Brunner Mond bought the site to adapt the production nitrogen to the manufacture of fertilizers as their main priority. Brunner Mond developed the site as a subsidary called Synthetic Ammonia & Nirtates Ltd. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
The Bowron name was well known in Stockton, I went to Trinity with one of them but have forgoten his name now. It takes some swallowing to understand how we could be so stupid to let all these companies reach the state they did then sell of bits of Yorkshire Moors to the Arabs to make shoots. What do we own now? The ICI Buren Presentation watches could, I think, be selected as pocket or wrist, and were all engraved for the Presentation. They were top grade watches, I think Buren was bought out by Rolex. Buren’s finished some years ago, but I was advised by a jeweller in Switzerland, even though the watch is over 50 years old, to have it overhauled because of its quality. Hope you have a good live in Hereford, watch out for the cider.
I have my grandfather’s gold watch. Its a Buren wristwatch and the inscription shows it was presented in 1952 for 30 years service, so he must have started in 1922. Like many of his generation he always referred to Billingham ICI as ‘the Synthetic’. My father joined ICI after leaving the Royal Navy in 1954 and completed more than thirty years. Unfortunately watch presentations had long since ceased by the time he reached his 30th; he received a nice certificate instead. When I was in my last year at school I was interviewed for an ICI apprenticeship. The most important question was ‘Do any of your family work here?’ I was able to give the right answer – ‘Yes, my Dad, my Grandad, and three of my uncles’ I didn’t take up the subsequent offer, but took up an RAF apprenticeship instead and left Teesside – and never returned as it turned out. I’m a Hertfordshire man these days – but forever a son of County Durham and Stockton on Tees.
Dad started with the company in 1923 as a processman, then in 1926 he became a chargehand, by 1929 one of the original four group foremen on the Gas Plant of that time. Then on through the ranks of Plant Shift Manager and by 1940 Assistant Plant Manager on the Hydrogen and Sulphur Removal Plant. His next step up was in 1948 when he was appointed as Plant Superintendent for the coke ovens. At the time of his retirement he was mostly concerned with the Hydrogen Plant.
So from being one of the first ammonia makers at Billingham he rose steadily, as did some others such as Bill (WD) Rees (Plasterboard & Gypsum section manager), Alf Gill (Oil gasification plant superintendent) and T Lewis (ammonia works plant superintendent). The company’s policy of building on experience was very good. Men like these also nurtured the younger university graduates as they joined ICI.
Ken Sawyer. I have looked out Dad’s carefully filed papers on Brunner Mond who he actually was engaged by in 1922. He had kept the piece of paper torn from an exercise book written as an introduction to Brunner Mond by a man called R.M.Gill dated 12-10-22 it was addressed to a Mr Gray. It reads “Mr Gray, the bearer J.Kidd is the man I spoke to you about yesterday. Do your best to oblige. R.M.Gill”. In my Father’s hand writing is added “Introduction to Brunner Mond for employment”. I wonder today after all the palaver to employ an Apprentice for Sir Alan Sugar, what chance such a man would have today. These people were the salt of the earth and exactly what made the North East the hive of industry which it undoubtedly was.
I have also two other letters from ICI, one from J.McGowan, Chairman, advising all staff members of a cut in salary due to the merger from Synthetic of Ammonia to Imperial Chemical Industries and the economic climate of the day dated 1931. I will try to get this to Picure Stockton along with a letter from Mt A.T.S. Zeally Chairman, inviting all ‘old contemptables’ to a drink and sandwich to celebrate 25 years of Ammonia production at ICI Billingham, dated 2nd December 1948. Your comment about your Dad’s presentation watch prompted me to get my Dad’s out, it reads ‘For thiry Years Service’ 1922. The watch worked straight away on winding. Congratulations on your Father’s progress to be a Plant Superintendant, which particular plant was this? My Dad’s career was messed up in 1939 when he went to war for the second time until 1942 when he was discharged as unfit for Military service with arthritis. The welcome home then was a cool reception by resentful previously junior staff who made life difficult. Not like today and you just had to get on with life.
I believe this photograph is the digging of the fitting out basin at Furness ship yard in 1919. The photo is looking north towards Haverton Hill Road and cemetery.
Norman, I believe that our respective, and respected, fathers joined Synthetic around the same time being amongst the first dozen or two who gained employment when jobs were in short supply.
He certainly started in 1923 & spent the rest of his working life with the firm rising to to be a Plant Superintendent. I have the watch presented to him in 1953 for 30 years service.
‘Dad works at the Synthetic’ was a proud claim of youngsters in the 30s.
I recommend anybody interested in the History of Brunner Mond, Synthetic of Ammonia and Imperial Chemical Industries to try to obtain copies of ‘ICI History, Volumes 1 and II’. The ISBN number is 019 215944 and ISBN 19 215937 2. Also an ICI pulication ‘The History of Ammonia’ by Reader, published by Oxford.
My Father joined Synthetic of Ammonia in 1922 and was part of this great firm, one of many thousands who owed much to its early Directors Lord McGowan and Lord Alexander Fleck. Its downfall started with Dr Beeching when profits started to drop in steady decline from thereon. We now see the results which are unthinkable that such a firm could possiby end up like this and ICI Billingham no more. Even dental acrylics were invented here, called Kallodent, which superceded vulcanite rubber for denture bases and teeth, which are the materials of today. I approached ICI Imperial Metals with a view to using titanium for Implants in 1956 but received a poor response from Birmingham. Another development frittered away from this country when it should have been snapped up.
I think the forerunner of ICI started out manufacturing poioson gas for the First World War. After the war they adopted the German processes for manufacturing ammonia and nitric acid using coal as the raw material.
Of the three farms bought, The Grange is the best known. But was another Hilltop Farm which might have been adjacent to the N.E.R Port Clarence branch. In the recently published “The Industrial Railways & locomotives of County Durham” (Industrial Railway Society 2006 ) pages 243/4 there is a description & photograph of an 0-4-0 ST locomotive at the National Projectile Factory Birtley. Originally built as a broad gauge locomotive for the South Devon Railway passing to the Great Western Railway in 1876 she was rebuilt to standard gauge in 1892. She then was sold to industry and taken over by the Ministry of Munitions. Between June 1919 and December 1919 she was sent to the Ministry of Munitions at Hilltop Farm Billingham. In the photograph she is called Lark and numbered 9.