This is a photograph of my Great Grandmother, Mary Moore nee Mears in uniform. It was said that she worked in munitions in WW1. Is this a munitions uniform and if so, where would she have worked? She lived in Thornaby.
Photograph and details courtesy of Lesley Targett
Some time ago I was checking up on a relative who had worked in a Chemical Works in the area in the 20’s. From a book entitled ‘Teesside’s Economic Heritage’ I discovered that two Chemical works existed in the period WW1 to late 20’s which may be of interest. The one which is probably relevant is Athole G. Allen and Co. of Bowesfield Lane Stockton. Their works were at the then south end of the Lane (quite close to Preston Park and away from substantial habitation). Their products included T.N.T and lots of other nasty things. The other works were at Urlay Nook with similar products: this works eventually became the now closed Chrome Works. Hope that this helps a little.
I can’t find any reference to Athole G Allen producing munitions during WW1 but they were certainly involved with both munitions and mining in later years and a quick Google brings up an address in Yarm Road as their last know address . I did however find this very interesting ‘History Of Stockton’ website which details several local companies involved in war work ;
http://members.tripod.com/Julie10_10/Stockton_History.htm
I just wonder if rather like in WW2 women also worked in local industry and not just munitions as the likes of Ashmore , Benson , Pease and Co and Power Gas Corporation both had works which Mary could have easily walked to ?
Thank you Derek. It would seem likely that that is the place if they made TNT. I was trying to think of the name of Atholl G Allen last night. My Grandfather, John Edwin Heselwood worked there as an loco driver after he came back from India in 1925 and moved to Stockton. He had been working on the railways out there. His grandparents (Wharton) lived in the Parkfield area. He lived in Bowesfield Lane and then the family moved to Camden Street. He died in 1934 age 39 from Pernicious Anaemia and a stroke. I often wondered if it could have been contact with the chemicals that caused his early death…
My Nana worked in munitions a Thornaby lass, but she was sent to Coventry, literally to work in munitions.
I believe my Nana Mary Thompson (also Thornaby lass) worked in the munitions factory and I believe it was based on the Tees somewhere near Victoria Bridge past where SCS used to be? Not sure about the uniform though, sorry.
I think a company called Athol G Allen had a munitions/explosives factory on what is now the Bowesfied riverside light industrial area.
Yes it rings a bell. I know it was located behind the SCS area on the Tees (somewhere at the back of Doves and tms) as they once were.
Thanks Angie. It’s a long time since I lived in the North, but I remeber SCS. Bought our first suite there in 1979! I wouldn’t have thought the munitions factory would be far away as she had a very young family. In 1911 the family were living in Whalley Street and she died in 1928 in Spring Street. There is a lovely piece in in a book called “Beneath the Lamps”…
“In those days, people used to think Spring Street was an awful place to live in but there were many bonny lasses living there and they always wore clean pinnies. Mary Moore had a house-shop in the street, Teresa Moore never had any mats or carpets to cover the floorboards and stairs so she was always having to scrub to keep them clean”. Teresa could have been Mary’s daughter. Her mother was also called Teresa (Mears).
You’re welcome. Thinking of it I think my Nana might have been living in Stockton on Sheraton Street, I think she was there about 1940 but earlier that I don’t know… Yes SCS, Doves and the old TMS depot, Boathouse Lane it was somewhere there on the edge of the river that I am 99% sure of.
I lived in Spring street 84, sadly some of it another loss to Stocktons Regeneration as with regard to carpets I am sure proggy and clippy mats were the usual covering to wooden floors of that era
I used to hang around Spring Street a lot, because just about eveyone I knew lived in Spring Street, James Street, or Whalley Street. Why I’m writing this, is to remind folk that at the bottom of Spring Street and Gilmour Street, attached to the end house gable end wall – was a home made wood shrine dedicated to the five boys from Spring Street, who had died in the Great War 1914-1918. There names were written inside this shrine under a crucifix, every November year, British Legion Poppies adorned it as a sign of respect. .
During World War 2, Head Wrightsons, Thornaby on Tees, North Yorkshire, made welded steel bomb casings. I knew a female ex-welder from Heads, called Mary Todd of Thornaby, who was great with a welding torch. In the 1960s she crossed the road to work at Cork Insulation close by. One wonders did Heads make WW1 bomb and shell casings also. The HW factory started at Victoria Bridge corner, then continued down Trafalgar Street to the River Tees, a distance of 1/2 mile or so. As far has I know the explosive powder was not put inside the bombs at Heads Wrightsons, they made the bomb casings only. There was an explosive powder works somewhere near the Long Newton area, near Chrome Chemicals?.