RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: COMEONFRANK on Saturday 29 August 09 21:25 BST (UK)
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Hi Folks
My Grandmother worked at Roots Aircraft Factory in Speke during WW2,
can anyone tell me anything about this Factory ? What street was it on? and
is the factory still there?
Does anyone know if there are any photos of this factory?
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Paul
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Hi Paul
Have you seen this
http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/my_memory/help_02.shtml
ricky
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Thanks Ricky
Yes this is all I could find when I Googled it , its a pity it does'nt give you more info
Cheers Paul
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I have a book on the Halifax bomber which has several photos of the Speke factory in it.
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My Nan seems to think it was on Speke Road. She says it made aeroplanes. I'll see if she remembers any more tomorrow.
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Hi Mark
Is there any chance you could email a picture to me?
If not could you tell me the name of the book and I will try to get hold of a copy.
Thanks for your reply
Paul
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Thanks for the Info Lesley does your Nan know if the factory is still there?
Cheers Paul
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She doesn't, but she told me to ask another relative as she thinks he will know. I'll see if I can find anything out.
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Thanks Lesley I look forward to hearing from you
Paul
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Paul,
I presume you've googled Rootes & speke and found these (and there's more)
Have a look at the 1st link in particular. Having sped read it it looks as though it may have turned into a dunlop factory and have been demolished. Please read it yourself as I only skim read and may be wrong.
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/archive/index.php?t-46291.html
http://www.south-lancs-aviation.bravepages.com/history_of_speke_airport.htm
http://www.military-genealogy.org.uk/3011/RN_Air_Station_Speke
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Hi,
My husband's father used to work there. It later became Dunlops.
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Thanks Lesley I had'nt seen those links on the factory , they give loads of information.
Thanks also to Liverbird , maybe if I search Dunlop Factory I will Find more info.
Cheers Paul
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As someone has said the Rootes factory was used by Dunlops after the war, but has since been demolished and redeveloped. On later maps, Speke Hall Road can be seen and where Dunlop Road leads off is opposite the old main gates.
There was a direct pathway on the west of the site for the completed aircraft leading into the original Liverpool Airport and its runways.
Dunlops' sports ground is still there, but looked neglected last time I passed.
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Thanks Ainslie I will have a look on a map to see where it was, it is so frustrating as nearly every link to my family tree has been demolished.
Did the Dunlop tyre Factory make both tyres and wellies as I have seen pictures for both but I was unsure if this was the same place.
Thanks Paul
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Thanks Ainslie I will have a look on a map to see where it was, it is so frustrating as nearly every link to my family tree has been demolished.
Did the Dunlop tyre Factory make both tyres and wellies as I have seen pictures for both but I was unsure if this was the same place.
Thanks Paul
Hi Paul
I played around this area as a kid growing up in Speke.
it backs on to Speke hall and we used to walk along side the factory which was then Dunlops
across a farmers field were we used to find golf balls made by Dunlop
at then of the field was a woods were we all used to play and through this you came to Speke hall
I have a great book which plots the origins of Speke with some really good phots
some of which are of the factory letting out at night
there are people going off in differing directions via for the bus stops and what not.
The book is part of the images of England series,and is titled Around Speke
complied by David Paul. published by Tempus publishing of Stroud Gloucester.
The main area where the main gates where in now all industrial units modern.
and the main road which ran along Dunlops is ow the approach to John Lennon airport
just looking at the page now a I write this
there is an aerial view of Rootes factory c1939 in the book
and also some of the main entrance and Speke hall avenvue in 1951 and 1966
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Hi Heyesie
Thanks for the information, your book sounds really interesting I will have to try and get a copy as I can't seem to find any photo's of the factory when aircraft were built there.
