Description and History of Site:-
The declaration of war with Germany on 3rd August 1914 created a need for large volumes of arms and munitions.
A site for the first national shell filling factory was selected at Barnbow Common, between Crossgates and Garforth, by the Leeds Munitions Committee, construction starting in August 1915.
The site was 313 acres, later extended to 400 acres and was built on land between Manston Lane and to both sides of Barnbow Lane, with the North Eastern railway along its Southern edge and a rail siding connecting into the factory complex.
Just South of the main entrance, Barnbow Halt station was built with 800' (244m) long platforms. Thirty eight trains per day were arranged to transport workers to and from work, known as 'Barnbow Specials'.
A huge workforce of 16,000 was required so an employment agency was set up at Wellesley Barracks in Leeds.
For 6 days per week, a 24 hour, 3 shift system was operated with 93% of workers being women, known as the 'Barnbow Lasses'. They earned £3 per week, though those handling explosives, the 'danger girls', could earn £10-17 per week through a bonus system.
Working conditions were harsh. The workers handling explosives had to strip down to their underwear at the start of the shift and wear approved smocks and caps. Rubber soled shoes were provided to prevent sparks. Hair clips and jewellery were handed in, to prevent sparks by static electricity. Matches and cigarettes were completely banned.
The workers handling Cordite, a shell propellant, had the side effect of their skin turning yellow, earning them the nickname of 'Barnbow Canaries'. To counteract this ailment, plenty of milk was to be drunk, and barley water. Barnbow had its own farm, Shippen House, producing 300 gallons (1364 litres) per day.
Workers were limited to two weeks exposure of TNT fumes between jobs, being periodically examined by medical staff.
An on site slaughter house and butcher supplied meat to the site and in 1918, 200 tons (203,209 kg) of potatoes were grown.
Three canteens were provided, the largest holding 4000 workers, with two sittings of 45 minutes duration.
A 10 mile (16km) 2' (609mm) gauge tramway was laid around the factory complex for the lighter loads, powered by a stable of 70 ponies, looked after by the women.
Heavy loads were transported, using standard gauge rail sidings, around the site with 150 wagons per day, increasing to 600 per day by Autumn 1918, 10,000 tons per week (10,000,000kg) of munitions were being moved.
Empty shells and shell cases, manufactured elsewhere, were brought to site by rail and stored in the Empty Shell Store, to the NE of the site. Empty shells were de-scaled and painted adjacent to the Shell Store awaiting filling with the explosive and fitting of the fuse.
The textile industry supplied vast quantities of material for exploder bags, smoke bags and sewing twine.
The site had its own fire brigade crewed by 30 women and 6 firemen, under the control of a firemaster from London. In addition to the water main, a 300,000 gallon (1,363,827 litre) reservoir was built along with three storage ponds created by damming nearby Cock Beck. There were two fire-pumps, one of them steam driven in case of power failure. An electrically operated steam siren was fitted in case of emergencies and a system of sprinklers and drenchers were installed in all the magazines and danger areas, along with fire-proof doors.
Raised earthworks surrounded all buildings containing explosives.
A barbed wire security fence surrounded the entire factory complex. The main factory pedestrian entrance was between Shippen House farm and the railway station and comprised a guardhouse, pay room and waiting room. The vehicle entrance was on Manston Lane and consisted of a guard house. By December 1915 extensive cartridge factory buildings had been built, mostly of a frangible wooden construction, as were all buildings in a 'danger area', enabling filling operations to commence. About 50 women were employed at this time, but the workforce eventually increased to 16,000, 93% of them women.
Power was brought in via a 10Kv overhead line to a sub-station. A water main brought into the site supplied 200,000 gallons (909,218 litres) daily.
In March 1916 building was begun on the melting house for AMATOL 'B' facilities.
By April the first batch of thirty 4.5'' (114.3mm) shells were filled per day, rising to 6000 shells per day, using three shifts.
1917 a separate site was procured nearby to the West, fourteen large magazines for the storage of finished munitions were built.
5th December 1916 a massive explosion occurred at 22:27 hours in Room 42 which was used for filling, fusing and packing 4.5'' 114.3mm) shells.Thirty five women were killed outright with many more seriously injured and maimed. Despite the danger existing still in that area, other workers hurried to help the injured.
Residents in the area witnessed crowds of workers, many with yellowed faces, running along Manston Lane in a state of distress.
The accident was kept secret by the censorship and not revealed until six years after the Wars end.
A second accident happened on 21st March 1917 killing three women, and a third on 31st March 1918 killing three men.
By March 1924 the site had been returned to the landowner Colonel Gascoigne. In June 1938 sections of the land were sold off.

The grand total of munitions produced were:
Cartridges of all sizes 36,150,000
Shells filled 24,750,000
Shells completed with fuses and packed 19,250,000
Total Tonnage of finished munitions sent overseas 566,000 tons.

Further Reading and References:-
http://www.barwickinelmethistoricalsociety.com/4746.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnbow
http://www.on-magazine.co.uk/yorkshire/history/barnbow-munitions-factory-leeds/
http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Barnbow-Lasses/
http://www.leodis.net/searchResults.aspx?LOCID=0&DECADE=0&YEAR=&KEYWORDS=BARNBOW&KEYWORDS2=&ANDOR2=And&KEYWORDS3=&ANDOR3=And&RECSPAGE=20&IMG=0&VIEW=1&CURRPAGE=1&PUBID=0

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Key Words :- munitions shells armaments

Viewing the Site :- Viewing from roadside and footpaths across site.

Address :- Manston Lane/Barnbow Lane, Manston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS15 8AB
Grid Ref :- SE 38542 34490
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.805285 , Long -1.416241
Local Authority :- Leeds Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site demolished or no longer extant
Historic England List No - 1415057,
Site Condition :- Earthworks only
Site Dates :- 1915 - 1924
Record Date :- 3 October 2018

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Andrew Garford