What did munitions factories make in ww1?
The armed forces consumed vast amounts of munitions, requiring huge quantities of steel, copper, explosives and other materials. Historic England has identified the majority of the government factories. They manufactured everything from shells to tanks, gas masks, and boxes.
How much did munition factory workers get paid in ww1?
Although the circular and the Munitions of War Act gave the government the ability to enforce equal wages in controlled trades, and set a minimum weekly rate of 20 shillings for women doing skilled ‘male’ work, employers often circumnavigated the edict.
Why did munitions workers have yellow skin?
Effects of working with TNT The chemicals in the TNT reacted with melanin in the skin to cause a yellow pigmentation, staining the skin of the munitions workers. Although unpleasant, this was not dangerous and the discolouration eventually faded over time with no long-term health effects.
What was a munitions factory?
A filling factory was a manufacturing plant that specialised in filling various munitions, such as bombs, shells, cartridges, pyrotechnics, and screening smokes. In the United Kingdom, during both world wars of the 20th century, the majority of the employees were women.
What did munitions workers do in ww1?
Munitions workers played a crucial role in the First World War. They supplied the troops at the front with the armaments and equipment they needed to fight. They also freed up men from the workforce to join the armed forces.
What did munition workers wear?
Physical description. Dress: long collarless dress of biscuit-coloured drill fabric with long sleeves, buttoned cuffs and an integral belt. There is a single patch pocket to the front lower right skirt.
Did tanks have genders in ww1?
There were two types of Mark I tank: ‘male’ and ‘female’. Male tanks mounted a six-pounder gun in each sponson, plus three light machine guns. Female tanks had two heavy Vickers machine guns in place of the six-pounders.
What did munition factory workers do?
They could be engaged in: cleaning, filling, painting and stacking shells; operating machinery; weighing powder; assembling detonators; filling bullets; lacquering fuses and making shell cases. It was often repetitive – but they had to stay focused, as their work was checked and needed to meet the required standards.
What did munitions factories make?
Around 950,000 British women worked in munitions factories during the Second World War, making weapons like shells and bullets. Munitions work was often well-paid but involved long hours, sometimes up to seven days a week.
Who worked in the munition factories?
Thousands of women volunteered as a result, and many of these were soon employed in the growing number of munitions factories across the country. By the end of the war, over 700,000 – and possibly up to one million – women had become ‘munitionettes’. The munitionettes worked long hours in often hazardous conditions.
How did ww1 affect factory workers?
Once World War 1 began, this started to change. There was a significant increase in the number of women employed in factories and these women filled in a number of roles. They ran drill presses, did welding, operated cranes, used screw machines, and handled all manner of metal working equipment.
What was Little Willie in ww1?
Little Willie was the first working tank in the world. It proved that a vehicle encompassing armoured protection, an internal combustion engine, and tracks was a possibility for the battlefield.
How many people worked in the munitions industry in WW1?
In some factories more than 90% of the workforce were women. By 1917, about two million workers were engaged in munitions work in thousands of establishments regulated by the Ministry of Munitions.
How many factories did the Ministry of munitions own?
It is believed that the Ministry of Munitions owned up to 12 factories. Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. National Filling Factory No. 1, Leeds, (Barnbow). National Filling Factory No. 2, Liverpool, (Aintree). National Filling Factory No.3, ROF Rotherwas, Hereford. National Filling Factory No.4, Houston, Renfrewshire.
What happened to the production of ammunition after WW1?
When the Armistice came in November 1918, production was rapidly terminated and the female workforce laid off. A few sites, with much reduced male staff levels, were used for decommissioning unwanted ammunition.
When was a day in the life of a munitions worker?
A Day In The Life Of A Munitions Worker. Monday 15 January 2018. Of all the roles women took on during the First World War their work in munitions factories was probably the most vital. Without the bullets and shells they produced the British Army couldn’t have carried on fighting.