Cheers Paul
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Hiya Paul....my mum worked there and it had 3 sections....making planes...a munition factory...and packing parachutes...the edge of the factory was on the same road as the back entrance to the Airport....so the parachutes and ammo were flown out as soon as they were packed...all about time factor during the war....when I was a kid I can remember it all being camouflaged in paint.....a part of the factory was United Reclaim....this was a subsiduary of Dunlops where they recycled old tyres reclaiming any metal and burning the rubber....it was a very large factory and there must be some info on the web about it....try www.yoliverpool.com and go to districts and then Speke ......failing that google All Saints Church Speke ...there is a website for this church for old cubs / scouts /brownies /girl guides......loads and loads of Speke people on there....SOMEONE will have a photo.....good luck....allan ;)
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Hiya Paul....it would appear there was a "Flight Magazine" printed monthly from 1909 to 2005 and a website has them all digitally scanned....go to
www.flightglobal.com ..presumably in the Archives section..also an images section.. allan
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Hi Heyesie
Thanks for the information, your book sounds really interesting I will have to try and get a copy as I can't seem to find any photo's of the factory when aircraft were built there.
Cheers Paul
Hi Paul
I dont know anything about the war years sorry.you will have to see Allan he is the old sod on this one..lol
I knew it did those things Allan speaks off during the war.
I only knew it as Dunlop's
very interesting to see what Allan was saying abou the reclaim
I used to play on them tyres as a kid
I did not know it was part of Dunnies. makes sence though when I think about it..lol
anyhow, check that site out Allan gave you
if you have no luck I will PM you the pics I have
I cant put them on here cos they are published photos
give us a shout if you want them
Not much use to you
but this is the cover of the book
http://www.flipkart.com/around-speke-david-paul/0752407988-u5w3foawpb
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Hi Allan & Heyesie
Thanks for the info, I have found a Speke book on ebay but it has a different cover to the one you showed me, have you any idea if its the same book reprinted or a second edition?
If its got some good photos I will buy it, or if you could pm the photo's that would be great.
Thanks Paul
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Hi Allan & Heyesie
Thanks for the info, I have found a Speke book on ebay but it has a different cover to the one you showed me, have you any idea if its the same book reprinted or a second edition?
If its got some good photos I will buy it, or if you could pm the photo's that would be great.
Thanks Paul
To me Paul it is a good read because I am a Spekeite, deadly enimies of the Garstonite mudmen...lol
Just joking Allan
I found it interesting to see how my home area started
But you may not find it so facinating
I have no idea if the ebay one is the same one reprinted
I will look see in a moment.
But if you check it out yourself and you want it
Just refer to the publishing names I gave you above
and ask the seller on ebay if it is the same one.
Yes, I will scan the pages that you need and try and PM them to you
If I cant, you may need to give me your email address... but not on here on a PM
But I will try that first
I have just looked on ebay Paul
it does look like the same one republished , but he has udes a different publisher.
seems a bit expensive that though
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Heysie.....for the record I lived in Rycot Road in the prefabs and went to Stocko as a kid....didn`t move to Garston until I was 15.......love Speke and it`s people...just the pubs are too far apart....Garston has more and a lot closer to each other.....lol....allan :D
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Heysie.....for the record I lived in Rycot Road in the prefabs and went to Stocko as a kid....didn`t move to Garston until I was 15.......love Speke and it`s people...just the pubs are too far apart....Garston has more and a lot closer to each other.....lol....allan :D
Ahh see.. I knew you had some class about you
It was just confusing me with you being from Garston
You would find that book interesting also Allan
If you have not seen it already
It has class photos from Stocko in the 1950s
Rycott road.. that was my old paper round
didnt Dean Sullivans family come from there
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Hi,
I understand the factory was operated (or at least shared) by Lockheed, the USA plane makers, my step-father worked there on installing self-sealing fuel tanks in areoplane wings.
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Hi,
I understand the factory was operated (or at least shared) by Lockheed, the USA plane makers, my step-father worked there on installing self-sealing fuel tanks in areoplane wings.
I did not know this
Lockhead did have a factory a mile or so further up going towards Widnes though
but this could have been after a shared factory with Rootes
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Hi there,
It could be that he worked up the road. He was getting on a bit when he told stories about working for Lockheeds. We did find a certificate (and a small lapel badge) offering him a job for life in California after the war for all his efforts. He also spent some time working from Burtonwood on the same fuel tank project.
