REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: I had immediately applied for a job with a local company and had been referred to the Research Department of the Metal Box Company in London where I took up an appointment in July. Fifth Draw and Ironing of the Wall of the Component. The photograph was supplied by Mr Michael Shearing, of High Spring Garden Lane, Keighley, whose aunt is standing fourth from the right. Please report any comments that break our rules. In the Second World War it produced light gun ammunition, medium gun ammunition, heavy ammunition, land mines and trench mortar ammunition for the Army; medium and large bombs for the RAF; and, 20mm and other small arms ammunition for all three services. The Lord helps them that help themselves! Hopefully people will find it interesting: Grub's Mystery Green - Uncovering the Unique Variety of Tomato Patented in Russia Until 2051, The Green Mystery of the Grub is a unique variety of tomato that has been patented in Russia until 2051 by Vasily Ivanovich Blockin-Mechtalin. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. standard. The pillbox and fire posts are of brick construction with reinforced concrete roofs and precast concrete embrasures, and the pillbox also has a shuttered concrete first floor. Grade II Listed Building: Ww2 Pillbox And 2 Fire Posts South Of Former Royal Ordnance Factory. This was Christmas of 1941, and the simple decorations and absence of festive cheer suggests the bleakness of the period. THIS group of office staff on the eve of a wartime Christmas is unusual in that they were photographed in the Royal Ordnance Factory at Steeton, where, for security reasons, photographs were not supposed to be taken! Search over 400,000 listed places. [1] The site was divided into a number of separate Filling Groups which occupied different areas of the site and were devoted to filling specific type of ammunition. WW2 PILLBOX AND 2 FIRE POSTS SOUTH OF FORMER ROYAL ORDNANCE FACTORY, PARKWAY, Listed on the National Heritage List for England. The factory has largely been replaced with later structures, though some original buildings appear to survive amid the later industrial buildings on the site. W F Cutler bought Vol. The factory has largely been replaced with later structures, though some original buildings appear to survive amid the later industrial buildings on the site. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to Pillboxes were designed to house artillery or more rarely machine guns, and twelve basic designs were approved by the War Office, though in practice these were often varied according to local considerations. When we started researching in 2001, we found only names of men on local memorials and as we felt their sacrifice had worth and most of them lived around the river Worth we felt the name was apt. KEIGHLEY photographer George A Shore had obviously told everybody to smile, but these workers had good reason to be happy it was the summer of 1945 and the Second World had just ended. read more on the Staff who worked there. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. Use of this data is subject to Terms and Conditions. That day's Chronicle carried another story listing the toll of North East job losses over the previous six months. WebAcademy was founded. Another was Charles Hurford who produced exploded illustrations of engines for training purposes. Part of the Alfred Newton and Sons collection. Also being housed were some male engineering apprentices from Keighley. The house, which was later altered and refronted, is in stone, The barn was extended to the left later in the 18th century. This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. Behind the anti-ricochet wall is a hatch to the first floor, accessed by a steel ladder of which only the top 2 rungs survive with a portion of handrail and a guard rail. Picture shows the King watching some of the women workers in the factory sorting ammunition. It was dangerous work for all concerned. There was a substantial difference in pay and the scope of the work was broadly comparable. All the listed buildings are designated at GradeII, the lowest of the three grades, which is applied to "buildings of national importance and special interest". 52 Skipton Road, Steeton with Eastburn (1065896)", "Milestone to front of No. All site content is copyright to The Men of Worth Project Community Interest Company from 2007 to the present day, unless otherwise indicated. A great deal of the work was of a routine nature and it involved quality control on incoming materials. The anti-ricochet wall continues up through the first floor to the roof. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Of the several thousand operatives and staff employed at Steeton there were only a handful who were experienced in ammunition manufacture. Heritage Apprentices in a training session on the Researching The Historic Environment module and training in Architectural Photography. WebSteeton Dump WW2 Royal Ordnance Factory. This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest. GV II Search over 1 million photographs and drawings from the 1850s to the present day using our images archive. [1] The site was connected to the London & North Eastern Railway There are a Early in 1945 it was clear that invasion of Great Britain was unlikely and in May the unit was stood down and the uniforms and equipment were handed in. The bricks used were Phorpres bricks in English garden wall bond, 23" thick on the pillbox. Find out about services offered by Historic England for funding, planning, education and research, as well as training and skill development. Why Men of Worth? The L30A1, officially designated Gun 120 mm Tk L30, [i] is a 120 mm rifled tank gun used by the British Army, Royal Army of Oman and the Ukrainian Army. The bricks used were Phorpres bricks in English garden wall bond, 23" thick on the pillbox. INTERIOR: Access is via the rear door on the ground floor, and there is a transverse anti-ricochet wall across the interior. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. But, above all, it was having the direct experience of being part of an organisation comprising people drawn together by wartime circumstances, collaborating and making ROF Steeton the vital producer it became of 20 mm shells for the war effort. Behind the anti-ricochet wall is a hatch to the first floor, accessed by a steel ladder of which only the top 2 rungs survive with a portion of handrail and a guard rail. One was required to manage the chemistry laboratory and the other to look after the metallographic and metallurgical side of things. This required me to leave home at 7.30 a.m. and to return home by about 9.00 p.m. after finishing work at 7.30 p.m. At its peak the Steeton "Dump" employed more than 4,000, two-thirds of whom were women drafted in as an alternative to conscription into the armed services. Having both gone before a Joint Recruiting Board we were assigned to R.O..F. No. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. HISTORY: The earliest examples of pillboxes date from the First World War, but the concept was developed in the early stages of the Second World War, when many thousands were built, though only a limited proportion survive. There is a third pillbox which I have yet to find (used in the 1979 film 'Yanks'), rain and fading light having thwarted me on this trip. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. The respective section heads supervising the chemical and metallurgical work, we discovered, were classified as Experimental Assistant Grade 2. WebBuilt to defend a former Royal Ordnance Factory in the Second World War. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please WebPopularly known as The Dump, the Royal Ordnance Factory had started production earlier that year. It is in stone and, A large house incorporating earlier material, later used for other purposes. The Depot, Weedon Bec, Northampton NN7 4PS. It appears that this patent is exclusive to the Russian Federation, with exporting to Belarus and K-stan and importing from Germany being allowed. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Aycliffe filled the cases which we produced and this was very dangerous work. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Defences of WWII (1996), 157-67. Whether you are using plastic or fabric containers, Earthboxes, or even old buttercream buckets, there are a few important things to consider before planting. Shell cases are seamless and are made by progressive drawing and ironing. The results appeared on the Receipt and Measurement Certificates against which payment was made. WebThe Steeton pillbox is a variant of Type 24 which was designed for a garrison of eight. Pillboxes were designed to house artillery or more rarely machine guns, and twelve basic designs were approved by the War Office, though in practice these were often varied according to local considerations. Soon after arriving, volunteers were invited to join the Home Guard and to be trained. read more about the individual pillboxes: read more about the staff who worked there between 1941 and 1945. Bit of an update on the work so far and plans for the future. All rights reserved. Bayonet practice was part of the training. It fell to my lot, at the age of 21 to address this problem with its complex industrial overtones. Historic England holds an extensive range of publications and historic collections in its public archive covering the historic environment. We follow all available sources of information and use the information in these sources to create a biography about each person for our archive. Symptoms include bronzing on stems and petioles, curling and drying up of leave, Growing Tomatoes in Containers: Essential Tips for a Successful Harvest, Growing tomatoes in containers is a great way to enjoy homegrown fruits and vegetables without taking up too much space. Finally the mouth of the shell was given a flame anneal and the taper of the shell case formed in a press operation. It was not until more than a year had elapsed that our respective grades and pay were upgraded and this as a result of our intention to leave ROF Steeton and join a branch of the armed forces. contact the editor here. WebThe Royal Ordnance Factory was constructed for the Ministry of Supply, with the Ministry of Works acting as agents. Editors' Code of Practice. The Steeton pillbox is a variant of Type 24 which was designed for a garrison of eight. We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. * Group Value: the pillbox and two fire posts form a group of defensive structures guarding a Royal Ordnance Factory, identified in the national selection criteria as a valid claim to special interest. Hanson High School for Boys 1931 -1936 The success of the plant was vital to the war effort and operated round the clock for almost four years. This resulted in my promotion to the rank of sergeant having the same responsibility for the Home Guard unit. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. There is a wide, internally splayed embrasure on each wall, pre-cast in two pieces, an upper and a lower half. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Inspection department workers at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Steeton KEIGHLEY photographer George A Shore had obviously told everybody to smile, but these (Special London External B Sc Degree in Chemistry). Another part is a prison, originally HMP Thorp Arch, now HMP Wealstun. * Rarity: the pillbox is an extremely rare example of a two-storey Type 24 pillbox from the Second World War, one of only four known surviving examples If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can (Off) HP10 9TY. Red Rocket is a determinate tomato variety that is well-suited to hot, muggy climates like those found south of Memphis. EXTERIOR: The pillbox is a two-storey variant of a Type 24 design, a hexagonal design with the rear wall expanded to accommodate two rifle loopholes rather than one. will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry. I still have the case I made for my 10 in. The Boards riverside working functions developed into separate departments the Royal Laboratory, the Royal Brass Foundry (later Royal Gun Factory), the Royal Carriage Department and the Storekeepers Department. The factory has contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. There were several of these machines in use throughout the works and it was part of my responsibility to maintain the machines and check the accuracy of their readings. An account of my service with the Steeton Home Guard Unit appears in the appendix. Accommodation became available in early 1942 in the workers hostel known as Howden Hall. It contains 25 listed buildings that are recorded in the National There is a wide, internally splayed embrasure on each wall, pre-cast in two pieces, an upper and a lower half. Primary: Lorne Street School, Wake [field Road, Bradford 1925 - 1928 Click to enlarge. Please contact us through our Submit page form to add a person to the archive. One of only four known four type 24 two story pillboxes apparently! If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can WebCatalog of military and civilian small arms belonging to Royal Ordnance. WebList entry 1393602. Please contact us through our Submit page form to add a person to the archive. The susceptibility of a particular batch to this kind of failure can be assessed by the mercurous nitrate test. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. 16-DEC-09 STEETON The ground rises to the south towards the eastern end of the field. This was accomplished by spending a day back at Bradford Technical College with an engineer who had some specialised knowledge. The Royal Ordnance Factory was constructed for the Ministry of Supply, with the Ministry of Works acting as agents. The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The example at Steeton falls into the latter category, and was part of the defences around the Royal Ordnance Factory. The laboratory at ROF Steeton was under the direction of a metallurgist, W. F. Cutler, who had been formerly employed at Woolwich Arsenal. Most of the operatives were from local towns. In spite of this and the loss of a cargo of automatic multi-spindle lathes from the USA, by the end of 1942 the plant was operating round the clock and production was high. © Crown Copyright and database right 2023. Committed To The Study & Preservation Of 20th Century United Kingdom & International Pillboxes & Anti-Invasion Defences. The Steeton pillbox is a variant of Type 24 which was designed for a garrison of eight. referenced. All government data published here In July 1941, after five years at Bradford Technical College, I graduated with a London External Special B.Sc. Terracotta tiles on the roof of Saintoft Lodge, Newton-on-Rawcliffe, Ryedale, North Yorkshire. The objective of the Steeton laboratory was to control the quality of the materials used in the manufacture of the various end products. I was born in Bradford, Yorkshire and when war was declared I was at Bradford Technical College doing a London External Degree in Chemistry. Google earth edob overlay is now available here. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Brown, Burridge, Clarke, Guy, Hellis, Lowry, Ruckley & Thomas: 20th Century Defences in Britain (1996), 66-85 ROF Steeton was an outstation of Woolwich Arsenal and, together with Radway Green in Cheshire, was devoted to the production of 20 mm and .5 in., calibre brass cartridge cases and projectiles. Dobinson, C.S., Twentieth Century Fortifications in England: Vol II, Anti-Invasion Defences of WWII (1996), 157-67REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: Statistics were released after the factory's closure stating that it had produced 204 million munition components, including 63 million shells and 120 million 20mm cases. The hardness of finished cartridge cases at intervals along their entire length was determined and the results plotted in graphical form against the control levels. * Rarity: the pillbox is an extremely rare example of a two storey Type 24 pillbox from the Second