Another bit of information just surfaced - the Hooton sites main function was to make Anti-Aircraft Guns - there is also a possibility they made shell cases. This site did not deal with explosives of any kind.
We don't do charity in Germany, we pay taxes. Charity is a failure of governments' responsibilities - Henning Wehn
Very good DD. At the beginning of the thread you mentioned the site was handed over to Williams & Williams for cleaning up. Do you know anything on that firm Williams & Williams, during WW2 my mother worked for that company making Jerry cans, apparently she gained welding skills. As far as i know it was in Chester.
Williams & Williams main business was making metal window frames, the Hooton site made standard sized frames for the building industry, the Chester site made Aluminium Curtain Walling. They took over the Hooton site on 21st April 1945.
Thanks for that DD
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
Here is a better picture of the Fireman's Watch Shelter, the second picture is confirming what Pinz said, there is a another shelter at the other end of the gantry, second picture is a pitch black (15 second ISO-1600) night-shot hence the poor quality - but spot the stars.
We don't do charity in Germany, we pay taxes. Charity is a failure of governments' responsibilities - Henning Wehn
Visited here today with Pinz. Here's a couple more pics of the Consol shelter. Also, a scan of an advert for it from the book "Walls of War" by Mallory & Ottar: Pinz's book, thanks. We were also able to gain access to the inside of the building, thanks to a co-operative security guard. Of interest is the internal factory narrow gauge rail system. Shown in the pic is a crossover on the narrow gauge system, combined with the standard gauge line which would have connected with the main line at or near Hooton.
Well done lads, that place was very twitchy in the past so one place I never thought of asking.
I didn't spot the third rail on my own picture either - good one. Love the washing line in your picture, I guess the company has moved out, I haven't seen the shutters up at all in the last few weeks.
We don't do charity in Germany, we pay taxes. Charity is a failure of governments' responsibilities - Henning Wehn
This is my first post in Wirral History - so hello everyone!!!
Just a thought on where the explosives were made - Capenhurst (before it was UKAEA / later BNFL) was a large ordnance factory in WW2 and just down the road from Hooton - my Nan worked there...
Cheers, Bill.
Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come.
Billy - can you ask your Nan whether capenhurst was a "Filling Factory" (ie one that put the explosives into shells) or an "Explosives Factory" (ie one that made the chemical explosives) or even an "Engineering Factory" (ie one that made small arms or did other engineering work). I used to have this information but I have lost it, and all references to details of ROF Capenhurst (pre 1950) have seemed to have disapeared off the internet.
Cheers dd
We don't do charity in Germany, we pay taxes. Charity is a failure of governments' responsibilities - Henning Wehn
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