They also used to make Mitchell bombers (B-25) and Havard trainers. I thought I had understood it was based on the airport though.
Chers for now.
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Lockheeds was about three quarters of a mile away....I think they made all their components in the Lockheeds Factory then transported them to Rootes to be fitted......allan ;)
Heysie....I went to St Margarets High School and ALL the Sullivan lads went there...canT say where Dean Lived as his mums still alive ...I was talking to Dean in Coopers not so long ago.....you were 2 roads out..If that helpsin the 3 storey houses..we knew them as the "family houses"....allan
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Hi Allen, my step-father used to have go on trial flights from both Speke & Burtonwood. The Self-sealing fuel tanks were the project he spent most time on, but there were others as well. Sometimes he had to travel to other US air bases. This looks like it might tie in with fitting parts to exisitng aircraft.
Many thanks for the info.
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Layerb....the best Barbeque Sauce you have ever tasted was made by the black GI Chefs at Burtonwood ....one GI used to go to the "Duck" in Garston for a pint and sell it to the lads and he never ever had enough to sell...everybody loved it...he sold all kinds...beer / spirits / cigis etc..all fom the boot of his car...totally illegal of course...he must have made a fortune...allan :)
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Layerb....the best Barbeque Sauce you have ever tasted was made by the black GI Chefs at Burtonwood ....one GI used to go to the "Duck" in Garston for a pint and sell it to the lads and he never ever had enough to sell...everybody loved it...he sold all kinds...beer / spirits / cigis etc..all fom the boot of his car...totally illegal of course...he must have made a fortune...allan :)
And they call us Scousers oppertunists ;D, amongst other things ;)
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when I was a kid I can remember it all being camouflaged in paint.....
Just to add a snippet to this: the roads leading to the factory were also painted with green and black camouflage paint!
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Hi,
My husband's father used to work there. It later became Dunlops.
Just a little aside from all this macho talk .... ! :D I got my first school tennis racket there at Dunlops ... in the seconds shop .... no wonder I was no good at tennis !! ::) ::) ::)
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Sadly I haven't been in Rootschat for a while and missed this little chat about Rootes later Dunlops! The original factory was taken over by the airport sadly, as is most of the open land we had in Speke. The sports field suffered the same fate recently but the patrons moved into the Fox Hotel next door and it is now called 'The Dunnies'!
I'm sure I have copies of a photo or two of the inside of Dunlops somewhere in my files so if anyone is still interested, let me know and I'll dig them out and scan them. I think they were originally out of a newspaper. I also have the three books out on Speke, 2 by David Paul and 1 by Tom Whatmore which I could scan if required. Of course I would have to check copyright rules first.... ;-)
I worked in Lockheeds in the 80's and we made precision hydraulics including the undercarriage for the Red Arrows but I don't remember there ever being a connection with Dunlops.
For those of you with memories of your time in Speke, please pop in to my local history website at www.spekeliverpool.co.uk and share your memories with us in the Guestbook. There are many pages of other people's comments too if you have a few hours to spare!
Looking after the website has been keeping me busy but I can see I'm going to be busy now looking out some photos!
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Thanks for your memories Annie and Bill, if you have any photographs MissM I would be very grateful, if there is a prob with copyright maybe you could attach them in a personal message.
Thanks Paul
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Hi Paul
Sorry it's taken me so long to find these photos of Rootes. I have so many files to go through!!
They are not good copies as they were originally obtained years ago by the local history group who visited the Records Office in Liverpool and photocopied anything they found about Speke!
I have photographed them rather than scanned them as I don't think they will get much better than this but if you have any questions about them or I can clarify anything, please just ask.
I'm not sure what size to post them so I'll try one first and go from there.
Lynne
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Right! Bit too big so I'll shrink the rest slightly!
