of the White & Poppe workshops and contracts for the war effort at that time.

My grandmother worked there as a clerk during the war and my father was born in 1918.  He was put in an orphanage in London Road following his birth at the Warwickshire and Coventry Hospital and eventually was sent out to Western Australia as a child migrant. There is no father listed in his certificate.  I would like to know more than what is on his birth certificate ie that his mother worked at B Block, Whitmore Park, Coventry.    I have emailed Warwickshire County Council Records to see if they have any more information. 

Thank you for the information you have provided re records during that time.   

There was a BBC documentary made in recent years on White & Poppe and the 'canary" girls,  refering to the effect the chemicals had on skin.   There is also much historical information aavailable online about Coventry at that time, both from an archcitectural perspective and the human stories.

I understand also that some allied WW1 Egyptian troops were stationed/billeted in and around Coventry (3000) prior to their deployment to Gallipoli.   

I may never know who my grandfather was.   

 I tried some years ago via the Child Migrant Trust to find out more information about Dad's early years and also from the Fairbridge Society as he was a ward of that organisation in Western Australia.  They have given me a copy of his file, which is interesting, but there is no information regarding his mother. 

Kind Regards and thank you again.    Glenda Britton 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tharkin56]

The White & Poppe works magazine I think are in the The Herbert archives. The works magazine sometimes had named photos 

[Madmeg]

Hi Glenda- although not specifically WW1 a geneaological DNA test might help lead you to your grandfather?

Do you have grandmother's name? maybe she can be found in census records to give you some more clues?

 

A few links in case you haven't already seen them.

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/White_and_Poppe

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01qmksr

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01sxstd

 

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1910-01-01/1919-12-31?basicsearch="whitmore park" "block"&exactsearch=false&retrievecountrycounts=false&page=1

 

Edited 21 January , 2021 by Madmeg