Description
Object description
British civilian munitions worker at Slade Green and Woolwich Arsenal, London, GB, 1914-1918
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as civilian munitions worker at Slade Green in GB, 1916-1917: early war work; filling shells at Slade Green; rail transport to factory; hours, pay and rate of work; clothing; fleeing factory during air raid; effect of TNT on skin and hair; public opinion of munitions girls; description of factory; medical inspections and dangers of work; reason for volunteering and public patriotism; boyfriend and family's war service.
REEL 2 Continues: story of post-war meeting with soldier boyfriend. Recollections of period as civilian munitions worker at Woolwich Arsenal in London, GB, 1917-1918: move to Woolwich Arsenal cartridge factory; hours; air raid precautions; Lilian Barker's work and character; pay cuts and joining union; accidents; story of mistaken shooting down of British pilot; brother's war service.
REEL 3 Continues: sister in law's family background; dangerous jobs at Woolwich; washing facilities in munitions factories; sending parcels to troops; husband's war injuries; air raids; effect of TNT on teeth; protective clothing.
REEL 4 Continues: clothing at Woolwich Arsenal; seeing German POWs; attitude towards Germans; post-war unemployment protest march to Westminster and police intervention; story of father's death from influenza on Armistice Day, 11/11/ 1918; attitudes towards men who stayed at home; marriage, 1919; working day rota; types of workers at Woolwich; friendship with US soldier.
REEL 5 Continues: working conditions; overseer; working through illness; timekeeping; singing during air raids; seeing wounded at Charing Cross Station; sheltering in public baths; cartridge filling work at Woolwich.
REEL 6 Continues: prior recollection of work rate at Slade Green; putting notes in shells; Lilian Barker helping pregnant munitions girls; behaviour with troops; pay cuts at Woolwich; joining union and pay rise; meals; effect of damp on TNT; inspection of work; duration of yellowing and other effects of TNT poisoning.
REEL 7 Continues: lack of promotion prospects for munitions workers; joining Workers' Union. Story about canteen work at Cranwell during Second World War.