Crane's Fireworks, Warmley, Bristol

Check out these small cars for girls images today:

Crane’s Fireworks, Warmley, Bristol


Image by brizzle born and bred
Bristol's own history of Fireworks dates back to the 1800's when in 1894 the Bishop Brothers of Hanham made Fireworks for the people of Bristol and surrounding areas.

There was also Cranes Firework manufacturers in Warmley. The factory once stood where modern day Fireworks, Fawkes, Cranes Close stand today.

The business was first established in 1887 by Mr. I. Crane, he commenced manufacturing Fireworks and obtaining a permanent License from the Secretary of State, but it took him fifteen months to obtain the License and build the Factory in accordance with the Government regulations under the Explosives Act for the establishment of a Firework Factory.

Since then, three more Licenses were obtained for the enlargement of the Factory. During the following years there was a continual enlargement of the Magazines at the Factory in Warmley, these enlarged Stores having proved insufficient, additional land about a mile from the Factory was secured, and Firework Magazines for the storage of 100,000 Ib. of manufactured fireworks were erected.

The Factory was situated near the Midland Railway Station at Warmley, one of the suburbs of Bristol, and consisted of 40 Workshops and Magazines. The Workshops were heated with hot-water pipes, Heating apparatus connected with the workshops. Guillotine Cutting Machine and numerous Pinching and Dubbing Machines. The whole of the factory was connected up with a Tramway.

The Products Manufactured: 5th November and Display Fireworks, Shipping goods, and Smoke Testing-Rockets for Drains. Electric Sparkling Fireworks, Transformation Designs, Whistling Fireworks, and Repeating Shells.

Warmley's principle contribution to the war effort came from Crane's Fireworks Factory, which switched production from fireworks to hand grenades, or Mills Bombs as they were called. In this period the workforce increased to nearly 100, mostly young women, who when filling the boxes of grenades to be shipped to the Front, would often slip a little note for the Tommies to find, and frequently they would receive a reply, sometimes in a foreign language.

Ten million grenades passed through Warmley Station during the war which shows what a tremendous effort the firm made throughout the duration of the war.

It was considered to be both well managed & productive, but tragedy struck in 1935 when 5 women were injured in an enormous explosion. One young woman – Nellie Brewer, aged 18, was fatally injured, and died some 3 days later.

Crane’s had enjoyed a good safety record, despite the volatility of gunpowder,but these two explosions in just 2 years marked the end of this chapter in Warmley’s history. The workers had played their part in the Boer War & WW1 when the factory switched to making Hand Grenades as part of the war effort.

On 16th September 1935, an explosion at Cranes in one of the finishing rooms shook the area. With such a volatile substance as gunpowder there was bound to be a good deal of danger, and although many precautions were taken, the normally good safety record of the factory was shattered.

The finishing room was a small wooden hut with a door at each end as emergency exits and a bench in front of the windows. Without warning a small quantity of gunpowder suddenly burst into flames in one corner.

Kitty Brokenbrow, the leader of the small team of five, instantly gave the alarm and as the young women dashed to the nearest door there was a great flash as more powder ignited and four of the girls were enveloped in a sheet of flame.

The fire spread to a box of sky rockets which went off like a machine gun, blowing out all the windows.

Luckily, a passing police patrol car was flagged down and instantly rushed the girls to Cossham Hospital in nearby Kingswood. The girls all suffered burns to the hands and head, two relatively minor, two more were detained in hospital overnight, but Nellie Brewer, aged only 18, who took the full blast protecting the others from a similar fate, died three days later.

Just over 2 years later when the factory was virtually destroyed as a result of a further & massive explosion. At the time, some 80 employees were hard at work producing fireworks for 5th November. The factory was devastated & never re-opened.

For recreation, these fit young women formed themselves into a tug-of-war team, calling themselves the ‘Warmley Grenadiers’. They proved formidable opposition during tournaments in the district, including events at Douglas Sports Days and other challenge matches.

www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/9663566599/in/se…

In 1937, another fire closed the factory, putting 80 people out of work.

Crane’s had a major fire in October 1937 which did immeasurable damage to the factory buildings. The factory closed for ever in 1938.

