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Westwood Works 1903-2003 |
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"During the war most of their (Werner, Pfleiderer and Perkins') own production ceased and in common with other engineering factories they went on to war work. This included, Cordite Mixers, Field Ovens, Diesel engines for lorries, tractors and tanks, the 6" Howitzer Field Gun and various miscellaneous jobs. From 1917 onwards they collaborated with Joseph Baker & Sons in the manufacture of Base Bakeries for the Army." (From "A Synopsis of the History of Baker Perkins and of the Company's activities during the period 1939-1945" by Sir Ivor Baker)
In the first few months of World War 1, many hundreds of men volunteered to fight. Volunteers from the same town, factory, or area were recruited into "Pals" battalions so that they could serve together. Pals battalions made up a significant proportion of Kitchener's army. Between September 1914 and June 1916, the War Office through the traditional channels raised a total of 351 infantry battalions whereas 643 battalions were raised locally. Despite the German connections of Werner, Pfleiderer & Perkins, a "Pals" battalion - Werner's Own - was formed.
The first three days of September 1914 saw a total of 73 Werner Pfleiderer & Perkins' men join the Royal Engineers Pioneers (Kitchener’s Army) at Chatham. They were given a great send-off at Peterborough's GNR station by some of the Werner Pfleiderer & Perkins directors - F.C. Ihlee, Josh Booth, John Pointon. Kurt Pfleiderer, Otto Pfleiderer and others. There were more ‘Werner’s Own’ preparing to leave.
Some of these men might have gained some experience in rifle shooting on the company's miniature rifle range which WP&P had thrown open to young men - both employees and non-employees. Many Westwood men had taken up the offer, together with nearly a hundred other local men. The majority of these men had enlisted before the end of September 1914.
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Werner's Own marching to Peterborough Station |
Werner's Own leaving Peterborough |
1914: Mr Allen R. Baker (4th from right) with the Ambulance Service at Ypres |
Fred Costin (1896-1950), joined Baker Perkins in 1910, at the age of 14. Four years later, at the outbreak of WW1, he was serving with the Royal Field Artillery, spending much of the War in Egypt.
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Gunner Fred Costin 4399 – It is thought that this photograph was taken late on in the War, probably in Egypt. It is noticeable that his tropical issue uniform is well worn. His cap does not appear to be of regular issue and is without a cap badge. Perhaps the photograph commemorates Fred's 21st Birthday. |
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1914-1915 Star – Fred, like most who served throughout WW1, would have also have received The British War Medal and The Victory Medal. The three medals were affectionately known as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred after comic strip characters of the time. |
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Gift Box – Princess Mary, the seventeen year old daughter of King George V and Queen Mary created a “Sailors & Soldiers Christmas Fund” in November 1914 to “provide everyone wearing the King’s uniform and serving overseas on Christmas Day 1914 with a gift from the nation’”. The response was overwhelming and the money was spent on the embossed brass box shown here, the contents of which varied considerably. Fred’s would have contained a pipe, lighter, 1-oz of tobacco and twenty cigarettes, non-smokers received a bullet pencil and a packet of sweets. |
After the War, he returned to Westwood Works and resumed his career in the Machine Shop on the Heavy Lathes. Fred was an expert marksman and joined the Baker Perkins Rifle Club - two of the competition trophies that he won in 1945 are shown in The Rifle & Pistol Club. He also volunteered to join the Home Guard in WW2, serving as a sergeant with "E" Company, of the Peterborough City Battalion, the 1st. Northamptonshire Home Guard, based at Westwood Works, and won "E" Company's .22 rifle shooting competition (see - Westwood Works in WW2 - The Home Guard).
As was not unusual at Baker Perkins, two of Fred's three sons also worked at Westwood - John Costin, as a draughtsman and Glen Costin, in the Gearcutting Section, (see - 1951 photograph in - How it Was - Life at Westwood Works - In the Factory - 1900-1969). One of his two daughters, Valerie, worked in the Drawing Office as a Tracer.
One of the above photographs shows Allan R. Baker (father of A.I. Baker) with the Ambulance Service in France during WW1. His brother, Joe, also joined the Friends Ambulance Unit and then the Leinster Regiment. He was sent home wounded after a few weeks in the trenches, shot through the knee but went back to the front after some months’ convalescence, with the rank of Major and the job of inspecting bakeries for the troops. Joe Baker never fully recovered from his wound – arthritis set in and his disability increased year by year. (For more information on the Friends' Ambulance Unit, see History of Joseph Baker & Sons - The World War One Years).
