ICI Billingham, looking east across HP Ammonia Works. The plant closed in February 1972. Photograph courtesy of Mr Morris of Billingham. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
ICI Billingham, looking east across HP Ammonia Works. The plant closed in February 1972. Photograph courtesy of Mr Morris of Billingham.
l sailed on the MV Bridgepool in 1968 as a 16( just) year old catering boy. The Captain was a Scot called McLeod l think. we sailed from Avonmouth. After a trip to 3 South Wales places we went to Philadelphia. We ended up doing an Australian Japan via 2 islands to pick up Phosphate, red oxide for a couple of times and ending up On Vancouver Island picking up timber. Is there anybody who sailed on this boat? They were Geordies,Scots, Bristollian a great crew. Or any relations even?
Yes unfortunately Billingham ICI plant is a sad barren waste’ I spent many happy days as an apprentice fitter 45 to 51.
alan hutchinson
My dad Bob Young worked in ICI from early 50s he retired in 1971 age 63, he died in February 1973 aged 64 he only lived 5 month after he retired he would have been 65 in the August.
I worked in the labs at Cassel Works between 1968 and 1973 and can vividly remember all the different products that were manufactured there – everything from cyanide salts in BA Section, Methyl Methacrylate in BE Section and Sodium, Chlorine, Caustic etc in BC Section. The antics of employees trying to procure Mercury from the Cell Room were legendary.
I started in the labs in G building 1957 and used to get samples from the Drikold plant, creosote from the Wharf and gas from oilworks and later samples from the Wilton crackers. The smell of ammonia still reminds me of the place. I once walked back from Cassels works (they wouldnt let me take the bike) and realised how enormous the Billingham site was. I also remember the food at the canteen.
What as the food like then please tell.
Also here’s my bio at ICI. Born in Haverton Hill at Aunt Connys, *my maternal grandmothers sister. Moved to Hartlepool, my dad worked at ICI as a fitter. Moved to Billingham about 1933 with Dad at ICI. Moved to Bishop Middleham about 1940 after a very unhappy stay at Winterton with my Aunt Ada and Uncle Rueben. Moved to Bishop Middleham to my parents in 1940 and moved back to Billingham and worked as messenger boy and met Mo Lambert and Arthur Allen. I lived with my maternal grandmother, a lovely woman.
Worked at main office one armed greeter at this and process offices at ICI and finally to Norton Hall with Dr Fleck and Dr Zeally. People there were Squip Roberts and Mr Wright.
I started my apprenticeship as fitter aged 16 and worked first at machine shops at various desks. People there were Chris Dennis and Pop Roberts.
Next moved to transit sheds and met Bill Jessup, Irene Anderson, Davy Jones. The manager was Mr Lofthouse. I then moved to the Anydrite mine, can’t remember anyone except Loui – who was from France.
Next moved to the ammonia synthesis plant, Wilkinson was the foreman there. Next moved to sulphuric acid plant, then to the chlorine plant on south side, Geordy Klinghorn was the foreman, Len Hutton a communist union steward, Ray Silvester a fellow apprentice.
I then went to us plant where they made gasoline from coal, and then the coke ovens working with Joe Crook, next was the high pressure boiler plant.
H.C White was apprentice supervisor – he was very friendly. Other apprentices I knew Billy Heatherington, Maurice McMahon, Reggy Dennis, Arthur Allen.
I left ICI in 1951 and joined the Merchant Navy ships. SS Kerma, TSS Oilfield, SS Carapito in Aruba.
Hi, my grandfather was Ronald Wilkinson. He worked at ICI for over 30 years, before and after the war. I’m wondering is the Wilkinson your referring to may be my grandad? If there’s anything you may remember of him, I would love to hear it.
My Dad (Maurice Cowley) worked at the ICI for many years. As a retirement present he got stainless steel replicas of the cooling towers as described by Ged Hutchinson. He died some years ago, but the ‘towers’ were displayed with pride. I know he was very grateful for them and looked on them with great pride. My brother has them now. I think there may be a photo somewhere of him getting them.
I started at I.C.I Billingham in 1974, cassel works transferred to ag div in 1976 in the fire service. I remember the community spirit that prevailed at that time, people were valued not just a tool. The smell of ammonia was everywhere, so was the sound of people laughing. So sad to see it now!
My dad, Alf King worked at ICI Billingham as a shunter on the railway for about 35 years. Used to do haircuts for his pals… you could always tell his ‘clients’!. Late 40’s early 50’s used to sit me on a little seat on his bike and we would ride down to the East/West Gate when he collected his wages on a Thursday. Couldn’t take me into the works though so used to leave me with ‘Vince’ the gateman in his little office and collect me on the way out!