What is encouraging is that the names of the streets now reflect this interesting (as well as tragic) episode in the industrial & social history of this area. Modern day Fireworks, Fawkes, Cranes Close stand today.

18/365 – Waiting.


Image by BLW Photography
September 28, 2009

OK, so this is a bad photo for today, but it was a busy day.

We got up early, went to the bank to turn in 2 buckets of pennies to the Fat Cat, or Coin Star as it’s also called. The pennies didn’t amount to much (about a bucket) however our small cups of quarters and such totaled about 0, so we ended up with like 240 bucks! Awesomeeee. In the bank for bills. What what.

Then we went to lunch at Annabelle’s (YUMMY), and we got sit up on the second story/level, which was neat. I’d never been up there. I felt elite.

Thennn, we rushed home and I was stressed/panicked/excited about my first "official" day with the kid I am helping tutor… only to drive all the way to Havelock, in my No A/C having car, to find out that the other girl had called out. And the mother had already made plans… normally I could just fill in for the other girl, but since I haven’t had any time with the kid to get to know him yet, it would have been a little awkward.

So, I drove home, and I slept, because that’s what I do when my emotions run high.

I took care of the cats… whom had flipped their litter box, goddammit.

Then I had to start on a rough draft or outline, whatever, for my next research paper. It was sub-par at best, but we’ll see what kind of grade I get.

…then I realized I didn’t have a great photo for the day, and had to get one off my damn cell phone. Yay.

A White Gloved Hand, the Royal Visit to Katoomba 1954


Image by Blue Mountains Local Studies
Notes: THE DAY I SAW THE QUEEN

It was dull and threatening weather…at 9.30 am there was a choice of almost any position, from the railway gates at Katoomba to Echo Point…a tour of the same area at noon revealed very little change…

At 1 p.m. I secured three positions for three chairs at the barricade across Katoomba street at Waratah Street, giving a view of the whole of Katoomba Street and Waratah Street…the Katoomba Band 36 strong in their new uniforms… the Highland Pipe Band with their two girl dancers…the Air League Band…the Ingleburn Band at the head of the parade of large contingents of Boy Scouts and the Air League…the arrival of the tiny tots from Miss Long's primary school, all laden with flags…

The excitement among the Katoomba High girls over the election of their captain was for Jill McInerney the new captain and vice-captain (what a day it was for Jill McInery the new captain!)…the little girl and boy who had been blackberrying and come to see the Queen on their own…the small girl in a tartan skirt who kept following the Katoomba band even up the hill…the black pup with four brown legs which chased every police motor cyclist and was then placed on a lead just before the Royal Progress started…

The way the crowd favoured the right side of the route, knowing Her Majesty would be sitting on the right hand side of the Royal car..the big improvement in the weather as the great moment arrived…the playing of The Yeomen of England on the radio..and then the arrival of the Royal Progress…the sight of a white gloved hand in the distance, and with complete disregard for anything else until I saw Her Majesty for the first time…

I barely noticed a Blackheath girl hand a posy to the Duke, though I saw him give it to the Queen…I had a lump in my throat and my eyes were misty…I had seen the queen of Australia for a few fleeting seconds…as Her Majesty passed many tried to follow the Royal car down the street…the crowd broke up very quickly and I stopped outside a radio shop and listened to the Echo Point reception and was delighted with the address of welcome by the Mayor and Her Majesty's reply…

I then took the car to Laura and arrived there several moments before Her Majesty reached the station steps…I found a perfect position in Railway Parade and saw the final farewells and Her Majesty and His Royal Highness wave from the Royal coach as the train left for Sydney.

Blue Mountains Advertiser, 12 February 1954.

Format: photograph

Date Range: 1954

Licensing: Attribution, non-commercial, share alike, creative commons 3.0.
If you use this image in any way, including blogs, Facebook and websites, you should attribute it to Blue Mountains City Library and provide a link back to this page. Resale or any other commercial use is prohibited without our written agreement. These same restrictions apply to secondary users.

Repository: Blue Mountains City Library www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/yourcommunity/library
Part of: Local Studies Collection – Visits of State

Provenance: Blue Mountains City Council

Links:

Tags:Bristol, Cranes, Fireworks, Warmley