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Sorry everyone! Shrinking again..... ::)
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Not doing a very good job here but here are the rest!
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Not doing a very good job here but here are the rest!
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And some more.....
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Last one! Hope they're all helpful!
Lynne
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Hi Lynne
These photo's are great. Thanks very much for taking the time to put them on, I have saved all of them to family history folder.
Cheers Paul ;D
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I've just waded through the Liverpool City Council's Record Office files and found only one photo relating to Rootes/Dunlops but it is a better copy of Photo 6 above.
http://archive.liverpool.gov.uk/dserve.exe?&dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=show.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqPos=154&dsqSearch=((text)='speke')
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Hi Paul
Glad you liked them!
Lynne
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Hi, I have a female relative who worked at Rootes Aircraft Factory, Speke during WW2. She recalls a German attack on the factory and people killed. Can anyone confirm this.
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Hi Mathilda
I really don't remember ever hearing that Rootes was bombed. I know bombs were dropped over Speke across the fields but not the factory.
Have a looked at this link for a piece about the first airport which mentions the Rootes factory. It doesn't mention any bombings there. The planes were delivered to Rootes partially built and put together there, then the planes woul dbe wheeled across the road to Speke Airport where pilots (often female) would fly them to wherever they were needed.
http://www.south-lancs-aviation.bravepages.com/history_of_speke_airport.htm
There's another website here with an interesting story of a German attempt to bomb the Rootes factory.
http://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/277179/7.html
Have a look at message 276905.
Sorry I can't be more definite but I can't find any reference to the factory being bombed.
Lynne
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I've been trawling the internet and have found a reference to Rootes being bombed in the Battle of Britain Campaign Diary.
"29th/30th August
Manchester and Liverpool were severely bombed - property, gas and water mains being severely affected. IB and HE bombs are reported to have been dropped in many places including the factory of Messrs Rootes Ltd and others in the Speke district. "
http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/august29.html
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Many thanks Lynne, much appreciated.
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My Mother lived across the road from Rootes. It was never bombed during the war. The Germans tried and hit everything but it. Lord Ha Ha (German Propagandist used to give false reports on the radio) claimed it had been bombed to panic the people, however my Mum and family used to look out of the window and it was still there. Started off as Dunlops tire, then they changed it to make aircraft, then after the war changed it back to Dunlops again. Factory is long gone.
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An excellent book on the HP Halifax:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Handley-Page-Halifax-Victory-Beyond/dp/1906537062
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Hi all,
Just got to this thread while researching the Rootes factory as my late father worked there. He told us about air raids as everyone who worked at there also had a defense role and he was a fire-watcher. He described how he and the other lads would deal with incendiaries which, like all cluster bombs, fell in their hundreds when used. Instead of the ministry approved method using a bucket of sand and a shovel they would dribble the devices 'like Dixie Dean' to the edge of the roof and chip it up over the parapet.
Although he talked about the raids he never mentioned either damage or casualties.
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Hi Ian
Good to hear from you , if you have any more information or photo's of the Rootes Factory please feel free to add them to this thread
Best Regards
Paul
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Hello everyone.
Ian N, I read with interest about your late father and Rootes. My mother in law was one of the first women to be employed as a welder during the war. She is now 89 years old and maintains the the factory was attacked by a lone German plane sweeping low over the factory and firing. She remembers every one taking cover and recalls there may have been casualties. She would love to know if anyone else can remember this incident.
Regards,
Mathilda.
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The factory made bombers during WW2. Later it became part of the Dunlop Rubber company. It closed in 1979/1980, in part due to destructive behaviour of the trades unions. It was demolished and the site now houses various industrial units.
It was on Speke Hall Avenue, and the main gate was opposite the junction with Dunlop Road. Speke Hall Avenue now leads to the "new" Liverpool Airport. This airport was named after John Lennon, and what a travesty that is: it's difficult to think of a less deserving deadbeat. Is he really the best example of value and worth that Liverpool has?
Anyway, the factory made car tyres, truck tyres, cycle tubes, golf balls, tennis balls, and conveyor belting.
