The Nation's Arsenal

badge worn by Royal Ordnance Factory workers (IWM pic P.86) The state-run Royal Ordnance Factories produced large guns, bombs, mines and tanks as well as most small arms, ammunition and explosives. After 1936 the original three factories: ROF Woolwich, Waltham and the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield were complemented by another forty factories, and by 1943 these employed 300,000 men and women. This represented the greatest production of munitions in British industrial history.

 "Woolwich Arsenal in 1943" by R S Austin (IWM cat: LD3463)
 
"A Royal Ordnance Factory Explosion, Hereford" by Ruskin Spear Much Royal Ordnance work involved working with dangerous chemicals and the risk of explosion was high, so factories were often built in isolated locations. 
Hostels were built for workers, though many preferred to stay at home and travel in to work. The factories were often enormous. One at Chorley contained 1500 buildings spread over 1000 acres, and it could take 45 minutes to cross the site.
 
Ordnance factories were one of the major successes and innovators of wartime industry. They brought work to areas blighted by unemployment in the 1930s, their facilities were often almost unrivalled and they were way ahead of private industry in the use of quality controls, production incentives and 3 shift systems.  women workers heading steel cases (IWM pic P.816)
girls in factory hostel corridor (IWM pic P.474)

Despite their isolation they were popular with the workforce and they proved so efficient that plans for another 19 were cancelled.

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