Other Westwood men made the ultimate sacrifice:
(NOTE: This information is reproduced with the kind permission of David Gray from his book - "No More Strangers" - published in 1992).
Private Walter Fairman, A Company, 6th Northamptonshire Regiment,
killed in action on 14th October 1915 at Fricourt. Enlisted in September 1914.
Corporal Albert Farrer, 1st Northamptonshire Regiment, wounded
in action on October 16th, died in hospital in France on October 18th aged 28.
Lance Corporal Jabez Jacques, 7th Northamptonshire Regiment,
killed in action at Loos 15/9/15.
* Lieutenant Bernard Pelmore, 63rd Royal Naval Division Engineers
Unit, killed in action on 18/7/17 near Arras.
Private Arthur Sandal, Middlesex Regiment, killed in action
August 17th 1917, aged 20. Only joined up the previous March.
Private C.D. Watts, Royal Fusiliers, killed in action in France
on 5th November 1917 aged 19.
(* Bernard Pelmore was the fourth son of Paul Pfleiderer. Born in 1886,
he joined WP&P in 1912 and became a director in 1915 on the death of his
brother, K. Pelmore. Although his occupation and qualifications would have allowed
otherwise, he insisted on serving his country in a fighting capacity, enlisting
as a sapper in August 1914 and was sent to France in August 1916. He changed
his name to Pelmore, as did the rest of the "English" Pfleiderer family at the
outbreak of the war).
This
photograph is of activity in Westwood Works during WW1. It is notable for the
number of women working on machine tools. Maude Joan Shotbolt (nee Bason), herself
a turret operator at Westwood during WW2, tells us that her mother, Maude Brown,
and aunt, Anne Brown, were employed on munitions work at WP&P during WW1.
Mrs Shotbolt believes that the dark haired lady just to the left of centre of
the photograph is, in fact, her mother!
A rare photograph of the Women Munitions Workers from Werner Pfleiderer &
Perkins Ltd parading through Peterborough's Market Place on 14th September 1918,
just prior to the end of the Great War. The Peterborough Advertiser for 21 September
1918 states ‘Between 500 and 600 Women War Workers in their picturesque
uniforms attended a women’s Recruiting Rally at Peterborough on Saturday.
There were the WACs and Wrens and the WRAFs, the V A Ds, munition workers and
others in their uniforms or overalls.
The article described the event in a little more detail but there is very little mentioned about the munitions workers except that as our local representatives they took up the Rear-Guard, and they were praised for the work they did, not having the advantages of working in the open air!
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The photographs above show more of Westwood Works on armament production during World War One. The level of activity appears to compare favourably with that depicted in similar images shown later in this section of the factory during World War Two. It is a shame that they were taken out of working hours as some idea might have been obtained of the number of women engaged on war work. It is possible, however, to envisage what the factory looked like when working by comparing the last image in the row with the almost identical image as portrayed by Rudolph Ihlee. (See Lithographs).
Wartime Wages - War Work Premium
A Werner Pfleiderer & Perkins Internal Notice, dated 26th November 1914, announced:
For such period of pressure of work as the management may think fit and in no case for a longer period than for the duration of the War.
The Company agrees voluntarily to pay the following guaranteed minimum premium over daywork rates.
Two shillings per week
To members of A.S.E. Boilermakers, Tinplate workers, all Moulders, Patternmakers, Carpenters and Electricians.
One Shilling per week
To Fettlers, Strikers, Tube Benders, Labourers, Stores Assistants and Packers.
Provided that full hours are worked.Loss of time involves deductions from premium on the following scales:
2 1/2 hours - 6d.
3-4 hours - 1/-
4-5 hours - 1/6d
6 hours - 2/-
Unless covered by a Doctor's certificate.
The above premiums therefore benefit all who do not automatically benefit by premium earnings during a time of stress and national emergency.
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We believe that these images are of guns which have been returned to Westwood Works for repair after being damaged by shell fire in action. The effect on the unfortunate artillerymen can only be imagined.
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This is believed to be a WP&P horse drawn field oven
from the WW1 period photographed in the Despatch Dept. at Westwood Works.
