WWII E.W.B. Factory Photos

[Montagu]

I have a number of really nice, large, original, WWII photos showing ladies working in a factory. They appear to be assembling ordnance of various sizes and assembling/welding/testing jerry cans.

The workers have the letters E.W.B. on their headwear. It would be excellent if anyone can tell me what E.W.B. stands for and where this factory was.

Montagu

 

[orpheus72]

I have EWB in my notes as 'E.W. Bliss Ltd' (as mfg marking on a 25Pdr).

 

[Snufkin]

EW Bliss Ltd, City Road, Derby. Making power presses, dies, can making machinery pre-war.

 

[Montagu]

Many thanks indeed 'orpheus72' and 'Snufkin'. I've just found, on the web, an old photo of the E.W.Bliss factory in Derby. It's the same building as one shown in the one exterior photo in this set. There's no doubt about it!

It's easy to see how the power presses and can making machinery have been adapted for war work. There are interesting suggestions that the production rate and quality of work of each worker was closely monitored!!

Thanks again

Montagu

 

[Montagu]

Here are three more photos from the E. W. Bliss Ltd set. If anyone can suggest a very short description to lightly pencil on the back of any of them, I'd be very grateful.
Montagu

 

[2pounder]

nice photos, any idea of the date, they look post WWII as one of the ladies is wearing a fairly modern style dust mask.

 

[Montagu]

I can't be 100% sure but I'm assuming they are all WWII photos. One of the photos in the set has a 1943 date. Lots of the photos show the production of huge quantities of jerry cans i.e. assembling, welding and testing. All the workers are ladies.

 

[Bunbry]

Amazing, E.W Bliss was a Derby firm that carried on for may years until quite recently, the Derby site was bought by the American Company in 1938/9. Casting had been going on at the site for many years before that.

 

[Darkman]

Amazing, E.W Bliss was a Derby firm that carried on for may years until quite recently, the Derby site was bought by the American Company in 1938/9. Casting had been going on at the site for many years before that.

I believe that E.W. Bliss was an American parent company. On WW1 cartridge cases (e.g. 18 pdrs) EWB Co. is taken as an American manufacturer, but on WW2 cases EWB is considered British.

Tim G. posted something on this a while back. I'd search it up but it's late for me and I have to get to bed.

 

[Montagu]

Thank you for all the helpful and interesting comments above. Here are three more photos from my E W Bliss set. I'm sure they were all taken at approximately the same time. I can now read E W Bliss on the factory exterior photo. Note the sandbags in the window. This must surely indicate that these are wartime photos rather than post-WWII.

 

[Bunbry]

I agree, also, the telegraph pole is missing in this early 50s picture (posted here), and the big windows all seem to be blacked out in your picture. Your pic has the trees in full bloom, and the later one has the winter foliage. I would guess your's is more likely to be wartime (also the lack of cars).

 

[Montagu]

Excellent! Thank you Bunbry.