6. 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. During the first few months the heat treatment room was only partially equipped for hardening and tempering of sophisticated high speed tool steels and yet there was a critical need for success. Using an old browser means that some parts of our website might not work correctly. This listing allows you to trace back a particular company's history in reverse-chronological order. He was a practical type of man who could turn his hand to anything and he became my valued helper in getting the heat treatment shop operating to a high standard. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. First, it is important to choose the right type of planter and support system for your plants. GV II * 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 WebThe Royal Ordnance Factory Bishopton (ROF) was opened during World War II on farm land, acquired. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. read more about Steeton Royal Ordnance Factory. For any other issue or if you need help, please email: Our website works best with the latest version of the browsers below, unfortunately your browser is not supported. Place of Birth: 24 Lister Avenue, Wakefield Road, Bradford, Yorkshire. It is in stone and, The milestone is on the southwest side of Skipton Road (B6265 road). (Northern Matriculation with six Credits in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, English, History, and Geography) WebBirtley is the home of the Royal Ordnance Factory, ROF Birtley and the Komatsu Heavy Engineering Company, which operates from the previous premises of Birtley Iron Works (opened in 1827, which became premises of the Caterpillar Company in the mid-20th century). 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. 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The fruit typically ranges from 8 to 10 ounces and is smooth with no blemishes or cracks. We had experience in the use of wire-reinforced 303 calibre rifles as cup projectors for grenades. It is in stone and, The milestone is on the south side of Keighley Road (B6265 road). Historic England holds an extensive range of publications and historic collections in its public archive covering the historic environment. It is, The church is in stone with a stone slate roof, and is in, A large house in stone that has a stone slate roof with, The Sunday school is in stone, and has a stone slate roof with, A house, later a nursing home, in stone, with, There are two gateways flanked by walls. Stanley Mitchell was an enthusiastic and extremely competent analytical chemist and it was natural that he would choose to be responsible for the chemical analysis. During 1942 when peak production was reached some 700 tons of TNT., 1,000 tons of ammonium nitrate and 40 tons of Tetryl were produced every week. There is a third pillbox which I have yet Find out how you can use this. 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. 3. 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. R.O.F. This example includes some nice human details. 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. 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. This vital test was carried out as a routine measure. One lady who was sent there was Mabel Dutton of Atherton. The two-storey pillbox and two fire posts at Steeton, Keighley, are designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The BBC is not responsible for the content of any external sites Our Project researches local people from Keighley and the Worth Valley who served the country in wartime. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's 2! 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". 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. [1] The site was connected to the London & North Eastern Railway line, which was used in its construction and then for supplying raw materials to the factory and for transporting away filled munitions. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. * Intactness: the pillbox and two fire posts are unaltered and complete It was possible to cycle to Malham at the head of Airedale and to be there within two hours. The success of the plant was vital to the war effort and operated round the clock for almost four years. The photograph was supplied by Mr Michael Shearing, of High Spring Garden Lane, Keighley, whose aunt is standing fourth from the right. 9).[1][2]. Picture shows the King watching some of the women workers in the factory sorting ammunition. There was a crisis in the recovery levels of tools during heat-treatment with almost 100% of production being scrapped. In July 1941, after five years at Bradford Technical College, I graduated with a London External Special B.Sc. The two-storey pillbox and two fire posts at Steeton, Keighley, are recommended for designation at Grade II for the following principal reasons: Read about our current news, projects and campaigns nationally and in your area. My first experience was to receive an electric shock when I touched a metal part of a viscometer I was using. Work on the new Royal Ordnance factory at Wrexham began soon after the outbreak of war in 1939. Others were built to defend important installations such as airfields or munitions factories. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. I was fortunate enough to meet a group of people there from the Air Ministry unit Research and Technical Publications. They were placed at strategic locations, many along 'stop lines' intended to slow down the progress of an attacking force. 2. Former Royal Ordnance Factory GV II Accommodation became available in early 1942 in the workers hostel known as Howden Hall. My military service was deferred until I graduated in June1941. b) Metallurgical and metallographic work. Fortunately my hands were not wet! INTERIOR: Inside the western post (fire post 2), on the north wall is a wooden batten which would have supported a shelf for a telephone. The laboratory at ROF Steeton was under the direction of a metallurgist, W. F. Cutler, who had been formerly employed at Woolwich Arsenal. For any other comments, please Contact Us. We follow all available sources of information and use the information in these sources to create a biography about each person for our archive. Inspection department workers at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Steeton KEIGHLEY photographer George A Shore had obviously told everybody to smile, but these As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. I still have the case I made for my 10 in. 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. WebThe Royal Ordnance Factory was constructed for the Ministry of Supply, with the Ministry of Works acting as agents. The first floor internal walls are daubed with paint and there is some graffiti, none of original date. It was dangerous work for all concerned. Listed Building ID 1393602 view listed building data. A Gannett Company. This is text of the English Heritage Grade Two listing of the three pillboxes, which were given this status in December 2009: 1772/0/10042 PARKWAY Popularly known as The Dump, the Royal Ordnance Factory had started production earlier that year. Samples of rolled leaded steel bars were prepared and mechanically tested for ultimate and yield stresses. Also being housed were some male engineering apprentices from Keighley. Our temporary home was a former rectory in Alsager, about 20 minutes walk from the plant. Grade II Listed Building: Ww2 Pillbox And 2 Fire Posts South Of Former Royal Ordnance Factory. Text courtesy of the late Ian Dewhirst MBE. 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. Vital machines were silent. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. A pillbox and two fire posts, sited in a field to the south of a former Royal Ordnance Factory, the fire posts in the south-west (fire post 2) and south-east (fire post 1) corners of the field and the pillbox nearer to the factory to the east. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. After attending a course on poison gas identification at Leeds University, my colleague and I were appointed Gas Identification Officers for the plant. Beneath the embrasure on one side is the entrance, and extending from the wall alongside is a low brick wall with a right angle return facing the entrance. It is believed to have had 619 buildings.[2]. It contains 25 listed buildings that are recorded in the National There are no openings on the ground floor other than the entrance. Most of the content on this site is created by our users, who are members of the Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Date: 1939. Could do with you round here, (Wirral), as the local ROF site is earmarked for demolition and redevelopment. 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. Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building. In 1941 I continued to live at home in Bradford and travelled daily to Steeton. WebBuilt to defend a former Royal Ordnance Factory in the Second World War. Two fire posts also survive as part of the defensive network around the factory. There is a limited amount of modern graffiti.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. The Steeton pillbox is a variant of Type 24 which was designed for a garrison of eight. 400 jobs at the Royal Ordnance factory in Birtley. Quick Facts. INTERIOR: Access is via the rear door on the ground floor, and there is a transverse anti-ricochet wall across the interior. We are also researching conscientious objectors from the area. The convener was happy that the problems were solved by non-Union men but could not acknowledge that one of their own members had failed! is used under licence. There was a problem with unaccounted-for items and Alf had a message for anyone who might consider helping themselves in his absence. The blanks were then pressed into a shallow cup, annealed, cleaned and washed ready for the second stage of five drawing operations. Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. The brass blanks were first annealed in a continuous rotary, electrically heated, Birlec furnace, followed by pickling in concentrated sulphuric acid, washing and drying. Architectural structure, 1772/0/10042 PARKWAY History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Civil Series, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=ROF_Thorp_Arch&oldid=1123978244, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. It was a medium-sized filling factory (Filling Factory No. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's See our extensive range of expert advice to help you care for and protect historic places. 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