White Lund Munitions Factory - Morecambe

[SooCatt]

Hello

I wonder if anyone knows of any records of deaths that occurred at the White Lund Munitions factory during WW1.

My Mum is a member of a local history group in County Durham and they are researching the people from the town who were killed in WW1.  One of those people was an Annie Bell and she was killed in a munitions factory.  They had assumed it was the munitions factory at Birtley but they have unnearthed something (not sure what) to say that she was actually working in Morecambe.

Mum has asked me if I can help find out if that is the case.  I have looked for a death record for the WW1 period in Lancaster and there doesn't seem to be one that would fit.  So I wondered if there might be a memorial to the factory workers.

Thanks for reading this I'll be glad of any advice on how to track Annie down

Susan

[Duck]

I believe the accident happened on 1st October 1917 and 10 people were killed.

Free BMD has this death indexed

Dec Qtr  1917

Fanny Bell    Age 42  Lancaster  8e 737

[Duck]

The second post on this thread might be usefull

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=13414

Apparently women casualties amongst the munition workers are recorded on the panels in York Minster

Regards

Simon

[Duck]

Here is an account of the actual explosion

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-EVdYq7oK_kC&pg=RA3-PA2329&lpg=RA3-PA2329&dq=morecambe+munitions+factory+explosion&source=bl&ots=P65V3p10Nz&sig=NZURLzJUs2BEnog9nkG6wbykadI&hl=en&ei=siyNSq30JqXajQeO0KH8DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=morecambe%20munitions%20factory%20explosion&f=false

Regards

Simon

Another account

http://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/nostalgia/White-Lund-Explosion.3235084.jp

[SooCatt]

Thanks for that all of you.  At least I now can narrow down the search for her death - if indeed she was there.

I'll try the York Minster route too.

Why do you suppose someone from Birtley in Durham would be working at a factory in Morecambe?  Any ideas?

Thanks again

Susan

[Duck]

Hi Susan

Reading accounts of the explosion, it appears that woman from all over the country worked at the munitions factory, over 8,000 people worked there, mostly women

Regards

Simon

[SooCatt]

Thanks Duck for this and your PMs.  The death entry for a Fanny Bell could be her.  I think tracking down a memorial or list of casualties is needed.  I might try the gent on the Great War Forum though I notice that the post about the memorials in York Minster was posted in 2002.

Worth a shot though

Thanks again
Susan

[Duck]

Hi Susan

I have emailed Lancaster City Museum as I believe they have information on the explosion.  I think the lack of info was due to the fact that it was hushed up at the time, they didn't want the Germans using it as propaganda.

Simon

[SooCatt]

Gosh Simon that's really nice of you.   

I look forward to hearing what they have to offer.

You're a star!

Susan