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Sunday 30 December 2012

Arsenal four games 1904.12

Football

Christmas Scheduling Past: when Arsenal played four games in five days
By Mark Andrews

 
Kentish Independent 1904.12.24
 
No Christmas Cheer for Woolwich Arsenal.


see ...
http://www.blog.woolwicharsenal.co.uk/2011/12/23/christmas-scheduling-past/

Saturday 29 December 2012

JOHNSON, AliceE

worker
 1917
Group of two. To post card.
Left --> Right
standing 
AliceE JOHNSON
seated
Alice
Post Card printed on back
The Tasma Studios. 99 Wellington Street, Woolwich. SE

1917
Group of sixteen, To post card.
Left --> Right 
back row standing elevated 
--; --; --; --; 
middle row standing
--(male); --; AliceE JOHNSON; --; --(male);
seated 
--; --; --; --; --; 
in front 
--; --; 
notice reads:
Munitions 10 Shop  On War Service


Friday 28 December 2012

Arsenal as a walled town


2012.12.29
WilliamJames GENESE(1893-1975) {in 1942 was Supervisor of Apprentices


 tells ...

My father moved into quarters, just inside the main gate of the Arsenal ..........constant noise of men going past the house to and from work, the frequent ringing of the bell to call them to work, the noise of the trams, horse drawn and the strident calls of the stallholders in the market.

The residents were in three grades:

Officer class, who lived in a secluded part of Dial Square near the main gate.

Managerial staff, mainly in H Avenue, running from the gate, parallel to Plumstead Road, in houses backing on to the Arsenal wall.

Servants, of the officers. billeted in converted stables backing on to the officers quarters.

 

5.40pm all closed down ...........
as children they had freedom to play and also watch the processes going on in school holiday.............

T pier on Sunday evenings watching pleasure boats...........lived next door to the mortuary, with hospital above it....
.....
1905 sub mitted to Friends Reunited before the stand was built.
 
1906 after stand was built.
 
Saturday afternoon was usually an outing for the youngsters, as we would go to that part of the Arsenal adjoining the football ground in Manorway [Griffin], climb up the partly finished storehouse..........early 1900's one of the Danger Buildings blew up the stand of the football ground was, blown flat.........disastrous fire in the storehouse when the hand pumps of the Arsenal Fire Brigade were unable to cope.....LCC Brigade had to wait for official permission before being allowed in. Four fireman burnt by magnesium. ........

'the area of the Danger Buildings' (Filling Factories) isolation on the marshes with connecting paths or roads between the various hutments three feet above ground level. Every worker had to change all his clothing except vest and underpants and don canvas trousers and jacket and a hat with a number in the front. ..........

.......train(narrow gauge) ran every half-hour from near the main gate, through a stop called Mugby Junction and on to Berber (round trip took an hour).

three classes of passengers ...{like the South Eastern and Chatham Railway

one, for managers, and those superior to them.

second, foremen an clerical grades.

workmen, two long forms, back to back, with no protection from the elements.

smallpox epidemic..........Apprentice system..........

 

 
1901census living 48, Nithdale Road, Plumstead   Joseph G.(49) Dispenser of Medicines Infirmary

1911census living Dispensers Quarters Royal Arsenal Woolwich. 

Matlda HUNT =(1877[Stoke Dameral, Devon])= Joseh GENESE

Children: Sarah(26); Samuel(22) fitter and turner Gun Carriage; William(17) Trade Lad fitter and turner; Henry(15) Book Keeper; Grandchild: Henry STASSBURG(04);

FindMyPast


Reference ...

The Woolwich Story 1890-1965 (pages 147-149)

by EFE JEFFERSON (1970)


Updated ...
2013.02.12








 

London County Council Trams

trams(electric)

1908.04.17
Woolwich to Plumstead route opened. This line was originally a horse tramway operated by Woolwich and South East Tramways Co. since 1881.
 1910 
Plumstead High Street,

1908.07.26
services extended into Woolwich by Bexley Council

1910.04.23
Abbey Wood depot opened. With the closure of Plumstead (Lakedale Road) depot.

1910.07.23
Woolwich to Eltham route opened.


Reference ...
The Tramways of Woolwich and South East London
by "Southeastern" (1963)

Crossness Pier

350 feet into the Thames.

built for high explosives.

Coal[ing] Pier

situated between the Iron Pier and canal lock.
 dc2012.12
300 feet into the Thames.
 1931


Carried a row of grab cranes enabling coal to be lifted from colliers on to a conveyor leading back to the gas works[demolished ] for use or into railway wagons to coal dumps.

"Each for All and All for Each"

Royal Arsenal Co-operative Soctiety Limited

Arsenal Football Club

Football


Founded in 1886 played in the Football league from 1893.


