The Times Report of the Event

The Ashton Munitions Works Explosion

The explosion at the Hooley Hill Rubber and Chemical Works on William Street Ashton Under Lyne occurred on Wednesday, June 13th 1917 and claimed the lives of 43 people including workers, and local residents. It is clear that the effects of the explosion were felt as far afield as Dukinfield where windows were blown out. This is some two miles away. The factory, which produced TNT for the war effort was situated in a densely populated area and one of the after effects of the explosion was that the area was redeveloped from a slum area, to an area meeting the new standards of the day. Although none of my family were amongst the dead, my grandmother often told me the tale of the day the TNT Works went up.

The victims of the explosion are listed below:

• Name

  Age

  Address

  Comment

• Thomas Allen

  51

  Charles Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Labourer at Works

• Edwin Bibby

  6

  Bollington Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Taken to hospital with head injuries and died on Admission

• John Birkett

  35

  Chapel Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Process Worker/Labourer

• Richard Bottomley

  53

  Manchester Road Droylsden

  Pipe Fitter

• Eli Brimble

  43

  William Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Process Foreman

• Samuel Britten

  8

  Back Mount Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Taken to hospital with a fractured skull. Dead on Arrival

• Arthur Brocklehurst

  12

  Fitzroy Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Grocers Errand Boy. Taken to hospital with head injuries. Dead on Arrival

• Allen Chadwick

  15

  Smith Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Greaser for Great Central Railways

• Arthur Cooper

  29

  William Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Process worker/Nitric Stills. Took a fainting girl to safety then returned

• John Cowling

  11

  Ann Street Audenshaw

  Schoolboy

• Nathan Daniels

  23

  Herbert Street Manchester

  Chemist

• William Day

  50

  Hill Street Dukinfield

  Process Worker. Taken to hospital with a fractured skull

• Thomas Dean

  45

  Victoria Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Labourer

• Joseph Deighton

  49

  Wharf Street Dukinfield

  Process Worker. Taken to hospital with burns to entire body. Died 14th June 1917

• Sylvain Dreyfus

  51

  Windmill Lane Denton

  Co Proprietor of Company

• James Evans

  24

  Old Road Hyde

  Draughtsman at Works

• Albert Evans

  27

  Old Road Hyde

  Fitter. Brother of James Evans

• Harry Froggatt

  34

  Church Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Pipe Fitter. Identified by his belt

• Robert Hadfield

  34

  Stanley Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Process Worker

• Harold Hilton

  12

  Bennett Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Killed whilst playing in the street

• William Holden

  9

  Park Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Dead on arrival at hospital

• Annie Ingham

  9

  William Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Hit by debris in William Street

• Florence Jacks

  31

  Wych Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Died after giving premature birth to twins in Lakes Hospital

• Isaac Johnson

  42

  Park Street Hulme

  Process Worker

• Sarah Kearns

  4

  Gerrard Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Killed by falling glass in Victoria Street

• George Liddiard

  71

  Victoria Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Yard foreman/fireman who went to the works after hearing the explosion

• Herbert Litchfield

  35

  Park Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Process/Nitric Man

• Alexander Mitchell

  45

  Burlington Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Foreman/Mechanic

• John Minch

  49

  Spring Grove Terrace Ashton Under Lyne

  Yard Foreman

• James Ogden

  76

  William Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Knocker Up. Taken to hospital after walking in the street

• William Price

  25

  Moss Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Labourer. Went back into the building to ensure his girlfriend was out

• Allen Postles

  42

  Stockport

  Pipe Fitter

• James Rigby

  12

  Grosvenor Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Part time factory worker killed whilst returning home from school

• Richard Roberts

  9

  Hereford Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Taken to hospital with injuries to head. Died on admission

• John Robinson

  25

  Weston Street Openshaw

  Chemical Plumber

• Mary Shirt

  64

  John Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Widow

• William Tams

  49

  Back Portland Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Labourer. Old Soldier and Sailor

• Frederick Watson

  10

  Bennett Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Killed with Harold Hilton in William Street

• Charles Welbourne

  28

  Trafalgar Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Railway Fireman

• Elizabeth Whittaker

  58

  William Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Taken to hospital with a broken spine

• William Wild

  69

  Victoria Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Grocer. Leg and arm amputated. Died of shock

• John Wright

  28

  Ellison Street Ashton Under Lyne

  Soldier on leave. Went to assist

• John Wroe

  58

  Dale Street Hooley Hill

  Labourer