There was a chap on the old black & white TV programme, What's my line? (Eamon Andrews et al) who claimed to pump the air into tennis balls. No such job existed.
In answer to another's question, Wellington boots were made at the Dunlop Footwear plant in Walton, Liverpool.
The Lockheed factory was Lockheed Hydraulics, not the Lockhead Aircraft company.
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This airport was named after John Lennon, and what a travesty that is: it's difficult to think of a less deserving deadbeat. Is he really the best example of value and worth that Liverpool has?
I think you are a little harsh there my friend
you may not have liked the guy
but the City of Liverpool have done well via tourism from those four lads
as for the airport being named after him
we all know it is a money making scheme for the owners and that all
if it brings in revenue for the City at the same time
well the more the merrier I say
matter of interest, are you from this City
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Yes, I am from Liverpool: originally from near Anfield and then from very close to the airport.
A mile or so from from the airport is Flemming Road, named after Alexander Flemming of penicillin fame. Given the amount of global human benefit and financial benefit to Liverpool that drug and its derivatives have brought, I think Flemming International Airport may have been more appropriate, but why not just Liverpool's own name?
Lennon (and George Best of Belfast) set such a bad example through his behaviour, and his musical talents were negligible.
When people like that get such official endorsement it's little wonder that our idea of talent, standards and worth are so low, and that we have so much anti-social behaviour. I know I'm very far from alone in my view of Lennon's abject unworthiness.
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Yes, I am from Liverpool: originally from near Anfield and then from very close to the airport.
A mile or so from from the airport is Flemming Road, named after Alexander Flemming of penicillin fame. Given the amount of global human benefit and financial benefit to Liverpool that drug and its derivatives have brought, I think Flemming International Airport may have been more appropriate, but why not just Liverpool's own name?
Lennon (and George Best of Belfast) set such a bad example through his behaviour, and his musical talents were negligible.
When people like that get such official endorsement it's little wonder that our idea of talent, standards and worth are so low, and that we have so much anti-social behaviour. I know I'm very far from alone in my view of Lennon's abject unworthiness.
Englishman
I agree with you the Great debt we owe to Mr Flemming
But who other than the interested few
would even know who the guy was.
Now come on be realistic
think about it
why have they used Lennons name
its just to make money nowt eles for themselves
and wether you liked the guy or not
you cant write of the revenue he has brought to this City down the years.
If Speke airport really did need to be named after one of them
it should have been Paul or George, both of them lived there.
can you imagine aunt Mimi's distaste at the thought
of the child she brought up
having an airport named after him
in working class Speke
god help her...lol
I think also if a vote was taken with members of this site from our are
about John Lenno
I think that more than likely you would find
a resounding thumbs up for Mr Lennon.
by the way
I am sorry for questioning your place of Birht
I just dont come across Liverpudlians
slagging of any of the the 3 Beatles
I do however understand anyone slagging of Mr Starkey..haha
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I must admit, as someone who lives on the airport's doorstep that a lot of the local residents were bemused the the choice of name by the airport, but having now got used to it we don't give it a lot of thought.
Reading Englishman's post I have to agree it would have been nice to have it named after Alexander Flemming and thereby enable others to learn about him and his work. Unfortunately I do think money was involved in the choice.
As it is, I agree with Heysie that one of the other two Beatles who actually lived in Speke would have been more appropriate. Many people here remember Paul's time in Speke and his Mum was the local midwife. Being delivered by her was many local people's claim to fame!
You're right about Ringo, Heysie! Thank goodness the airport didn't choose him as their namesake... he might have turned up at the renaming ceremony.... and SANG!!!
Lynne
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You're right about Ringo, Heysie! Thank goodness the airport didn't choose him as their namesake... he might have turned up at the renaming ceremony.... and SANG!!!
Lynne
Yes,, well or at least tried to sing.. ;D
going on for 70 now
surely he must realise its not his thing..
mind you was drumming
even Paul once said
Ringo wasnt vevn the best drummer in the Beatles....... ;D ;D
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Who ran the factory would anyone know where to look?