LEAVEY, GeorgeHiram(1858-1950)
Club president 1900 to 1910.
Run a Gentleman's outfitters shop in Hare Street, Woolwich.


dc 2012.12


Moved from Plumstead to Highbury in 1913.
Since 2006 played at Emirates Stadium, Islington.

Who were the players during the clubs time after the South African Wars, in South-East London ?
How many still worked in the Arsenal ?

See ...
http://www.arsenal.com/home

 
2014.02.09
2012.12.28
 




Tuesday 25 December 2012

1903.06.18 explosion

accidents

Explosion in the shell filling rooms in the Lyddite Factory.

These rooms comprised large corrugated iron huts set on bricks. Inside the factory, workers had been involved in the process of turning picric acid into the highly explosive substance known as lyddite, which was used for filling shells of army and Navy ordnance. At the time of the explosion, a group of men was handling a shell for a 9.2 naval gun, weighing 435lb., and containing a bursting charge of 46lb. of lyddite.

As The Times recorded the next day, this charge of lyddite then "exploded with terrific report". A number of men were blown to pieces. Others were later identified by their limbs. Investigators were able to establish the exact time of the explosion from a watch, found on the body of the supervisor, Edwards, which had stopped at 8.10.

 

Those killed included labourers on 21-28 shillings per week and their supervisor.  

ADAMS, Charles Denny 37 years, =()= Killed**4 Fenwick Street, Woolwich 
CASE, George 52 years, =()= Killed* stoker,
96 East Street, Charlton


CONNOR, Peter John Joseph 27 years, Killed* unidentified
130 Sandy Hill Road, Plumstead


CROFTS, G slightly injured
13 Paget Road, Plumstead

CURRAN, Francis 'Frank'  41 years, =()= Killed*
56 Higham Road, East Ham.

EDWARDS, William Henry Killed*
6 Greening-street, Woolwich (son of the principal foreman of the Lyddite factory. He was directing the work in that morning)

GAURD, D slightly injured
11 Nyanza Road, Plumstead.

GOLDSMITH, A severely wounded{contused wounds
18 Siemans Road, Woolwich

GREENLEES, Alfred 42 years, =()= Killed*
54, Piedmont Road, Plumstead

HAMMOND, C slightly injured
3 Robert Street, North Woolwich

HERBERT, Walter 26 years, Killed* unidentified
123 High Street, Plumstead, or Wickham Lane, Plumstead
 
HOWELL, E slightly injured
2 Barth Road, Plumstead

JOHNSON, Stanley 30 years, Killed* unidentified
58 Fenwick Street, Woolwich


LARKIN, James Patrick 31 years, =()= Killed** (died after admission to hospital)
26 Palmerston Road, Plumstead

LNDSEY, slightly injured
144 Samuel Street, Woolwich

MARSHALL, Thomas 38 years, Killed** unidentified
164 Burrage Road, Plumstead
 

MORLEY, Frederick 35 years, Killed** unidentified
 4 School Lane, Welling {named as ORLEY not checked
 

NEWTON, Edmund Harry 30 years, =()= Killed*
17 Kirkham Street, Plumstead

P[T]INHORN, Edward Felix 36 years, =()= Killed**
68 Tourmont Road, Plumstead  {named as PINHORN not checked

REMINGTON, Alfred Philip Smith =()= Killed**
 4, Miriam Road, Plumstead (died after admission to hospital)
 Buried in Brighton. Sussex.

SAUNDERS, A slightly injured
North Dean, Westheath, Woolwich Road, Abbeywood

SMEALY, A slightly injured
12 Ceres Road, Plumstead

SMITH, F slightly injured
Manthorpe Road, Plumstead

STEVANS, F severely wounded{fractured ribs
26 Prendell Street, Plumstead

STEVENS, A severely wounded{contused wounds
7 Tewson Road, Plumstead


STEVENSON, E slightly injured
14 Ceres Road, Plumstead

SWORDS, John Henry  28 years =()= Killed**
96 East Street, Charlton

USHER, James Henry 39 years, =()= Killed** assistant overlooker,
33, Abbeywood Road, Abbeywood.


