On April 7th, Eric Jackson presented a superb talk about ‘the History of Barnbow Munitions Works’. The Works were established in Leeds in 1914 by local businessmen responding to a National need for high explosive shells for WW1. The site included access to the railway network to bring in TNT explosives and shell cases and send out the finished shells for use in the war. It was highly dangerous work, carried out largely by women, while men were involved in the fighting.
The women were referred to as ‘Barnbow Canaries’ because their skin turned yellow with the chemicals they were worked with – and many became ill. In 1916 there was a massive explosion that killed 35 women and injured many more.