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Just came across this thread
My late father also worked at Speke during WW2 and assume he was at The Rootes work. I recall him telling me he used to check over Bristol Blenheims before the were delivered to the RAF often going up on test flights. He also worked on converting Liberator bombers into transporters and fitting various types with sand filters for them to operate in the Desert.
I also recall he was a part of an Anti Aircraft crew but dont know where - possibly home guard unit at the factory???
He joined the RAF in 1945 and then joined BOAC when he was demobbed.
Can anybody give any further details to the above?
Best Regards
Chris
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It has probably been knocked down and replaced by another factory.
For example the triumph car factory is a possible
There has been a lot of redevelopment over the last 30 years.
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Who ran the factory would anyone know where to look?
. I guess that the site was owned by the government or MAP
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I am not sure how old this thread is but Rootes became Dunlops after the war making tyres, tennis balls amongst other products. Dunlops eventually closed and the buildings demolished, it is now an industrial site with a number of units operating there.
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I lived opposite the factory at 95 Hale Rd until I went to uni at 18 in 1961. I could see it clearly from my bedroom. The factory had a zig zag roof with a camouflage pattern painted on it. The 2 houses behind ours lost their roofs during araid. Don't recall my parents mentioning the facory being bombed. My dad worked their build planes. The paving flags leading tthe airfield were badly cracked - caused by te planes?
I remeber watching the buses go up the road to the facory and turn around at the front gate. There was a lane tothe left which led to Critchley's? farm. Fantastic blackberries and a pond at the end where there were millions of tiny frogs one year. One year 1946/47 I was stung by a bee/wasp and pushed back home in my pushchair by my sister and the local gang of kids!
There was a field to the right of the road with an old shelter/AA gun site? were a local kid was burnt with acid, carelessly left behind.
More damage was caused to properties in Speke when it was expanded to rehouse inner city residents - many of whom did a pretty good job of vandalisng the place far more effectively than the Luftwaffe ever managed to do,
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Bray Road ,Speke starts on one side as number 24
Rycot Road - next to Bray Road has No 25 and next door is 37 - the reason being 2-22 Bray Road and 27 -35 Rycot Road were destroyed by bombs trying to hit the Rootes Factory ...the numbers of these houses which were being built at the time were never returned as it was considered unlucky .
My mum worked in Rootes and told me the womens skin was black with Cobalt and very difficult to get off no matter how you scrubbed .
:)
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On reading this I had to check out the numbers, just out of curiosity,
looking at Bray today, it starts at 19, right on the corner of western, so unless Bray would have originally planned to go right across into Tarbock Rd and not let Western carry onto The boulevard
there really was no place to build any more houses for Bray road.
looking on the 1939 register for Speke, the lowest number at the outbreak of war was 27 Bray road
possible building was stopped during the war years
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this is SO FUNNY ...I live 5 doors away from No19 Bray road - what made me put 24 I will never know ...must have had a little tipple that day ...lol Monday Club
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Hello all, I've just signed up to the page - congratulations on great work.
I've found out my granddad and his wife, who lived on York Way, Garston, worked at Rootes in WW2. He was a 'Store Keeper, Aircraft', according to the 1939 Register. Anyway, in about 1942 my aunt tells me he was transferred to the plant in Stoke. I can't seem to find any reference to a Rootes factory in Stoke - can you help?
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According to Wiki they had a place at Blythe Bridge south east of Stoke on Trent from 1941 to 1943, could that be where your aunt meant?
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Ah, it may well be; those dates certainly fit. I'll try to find out more. Thanks Gibel.
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I see COMEONFRANK hasn't posted on Rootschat since January this year and I have only just found this thread. If anybody is interested here is a link to some photos of Rootes at Speke https://rafww2butler.wordpress.com/speke-photo-gallery/ There are also quite a few more on Google Images, just enter Rootes Aircraft factory.