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Remembered Today:

National Projectile Factory, Mile End, Glasgow


MPS

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Can anyone provide me with any information related to the National Projectile Factory located in Mile End, Glasgow. 

I understand that this works opened in late 1916 in a former cotton spinning mill (Grant’s Mill). I have been trying to track down the exact location of this works but so far have had no luck. I would also be interested in receiving any photos of the either inside the factory or any of its workers. An image of the mill building itself would also be most useful either pre or post the Great War.

 

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This is from Graces's Guide to British Industrial History National Projectile Factories - Graces Guide

 NPF Glasgow - Mile End- "Grant's Mill"

Construction started: existing building.

Opened: late 1916.

Management: Sir William Beardmore & Company Ltd.

Munitions: 6in and 60-pdr. HE shell.

Notes: factory used existing cotton mill at Bridgeton.

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This maybe the location:

1918 Directory of Manufacturers in Engineering and Allied Trades: National Factories - Graces Guide

National Projectile Factory (Messrs. Beardmore & Co.), 101 David Street, Mile End, Glasgow.

 

Edited by ianjonesncl
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Thanks for your information.

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Sadly there's nothing left of Grant's Mill, the site was completely levelled during the early 1970s, the building merchant Jewson now occupies the entire site with the rear entrance on David Street. The original site was founded in 1868 and known as G Grant and Sons, Fordneuk Factory as seen on this 1898 dated insurance plan . 

807592923_GrantsMillDavidStreet1898insuranceplan.jpg.ad9f6679fb880557ca7c69a1e4838c24.jpg

(image courtesy of the National Library of Scotland)

The following image has been cropped from a 26th June 1948 dated oblique aerial photograph taken facing north-east, I've outlined the entire site of Grant's Mill in red and what was most likely the NPF at 101 David Street in yellow.

1027503590_GrantsMillFordneukFactoryDavidStreetMileEndGlasgow1948.jpg.4e0eedac2a6e5959c5cc8cc34575e148.jpg

(image courtesy of Cranmore -National Record of the Historic Environment)

I believe the following image to have originated from the William Beardmore archives and shows Glasgow Munition Workers filling shells, I've convinced myself that the shells are of the 6 inch variety and so the image maybe of Grant's Mill or at the Cardonald Factory in Paisley both of which produced this shell, I'd be happy to be corrected... the shells look too big for 18 pounders and too small for 8 inch, if the shells are 60 pounder then it could only be workers Grant's Mill.

334390523_BeardmooreGlasgowNPF.jpg.d9bf2718db242e2f12cc4dfa05ec661d.jpg

 

This link to Cranmore give's 3 images for buildings of the Fordneuk Factory at 96,97 and 98 David Street, photographed by John Hulme during the late 1960s. The following image can also be found on the excellent Cranmore link. Courtesy of the Luftwaffe this October 1939 dated aerial shows Beardmore's Parkhead Forge in the centre and David Street is somewhere around the 'G' in Glasgow (centre left edge)

428753862_BeardmoresParkheadForgeGlasgowLuftwaffeOctober1939.jpg.1b198ae8cfd524fc6f0d2fbe526dd0c2.jpg

Edited by jay dubaya
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1 hour ago, jay dubaya said:

Sadly there's nothing left of Grant's Mill, the site was completely levelled during the early 1970s, the building merchant Jewson now occupies the entire site with the rear entrance on David Street. The original site was founded in 1868 and known as G Grant and Sons, Fordneuk Factory as seen on this 1898 dated insurance plan . 

807592923_GrantsMillDavidStreet1898insuranceplan.jpg.ad9f6679fb880557ca7c69a1e4838c24.jpg

(image courtesy of the National Library of Scotland)

The following image has been cropped from a 26th June 1948 dated oblique aerial photograph taken facing north-east, I've outlined the entire site of Grant's Mill in red and what was most likely the NPF at 101 David Street in yellow.

1027503590_GrantsMillFordneukFactoryDavidStreetMileEndGlasgow1948.jpg.4e0eedac2a6e5959c5cc8cc34575e148.jpg

(image courtesy of Cranmore -National Record of the Historic Environment)

I believe the following image to have originated from the William Beardmore archives and shows Glasgow Munition Workers filling shells, I've convinced myself that the shells are of the 6 inch variety and so the image maybe of Grant's Mill or at the Cardonald Factory in Paisley both of which produced this shell, I'd be happy to be corrected... the shells look too big for 18 pounders and too small for 8 inch, if the shells are 60 pounder then it could only be workers Grant's Mill.

334390523_BeardmooreGlasgowNPF.jpg.d9bf2718db242e2f12cc4dfa05ec661d.jpg

 

This link to Cranmore give's 3 images for buildings of the Fordneuk Factory at 96,97 and 98 David Street, photographed by John Hulme during the late 1960s. The following image can also be found on the excellent Cranmore link. Courtesy of the Luftwaffe this October 1939 dated aerial shows Beardmore's Parkhead Forge in the centre and David Street is somewhere around the 'G' in Glasgow (centre left edge)

428753862_BeardmoresParkheadForgeGlasgowLuftwaffeOctober1939.jpg.1b198ae8cfd524fc6f0d2fbe526dd0c2.jpg

Thanks for this excellent information.

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I used to know the area well about sixty years ago. Mile End is an area about a mile east of Glasgow Cross along the Gallowgate. David Street was (and is) a street) which ran south from the Gallowagate. Many of the streets in the area disappeared when the area was cleared in the 1970s

Grant's Mill at 101 David Street was levelled before the 1970s. The site seems to have been swallowed by the Acme Wringer Factory probably in the 1920s.

This is from the 1910-1912 25 inches to one mile map. Cotton Factory top right:

DavidSt1910to12.jpg.8733f3a9dbc04a6bfb278220a6a2ebe2.jpg

In the 1920 odd version of the map the site is shown in outline - either a ruin or demolished.

This is from the 1 to 1250 Map 1951:

1680191473_DavidSt1951.jpg.b51980724a0b2607a580da6e8ece2aa8.jpg

1900ish map with a satellite view:149494612_DaviudSt3a.jpg.64bab804bdd5d42bb68516a2d71931ff.jpg

I don't know what is now occupying the site. (All maps National Library of Scotland)

 

RM

 

Edited by rolt968
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What was the risk of an explosion at the National Projectile Factory? The population density in the area was very high. There were four storey tenement blocks all around.

RM

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1 hour ago, rolt968 said:

What was the risk of an explosion at the National Projectile Factory? The population density in the area was very high. There were four storey tenement blocks all around.

RM

Thanks very much for this information.

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5 hours ago, rolt968 said:

What was the risk of an explosion at the National Projectile Factory?

Pretty much zero. It was a Projectile Factory, not a Filling Factory. National Shell Factories and National Projectile Factories were set up to make empty shell bodies, the differentiation between shell and projectile being the calibre.

 

265

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