Significant but forgotten Great War contribution recalled in guided walk

Carshalton war memorial 1929 1A significant but forgotten contribution by Sutton residents to the Great War effort 100 years ago was recalled recently in a guided walk around the former Brock’s Munitions Factory in North Cheam.

The industrial site, which in peacetime was the Brock’s Fireworks Factory, is now covered by suburban housing.

About 15 people took part in the walk around the various points of interest connected with what for more than 30 years was the world’s largest fireworks factory.  During WW1 it was used to manufacture a range of wartime munitions including bombs, hand grenades, flares and rockets.  Hundreds of local people were employed in the dangerous work, five of whom were killed in explosions and are commemorated in Sutton Cemetery.

The walk, led by Tony Brett Young, was part of the initiative Sutton Remembers WW1: The War Graves which is being supported by the the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The main programme, Sutton Remembers WW1, is made up of a busy schedule of events in Sutton Borough lasting from 2014 to 2018 to commemorate the Great War .

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