I worked with your Dad on the Loco
I worked as a Instrument Technician at the HP Ammonia Plant before going to the #2 Methanol Plant. This plant produced Ammonia using the original synthetic method developed by Fritz Haber ( German )spelling is suspect. I was there when a Converter Leg Blew a hole. It was only about a quarter of an inch hole but the damage due to the high pressure Hydrogen ( 350 atmospheres ) was tremendous. The initial bang blew-in all the windows in the Instrument Shop and then the secondary explosion as the Hydrogen ignited was even more so. I remember being rooted to the spot until I saw someone crawl past me on all fours. I came round and took off to a safe distance. The noise was terrific. I understood three operators quit almost on the spot after the explosion.
Dr Fritz Haber is correct spelling
alan hutchinsn
Dave , re Roscoe Road – In the 1960s a number of green-houses and houses in Roscoe road, backing onto the I.C.I fence had steam radiators (illegally), taking steam from the steam-traps, which drew off the hot water from the works steam supply. Normally this waste went into the ground, but during a “Shut-Down” a quick length of copper pipe and another steam-trap, resulted in warm housing. I dont think I.C.I ever queried these extra lines, at least the maintenance teams never did. The same applied re electricity, but a civil power-cut found a house lit up and I.C.I did find out, bringing court action against the owner.
Yes there was and still is the old Andhydrite mine in some places 800 feet deep which runs under the site towards Billingham and out towards the river. It is capped off now, I have a modern day picture of the entrance nothing much to see ,there were 2 shafts one for men and another for product to come up.You could hear and feel the explosions often as my Grandmother lived in Roscoe Road and whose back fence backed onto the site. Much equipment was left down the mine and still is still down there much more important people also lost their lives down it.
Ged, I often pass around the perimeter of I.C.I Billingham and what a difference from both your time and mine at “Iccy” No buildings from West Gate to East gate , Just open waste land the only industrial life visible is on the old “Liquid Filling”,a company into waste disposal retaining tanks alongside Haverton Hill /New road. even the rabbits seem to have gone. I agree the folk were the salt of the earth , remember on shifts “The Long-Drag”,Saturday12-30 till 10-00pm to allow your mate to go watch the “Boro” and the last minute dash for the time clock, and the crafty bunch of cards if your mates went for their bikes or buses, and comment “Are you doing the whole works?” as you banged away at the clock
It is very hard for me to visualise the scene shown in the photo as a barren waste. I worked on the CO2 Removal Plant that Dave Dawson mentions during the final year of my apprenticeship in 1958 and remained there as a fitter until moving up to the Drawing Office in 1961. In those days the place was a hive of industry and my fellow work-mates the salt of the earth. ICI was a giant in the world`s chemical industries and Teesside was known throughout the industrial chemical world as the seat of ICI know-how. I would be very interested if anybody has photos of the old Ammonia Works as I knew it. Incidentally, during my time in the Apprentice School we apprentices made a model of the pepper-pot cooling towers. The model was made as a retirement gift to some high ranking ICI official. I was responsible for making the central stairway structure between the two towers. The two towers were turned and polished on a lathe while my complicated structure was fashioned out of a solid piece of stainless steel. It took me well over a week to drill out and file into shape a reasonable replica of the stairway structure, then lovingly polish it to match the gleaming towers before mounting on a stainless steel base. I have often wondered who the recipient was and if he recognised the hours of painstaking work that went into his retirement gift.
I heard there were mines underneath Billingham – do you have any pictures of these? Or more information?
I worked down the Anydrite mine about 1947, sorry no pics.
Alan
I still work at the Ammonia 4 Plant at Terra Nitrogen UK formally ICI Billingham.This view I see everyday but now its all gone the road is barren except for our plant which would be half way along on the right .I remember some of these buildings T2 and old Synthesis ,CO2 removel and at the back Steam Reform plants and the pepper pot cooling towers , Urea 5 tower and loads of railway tracks from the late 70s when I started ICI at 19 years of age its all gone now a magnificent factory and people I have loads of pictures of todays area you would not believe the area now if you once worked there
I was one of the commissioning team of Ammonia 4. As the one of the instrument team we had an workshop in the old office block where we set up numerous Fisher valves prior to them being fitted on site. I was on shift when we had a fire in the compressor hall due to a lube oil fitting failing, the whole of the compressor hall was destroyed. lots of over time sorting it out.