Acton or Long Melford maybe

[coppernob]

Does anyone recognise where these photo's were taken, the bottom one in 1918. Possibly Acton or Long Melford, Suffolk.  Do they look like factory girls to you. My dear cousin would love to know & why two nurses ?

Coppernob

[diddymiller]

Hi C, the uniforms look very like the ones worn by girls in the munitions factories - which would suit the year. see attached of hubby's grandmother in similar.

would also explain nurses - these were horrific places to work sometimes.

Diddy

[diddymiller]

Long Melford:

The 1914 -1918 war had a great impact on village life as many young men were called up to fight. The war memorial records the names of 96 men and one woman who lost their lives in service but many others returned home bearing the scars of the conflict. Despite the agricultural depression employment was still available in Melford as the horsehair and cocoanut matting industries and the iron foundry continued to trade with List’s Hair factory working up until the 1960s. Stafford Allen’s mill opened on the site of the Flax works in 1899 distilling herbs and oils, eventually becoming Bush Boake Allen and employing many local people until it closed a few years ago

maybe they worked in one of these?

Diddy

[coppernob]

Thanks for the replies we now think it may be crittalls in Braintree Essex as it was as you say a Munitions fctory during ww1.

C

[Suffolk Mawther]

Hello gal,

My first job was for The Rank Organisation, they sent me to college too. I worked as a Junior Secretary upstairs, downstairs were the men making various things on the factory floor (inc early computer casings). We always had at least one nurse on duty, it was to do with the Factories Act and having fully qualified nurses available. Now we rely on Elf & Safety and all the first aiders and first responders!

SM ...

[coppernob]

Hi Suffolkmawther

Nice to hear from your 'alter ego'     One photo was taken in 1918 in Braintree, so after a visit to the museum where they have a few photo's of inside the factory, we think it is possibly Crittalls workforce as they changed from making windows to munitions & lockers etc during the 1st world war & back to windows afterwards. They also had a drs surgery built for the workforce. Girls were dressed very similarly. And would probably have travelled from Long Melford to Braintree by train & could have lodged in one of the nine houses provided for the girls who came from other villages.

Amazing what you can learn when someone says 'Do you know ..............??

C

[Suffolk Mawther]

Very interesting, we do know there was a train station at Long Melford so it is possible ... a big 'like' from me 

[coppernob]

Thanks Suffolkmawther,
Hope you enjoyed your day at the Suffolk Regiment Museum today. Love going there, well worth a visit.

Thanks for your like,  Coppernob 'That gel a bit further doon t rood' now xx