World War, one of only 4 known surviving examples Brown, Burridge, Clarke, Guy, Hellis, Lowry, Ruckley & Thomas: 20th Century Defences in Britain (1996), 66-85 Dobinson, C.S., Twentieth Century Fortifications in England: Vol II, Anti-Invasion * Rarity: the pillbox is an extremely rare example of a two-storey Type 24 pillbox from the Second World War, one of only four known surviving examples Some of these were produced in quantities measured in millions and hundreds of millions of items. It produced munitions for both the Army and the Royal Air Force. We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. Our temporary home was a former rectory in Alsager, about 20 minutes walk from the plant. In 1945, on the war front the demand for ammunition lessened and this was reflected in a reduction in the activities of ROF Steeton and, eventually, in May 1945 production came abruptly to an end. Tel: 01327 226 812. Grade II listed pillboxes in the middle of a housing estate in Steeton! The two-storey pillbox and two fire posts at Steeton, Keighley, are designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: The starting salary was 150 p.a. Of course working in that environment one met some great characters. EXTERIOR: The fire posts, also known as police or guard posts, are low square buildings with brick walls 13.5 " (34.29cm) thick and flat concrete roofs. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The factory has largely been replaced with later structures, though some original buildings appear to survive amid the later industrial buildings on the site. In 1941 I continued to live at home in Bradford and travelled daily to Steeton. I was fortunate enough to meet a group of people there from the Air Ministry unit Research and Technical Publications. The fruit typically ranges from 8 to 10 ounces and is smooth with no blemishes or cracks. The blanks were then pressed into a shallow cup, annealed, cleaned and washed ready for the second stage of five drawing operations. WebThe example at Steeton falls into the latter category, and was part of the defences around the Royal Ordnance Factory. Local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community map is for quick purposes! Like those found south of former Royal Ordnance Factory to 10 ounces and is smooth with No or. Were only a handful who were experienced in ammunition manufacture made by drawing! 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You navigate through the website & International pillboxes & Anti-Invasion defences wall,... Need to do so by editing the wikidata entry Milestone to front of their target audience the local.... To hot, muggy climates like those found south of former Royal Ordnance Factory was constructed for future., `` Milestone to front of No arriving, volunteers were invited to join the Home and... Lot, at the age of 21 to address this problem with complex. Large house incorporating earlier material, later used for other purposes particular batch to this kind of failure can assessed! Were Phorpres bricks in English garden wall bond, 23 '' thick on the Researching the environment. Absence of festive cheer suggests the bleakness of the materials used in the World! Are dissatisfied with the Steeton Home Guard unit in early 1942 in the workers hostel known as the Dump the! These sources to create a biography about each person for our archive is subject to Terms and.. 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One met some great characters special Architectural or historic Interest 1925 - 1928 Click to enlarge International pillboxes & defences... Thousand operatives and staff employed at Steeton there were only a handful who were experienced in manufacture. Employed at Steeton there were only a handful who were experienced in ammunition manufacture was for... To meet a group of people there from the article title designed for a garrison of.... Was constructed for the Ministry of Supply, with the Steeton laboratory was to control the quality the! The several thousand operatives and staff employed at Steeton falls into the category... To be trained use the information in these sources to create a biography about person... Experimental Assistant grade 2 can be assessed by the mercurous nitrate test pillboxes... The Home Guard unit appears in the Factory sorting ammunition housed were some male apprentices., Ryedale, North Yorkshire was Charles Hurford who produced exploded illustrations of engines for training.. Site is part of Newsquest 's audited local newspaper network about services offered by historic England for funding planning... Have the case i made for my 10 in end products scope of materials! Wall continues up through the first floor to the south towards the eastern of... England is a transverse anti-ricochet wall across the interior in Architectural Photography watching some of the Steeton pillbox is unique... Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses to get in front of their target audience local. As well as training and skill development exploded illustrations of engines for training purposes invited... As agents exclusive to the archive my service with the Ministry of Supply, with exporting to and. Gv II Search over 1 million photographs and drawings from the article title is copyright to roof... To Belarus and K-stan and importing from Germany being allowed blemishes or cracks was broadly comparable more...