Royal Arsenal Woolwich During WW2

[stewart_M]

Here's a long shot! 

My gran was working as a clerk for the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich at the outbreak of WW2 but having had enough of the constant bombings of the Blitz she was one of many Royal Arsenal workers who took the chance to move to the military depot at Donnington in Shropshire around 1941ish.  Whole streets were built in Donnington to house these workers from London and I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to get any info about this wholesale movement of the Londoners and if there are any records of the Royal Arsenal workers around 1940/41 that could shed some light on when she moved.

Although she would talk briefly about the Blitz I never questioned her thoroughly about her experiences and the move from London to Shropshire and sadly she's no longer here to ask.

Stewart

[Nick29]

The best place to start would be the The Greenwich Heritage Centre which is a museum built on the site of the old Woolwich Arsenal.

[Valda]

Hi

The Royal Arsenal was a military establishment so as such all records would be government records which if they survive are at some point released to The National Archives. A clerk working at the Royal Arsenal would be a Ministry of Defence employee

'In general, civil servants personnel records are kept at least until the person reaches 72 years of age, although the Ministry of Defence keep their civilian service records until the person reaches 100 years of age. The MOD will only release personal information to the data subject unless proof of death can be provided. Even if proof of death is provided there can be restrictions on the release of information. For more details contact: People Services, Access to Personal Information Service (APIS), Personnel, Pay and Pensions Agency, Ministry of Defence, J Block, Foxhill, Bath, BA1 5AB.'


From The National Archives research guide

Civil Servants Personnel Records

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=358


Further details from The National Archives catalogue on the records held by TNA on the Royal Ordnance Factories including Woolwich

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=655&CATLN=2&Highlight=%2CWOOLWICH%2CARSENAL&accessmethod=0


The move might be recorded in local newspapers (held at the Greenwich Heritage Centre) whose accounts should be a lot more interesting than TNA Royal Ordnance Factories records.


Regards

Valda

[Nick29]

Stewart - you haven't said in your RootsChat profile where you live, so I don't know if a trip to the Heritage Centre would be feasible for you.   If it is, there is a permanent exhibition there about the work done in the Royal Arsenal, and although they may not be able to tell you anything about your ancestor, they may at least be able to give you a picture of what life was like there.  If you're not able to make it to SE London, then I've found that the people at the Heritage Centre will give some information by email if you request it.

[stewart_M]

Nick and Valda

Many thanks for the advice and I will follow this up.  I live in Shropshire although I do make regular trips down to London so I will visit the heritage centre but will also e-mail.  My gran used to talk about working at Woolwich but as a kid you just don't take much notice until it's too late!  The current 70th anniversary of the Blitz has renewed my determination to find more specific details; I remember her talking about the first day of the Blitz when she was walking along the road that Saturday afternoon near the river when the Luftwaffe loomed over head.  She also remembered a margerine manufacturing plant being hit by bombs with processed margerine entering the Thames and causing a horrendous stink for weeks; she could never eat margerine after that because the taste and smell invoking bad memories!

Stewart

[Valda]

Hi

If your grandmother's records still survive at the Ministry of Defence you will need to write to them

'In general, civil servants personnel records are kept at least until the person reaches 72 years of age, although the Ministry of Defence keep their civilian service records until the person reaches 100 years of age.....'

It seems to indicate after this time lapse they might not be retained, meaning they might be destroyed.


The Greenwich Heritage Centre is the London borough of Greenwich's archives. The military museum is Firepower - the Royal Artillery Museum

http://www.firepower.org.uk/

I think they are all on the same site.

'The entire site is owned and managed by the London Development Agency. Alongside Firepower is the Greenwich Borough Heritage Centre (operated by the London Borough of Greenwich) telling the history of the area from earliest times and the industrial background of the Royal Arsenal buildings.'


Regards

Valda