WEBB, slightly injured
1 Heavitree Road, Plumstead

WOOD, W slightly injured
2 Eton Street, Plumstead
 
note address/names not checked. from newspaper reports and deceasedonline.
Royal Arsenal Memorial (Plumstead Cemetery)
Hoare & Sons of Woolwich and Shooter's Hill,
Monumental Masons, 83 Church Street, Woolwich
Four panels at the base ...
* side facing chapel
**right hand
***opposite chapel see 1903.02.16 explosion
****left hand
Erected/ to the memory of/the men who lost their/lives in the/gun cotton and lyddite/explosions at the/royal arsenal Woolwich/ in the midst of life we/are in death.
at the bottom of plinth right : Hoare & Sons/Woolwch &.......
at the bottom of plinth left  : This monument was/ erected by / the employees of the / danger buildings / royal arsenal


See ...
http://deceasedonlineblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/plumstead-cemetery-in-royal-borough-of.html
updated ...
2013.02.17

Monday 24 December 2012

WW1- memorial

 dc 2012
List of names...........(no other information given) The engraving is getting weathered.

ADAMS H
ALDOUS HC
ALEXANDER L
ASHWORTH W
BROMLEY O
BROWN WW
CLANCEY J
COLYER J
DAVIES W
DENYER F
DURRANT FA
FRANCIS T
GREGSON WC
GOLDING PV
GOURLEY J
GULLAND A
HART J
HEARN WR
HELLARD W
HILLMAN SD
HILLYER PC
HOUSE R
ISAACS PJ
JOHNSON BA
KELLY J
LILLYCROP P
MARTIN HE
MAUNDRELL S
McCRATH D
MOICNARD AH
MOODY T
NEWELL ASB
NEWTON A
NEWTON TH
OLDHAM H
OLLETT JB
PALMER A
PERRY A
POULTER CS
REED A
RICHARDSON F
ROLFE HEE
ROLFE S
ROUTLEDGE W
SANDAFORD J
SANSON FW
SEATON CW
SEWELL E
SILUREY FW
SMITH FS
SPRINGHAM J
STEPHENS J
STRANGE A
TICE W
VINCENT CA
WACHORN F
WARD B
WARREN F
WATTS A
WATKINS WC
WEBB C
WHATMOUCH AV
WHITE T
WILSON JF

Any errors or further information let me know.
opc- Plumstead parish Kent
http://www.kent-opc.org/index.html

Iron Pier

 
dc 2012.12
325 feet into the Thames.
Admiralty Pier
 1931




T Pier

 
[Demolished]

275 feet into the Thames.
 

Ordnance Canal

Transport

Used as Torpedo Range until 1908.



http://www.londoncanals.co.uk/woolwich/rarsenal.html


Friday 14 December 2012

Shell Foundry


The Steel Converter at Woolwich Arsenal:
The Tropenas Steel Converters at Work in the Royal Laboratory Shell Foundry at Woolwich Arsenal
by William Hyde
Imperial War Museums
Date painted: 1919
Oil on canvas, 71.1 x 107.9 cm


http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/the-steel-converter-at-woolwich-arsenal-the-tropenas-steel-6428

Gun Factory

Shop

In the Gun Factory at Woolwich Arsenal
by George Clausen

 IWM


Date painted: 1918
Oil on canvas, 182.8 x 317.5 cm

 

see ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/in-the-gun-factory-at-woolwich-arsenal-6396



updated ...
2013,02,08

Woman War Workers(1)

Print marked ... 1917- doing their bit.
What work would they have done in this wear?
Supplied by unknown (computer failed).
Un-named
If this is yours do let me know.

Wednesday 12 December 2012

1911census

Little to no records of employees and associated companies remain. Such as Vickers in Erith. This makes the 1911census the only written prove of "your" family (if they stated) worked within the walls.
In 1910 there was about 12,000 workers (UK parliamentary question). At this time they would have been male and in general the head.  
Already the spread away from the over crowded populated Woolwich/ Plumstead West had started. With the formation of the LCC (London County Council) Borough of Woolwich. Areas to the South and East came under the same municipal planning control. This still left a lot of the Arsenal controlled land outside and in The County of Kent. Also to the North across the River Thames on the Essex side.
So have you a Royal Ordinance relation listed on the 1911census?

Tuesday 11 December 2012

Carriage Inspection Shed(used as C4 1931)
One of the few remaining buildings. Being used as storage depot by the land owners. Still retains its original interior.  (2008)

Intro

Did your family have a connection with the Arsenal Works in Plumstead and Woolwich North West Kent in the early 19hundreds. Then do let us know.


employed in the ordnance factory.

1915.08
34,064

1917.11
75,865( of which 28,195 claimed to being female)

1919/1920
28,195(2,003 woman)


For history on the Arsenal see ...


The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich
Edited and produced by K TIMBERS (Historian of the RAWHS) (2011)

The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich (Britain in old Photographs)
by Roy MASTERS

Aspects of the Arsenal: The Royal Arsenal Woolwich
Edited by Beverley BURFORD and Julian WATSON(1997)


Royal Greenwich Local History Center

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Arsenal

Royal Arsenal Association