Warrington's munitions history

[Gary]

I know Warrington has a long history of munitions - but was surprised to see a local company not only still operating but updating!

[Evil Sid]

amazing what you can still learn about the area.

I thought that the munitions had long gone with the closure of the risley site after the war just goes to show.

[Davy51]

My ex mother-in-law ,who i never met, died very young & left young children behind after wartime service in the munitions factories at Risley. Apparently,she contracted some form of cancer from the stuff they were handling in the pre PPE days.

[Latchford Locks]

2 hours ago, Davy51 said:

My ex mother-in-law ,who i never met, died very young & left young children behind after wartime service in the munitions factories at Risley. Apparently,she contracted some form of cancer from the stuff they were handling in the pre PPE days.

Yes my Mother in Law also worked there and said she cried every morning on the bus to Risley apparently the conditions were horrific. Her skin turned yellow due to the chemicals she handled in her section.

She had terrible breathing problems for the rest of her life after working there

[Davy51]

Exactly, Latch. I wonder if there has ever been compensation awarded to or offered to war workers whose jobs were very dangerous with hindsight.

[Latchford Locks]

33 minutes ago, Davy51 said:

Exactly, Latch. I wonder if there has ever been compensation awarded to or offered to war workers whose jobs were very dangerous with hindsight.

I think back then it was a case of everyone doing their bit.

While my Mother in law was at Risley her husband was on the Atlantic (and then Russian )convoys. 

So I suppose it was all get stuck in and not to complain

[Davy51]

I'll take my hat off to both of them . My Dad was an airframe fitter in Egypt  where they also got plenty of leisure between work . Best days of his life ,he said.

[Latchford Locks]

20 hours ago, Davy51 said:

I'll take my hat off to both of them .

The biggest pity about it all was that my father in law didn't even reach retirement age and so worked until he passed. And his Wife was virtually housebound for the last 10 years of her life due to to her health problems. So much for reaping the rewards of a hard fought life

 

 

[Evil Sid]

My father in law was an electrician in the RAF. He served his time at many satellite aerodromes around the country, even did a stint in the isle of man maintaining the bomber training lights. He always said that the night duty was the worst part having to run the generators for the temporary runways in all weathers.

surprisingly he lived well into his nineties as did most of my wifes family.

I do have to wonder if it was because of the war that people from that era seem to live to a ripe old age, diet and all that. Todays generation seem to peter out before they get close to retirement age.

Can't be the stress of modern life as to my mind living in a time when bombs dropping was commonplace would be a lot more stressful.

[Latchford Locks]

One thing I do notice is that in any Rugby or Football team pictures from 1946 till the mid 50's the players all looked like men well into their 40's . Guess they were ex servicemen who had been through the grinder during the war and the years had taken their toll.