RULES OF THE ROYAL
GUNPOWDER FACTORY
WALTHAM ABBEY, 1916
printed by HARRSION AND SONS, London, 1916
From 1916, a very rare original WW1 set of rules for the Royal Gunpowder Factory, Waltham Abbey. Covering all the rules and safety precautions that a munitions worker was expected to follow, including the circumstances (such as bringing matches or pipes into the factory) which would lead to a worker being instantly dismissed. This edition was printed in November 1916, and is signed on the front cover by its original owner ‘F. Amiss, A2129’.
The Royal Gunpowder Mills, Waltham Abbey were in operation for over 300 years. From the mid-1850s onwards the site was involved in developing new nitro-based explosives and propellants. The First World War brought a huge upsurge in demand for munitions and staff numbers at Waltham increased by around 3,000 to a total of 6,230. The 3,000 additional workers were largely female, recruited from the surrounding area. Shortly after World War II Waltham became solely a Defence Research Establishment - firstly the Explosives Research and Development Establishment, then the Propellants, Explosives and Rocket Motor Establishment Waltham Abbey; and finally the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment Waltham Abbey.
Condition:
In very good condition. The card cover is in good condition, with a few marks. The stapled binding is secure, although the original staples are rusty. The text is in very good condition.
Published: 1916
Green card cover with black titling
Dimensions: 100mm x 160mm
Pages: 30
