Hi, I'm trying to find information about my relative Annie May Jacobs. I know she worked at ROF Swynnerton, Staffordshire in 1943 as a shell filler. I have one document that indicates she was living at Eden House, Frobisher, but I can't find anything else in my research that mentions Eden House. Does anyone know where I might be able to contact to try to find records of her time there? The National Archive directed me to Veterans UK but I don't think this is right. As far as I can see they only have records for the armed forces. Thanks in advance.
Hello Julie, Have you seen the photos and information on the website (link below) in your searching? Theme Explorer - Staffordshire Past Track Hopefully it may give you other leads in your search. Good luck with all. Kind regards, always, Jim.
Dear Julie, If you put "Frobisher Hall" in the Staffordshire Past Track website search "box" you'll find many photos from the time that your relative would have been there (example in link below) Resource Details - Staffordshire Past Track It may be worth contacting the good folks at Staffordshire Past Track, they could have information that will help you. Archives & Heritage Staffordshire County Council Unit G, Beacon Business Park, Weston Road, Stafford ST18 0WL Tel. (01889) 869137 Kind regards, always, Jim.
Thanks Jim, I had seen the online photos on the Staffordshire Past Track website, but hadn't yet considered trying to contact them to see if they have any further information. Seeing as they definitely do have some information about Frobisher Hall it is probably worth me trying to find out if they have any more. Kind regards Julie
Dear Julie, Eden House would have been an accommodation block akin to the one in the picture (in the link) below. Exhibition Details - Staffordshire Past Track The description explains how the "houses" came to be named, and I hope at the very least that within the archives at Stafford there may be a similar photo of Eden House where your relative was billeted. Again, good luck with your enquiries. Kind regards, always, Jim.
Your relative would have been 'directed' to Swynnerton after a Ministry of Labour interview which would have been documented. Whether the MoL files would have been retained and sent to TNA I don't know but it's worth checking what MoL stuff they hold.
Thanks Robert, I hadn't considered this approach. I've had a look on The National Archive website and there appears to be several potentially useful documents on there (although the descriptions are frustratingly vague). I wonder if anyone else on ww2talk has tried to look into this? I think I will have to send another query to The National Archive and see what they say. Kind regards Julie
Reading the unpublished diary of a local girl who was called up for "national service" in 1941. She was interviewed at the local labour exchange to determine if she could be classed as "mobile" and could be sent away from home to work in an ROF. If one had no dependants (and husbands not in the forces were classed as a dependant being deemed as incapable of cooking for themselves) then one was in danger of being mobile. The interview appears to have been formal with a questionnaire form to be completed.