Memorial
Plumstead Cemetery SE2
1936.07.08 accidental explosion at 3pm in the Research Department
of Woolwich Arsenal in which five men were declared killed. Testing a way of filling
a High Explosive Shell. The isolated building in the Danger Area about a mile
from the gate, was completely destroyed. The sound was hidden by the normal firing(testing)
of a 15inch guns at the time.
Commander PaulAlaricMasters LONG RN(retired) aged 43year an
Officer in the Armament Supply Department of the Admiralty. Worked in the
Arsenal for thirteen years.
Lived in Holley Bush House Sevenoaks, Kent. With his wife
and two children
FrancisCharles LEWIS scientist
Lived Commonwealth Way, Abbey Wood, London.
Jack BRIGNALL laboratory assistant aged 26year
Lived Somerset Avenue, Welling, Kent with wife married in
1935
StanleyHerbert COOPER leading factory hand aged 41year
Lived in Raglan Road, Plumstead, London with wife no
children.
WilliamEdward JOHNSON factory hand
Lived Spring Street, Deptford, London
Ernest CLARK factory worker injured abrasions and shock.
1936.07.10 Inquest held in Greenwich
1936.07.14 remains buried Plumstead Cemetery by the War
Office.
2014-04-13
I am really glad to have found this information. My grandfather was Frank Lewis' first cousin and my father had heard that he was blown up in an explosion at the Woolwich Arsenal with a superior officer but no more than that. He also left a wife and two young children. From the initials AIC I can see he was an associate of the Institute of Chemistry. I found a small paragraph in an Australian newspaper - The Courier-Mail (of Brisbane) which reported on the inquests - the only other place I have found anything about this. It reads:
ReplyDeleteWoolwich Arsenal Explosion
LONDON, July 11
At the inquest on the bodies of the victims of the explosion at Woolwich Arsenal on Thursday it was stated by an official that the deceased were carrying out tests of the safest method of filling shells. The explosion occurred while a naval 15-inch shell was being filled.
The method of filling consisted of automatically filtering in the explosive by means of a long screw at a temperature of 90 degrees centigrade. The deceased officers started the machinery and retired behind a mound to observe the process through mirrors. They re-entered the shed five minutes later, when there was an immediate explosion, possibly due to an obstruction having prevented the explosive entering the shell, and causing heat detonation.
A verdict of accidental death was returned.
Hello,
ReplyDeletemy Great Grandad was injured in a danger building explosion, his name was George Henry West Jackson. I believe him to have lived at the Arsenal with his family at the time. He was badly scared and had to work hard to rehabilitate his hands. I don't know anything else about this, I have a scroll that was presented to him and it mentions a move to Chorley or Wales but there are no dates or mention of the explosion itself. I was 4/5 when he died in (or around 1953/4)so I have very imperfect recall. I was wondering if anyone could help me fill in some gaps? possibly an idea of where I might find out more information?
Since I last googled this I have just found a reference to the explosion in Hansard: https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1936/jul/09/woolwich-arsenal-explosion
DeleteWOOLWICH ARSENAL (EXPLOSION).
HC Deb 09 July 1936 vol 314 c13991399
§Mr. HICKS (by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information to give the House as to the explosion that occurred at Woolwich Arsenal on Wednesday, 8th July?
Mr. COOPER I very much regret to have to announce that an explosion occurred in the Research Department at the Royal Arsenal yesterday shortly before 3 p.m., when an experiment was in progress regarding the filling of a high-explosive shell. One naval officer, and four civilian members of the Research Department staff, lost their lives, while one other member of the Department who was, however, not in the danger-building itself, was injured. The cause of the explosion is now in course of investigation, and a Court of Inquiry has been convened. The building involved was in a special danger area, and though it was completely wrecked the other activities of the Research Department and the Royal Arsenal have not been interfered with. I am sure that the House will wish me to express its sympathy with the families and relatives of these officials, who lost their lives in the performance of their duty.
§Mr. HICKS While thanking the right hon. Member for his statement and for his expression of sympathy with the relatives, I will at a convenient moment raise the question again as to what the Government propose to do for the relatives of the deceased, and also as to what steps can be taken to prevent a recurrence of the accident.
The inquest proceeding are now indexed at the National Archive but not available online:
Deletehttps://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3187995
Reference: TS 46/11
Description:
Woolwich Arsenal explosion on 8 July 1936, inquest into the deaths of Commander Long RN, F C Lewis, J Brignell, F Cooper and W E Johnson
Note: with plan
Date: 1936
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department: WO 14871
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Closure status: Open Document, Open Description
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI have found a report of the inquest written up in the Londonderry Sentinel - Saturday July 1936 - which can be accessed through: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001480/19360711/106/0005. The first three pages for new accounts are free to view.
ReplyDeleteThere is an account by a man who was standing just outside:
Ernest Clark, the factory hand who was standing outside the building, said that Mr. Lewis and the others came out after starting up the machinery and then went back. A minute later the explosion occurred.
“There was simply one blast and I knew nothing more," he added. As soon as the fragments stopped flying about he got up.
When I was doing this search on the britishnewspapersrchive.co.uk site using - woolwich arsenal explosion - and confining results to 1930 to 1939 it came up with a great many incidents - including on consecutive days in May 1939. It may be that your Great Grandfather may have been injured in one of these unless he was so badly injured he did not give evidence at the inquest which took place only 3 days after the explosion.
Further article from the Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld Fri 10 Jul 1936: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/38468766
ReplyDeleteWOOLWICK ARSENAL EXPLOSION
Greatest Secrecy Observed: London, July 9.
The greatest secrecy is being observed by officials regarding the explosion which occurred yesterday afternoon in a shed at the research department at the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich and caused the death of five persons.
The explosion took place during the carrying out of experiments, and all the victims were experts directly interested in the tests.
The roof of the shed, which measured 18ft by 12ft, was hurled into the air and the walls were split and crumpled. The shed was surrounded by concrete and earth breastworks to minimise the effect of any explosion. An adjoining building of similar size was badly damaged.
The victims had gathered round a 15-lnch shell, says the "Daily Mail", when it suddenly exploded. Rescuers, who dashed to the scene, found blazing woodwork and twisted metal over a wide area. The noise of the explosion passed almost without comment, as big guns were being tested at the time.
HEROIC OFFICIALS
The "Dally Telegraph" says the explosion occurred while a shell was being filled with a high explosive. Two labourers, who had left the shed a minute before the explosion, were sent reeling by the shock, and both were badly hurt. A worse disaster was prevented by the heroism of four high officials, including the research department's chief superintendent, who entered the shed and removed the remains of the high explosive. They were 20 yards from the shed when the explosion occurred, and they saved themselves by falling flat on the ground.
The 'Daily Herald' says the explosion occurred during an experiment with a naval shell. The victims included Commander P. A. M. Long, a naval gunnery expert, who was blown to pieces.
Hi
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog while researching my family history, which is a little sparse on my father's side. I knew that my Great Grandfather, George Henry Jackson, was was severely injured in the danger building explosion in 1935.
So, on reading your blog, I was quite surprised/excited to discover that one of your contributors shares the same great grandparents as me. It would be awesome if 'unknown' could get in touch with me!
So, your blog has been a double bonus for me!
Many thanks