Compare this with the WW2 versions shown in the collection of photographs
in Westwood Works in WW2 -
World War 2/Post War Production. |
Angier March Perkins, (see also History of A.M. Perkins & Son Ltd), had produced a portable field oven for military use many years earlier. This was based on his son Loftus Perkins' patented stopped-end steam tubes and shown at the Paris Exhibition in 1867. The oven had already been approved and adopted by the UK War Department and soon came to the attention of the French Commissariat Department. The Deputy Commissary-General of the War Department remarked on the fuel economy of these ovens – "whilst the common oven for a given quantity of bread required 224 lbs of coke to heat it, Mr. Perkins' oven only used 56lb for the same quantity".
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Engraving of the Perkins' Portable oven
shown at the 1867 Paris Exhibition |
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To see further illustrations of life at Westwood Works during World War One, click here.
It is relevant to refer here to a very disturbing episode that occurred before Werner, Pfleiderer & Perkins was taken over by the government and given war contracts. In the climate that existed at the time, many people in this country were being shunned and even persecuted for being unfortunate enough to bear a German name.
In Peterborough, some prominent businesses in the Town centre - Mr. Franks and Mr. Metz, both butchers, and The "Salmon & Compass" public house - were attacked, windows smashed and stock thrown into the street. Such was the level of excitement that the Mayor of Peterborough was obliged to read the Riot Act and some twenty people were fined or bound over.
Rumours were started that subversive work was being carried on at Westwood and the company was subjected to venomous attacks, suggesting that it was "trading with the enemy". Even its competitors joined in. F.C. Ihlee, although himself of German extraction, handled the situation with dignity and calm and later proved himself only too eager to turn the company over to war production. It should be noted that the representatives of Joseph Baker & Sons had orders never to make reference to the hate campaign or to the storm clouds that had hung over Westwood in the autumn of 1914.
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It would come as no surprise to find that the company prepared a rebuttal of the scurrilous claims being made against it. Although this letter is undated, we believe that it must have been written at this time and was part of the company's defence. The purpose of the letter becomes clear in the final two pages. |
Not many months after the outbreak of hostilities, the directors at Willesden (Bakers) had tried to persuade the War Office to undertake, on a big scale, the mechanical preparation of dough and baking of loaves to feed the troops on active service. E.H. Gilpin explained to War Office officials that the old field ovens used in every campaign for half a century and more were tying down men who ought to be fighting. But it seemed impossible to break down the good old military prejudice. When Gilpin got his foot in the door, it was not easily dislodged but it took a long time to find the right door. He had claimed that if large automatic bread-baking equipment were used, 20,000 men would be released for fighting. Gilpin was asked to set up a demonstration as soon as possible and, for speed, the Baker directors decided to invite Ihlee to come in: he jumped at the chance of collaboration.
The new plant, made partly at Willesden and partly at Peterborough, was ready in twelve weeks for the officials from Whitehall to inspect. A contract was drawn up between the War Office and Joseph Baker & Sons, and the Bakers entered into a sub-contract with Peterborough. The two firms divided the manufacture, Perkins being allotted the mixing machines, final moulders and draw-plate ovens, while the dividers, the first moulders and provers were turned out at Willesden. The complete unit was named the Baker Perkins Standard Army Bread Plant.
Installations were made in England and at the base bakeries at Rouen and Boulogne. Eventually, the whole of the British Army on the Western Front was dependent on these bakeries for bread. The Americans in France became interested and soon Baker and Perkins were erecting for them, at Dijon, baking plant which turned out a million rations of bread per day. Herbert Kirman thus found himself in charge of all of the military bread plant on the Western front. After recovering from his wounds, Major Joseph S. Baker was appointed Inspector of all military baking equipment.
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Nameplate as affixed to the bakeries described above |
This coming together of the two firms in their war effort could not have been more propitious. If any single step could be called the crucial one in the union of the two firms, it was the request from the Baker board that Ihlee would collaborate in the Army bread plant. (From "The History of Baker Perkins" by Augustus Muir)
Joseph Baker & Sons Ltd was, of course, also heavily engaged in other war work at Willesden. Details and photographs from the time can be found in - The History of Joseph Baker & Sons - The World War 1 Years and - Before Westwood.
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January 1919 - Co-operation between the two companies continued after the end of WW1 at which time the management considered it necessary to inform their customers of the reasons why they had been unable to concentrate on meeting their needs over the previous four years. This introduction to a new joint sales catalogue predates the amalgamation which occurred on 20th July 1920. |
