Steeton Dump Staff

Here is a list of the people whom we know worked at the Royal Ordnance Factory known as Steeton Dump. The references have mostly been provided by their family members. Where we have further information, each person's name will be in bold text and link to their own individual webpage:

Alf - Storeman, surname unknown
Ayers, Arthur
Barker, Mollie (later married name of Staines - in 1944)
Barnes, Mary (later married name of Preston)
Biggins, L. (a friend of Betty Brown)
Binns, John (apparently he worked as a truck driver at the Dump - He later became Keighley Mayor for 1958-59 and the Member of Parliament for Keighley between 1964 and 1970)
Bradley, Elsie
Bradley, Gladys
Brown, Betty (later married name of Chilton)
Brunskill, Lilly née Barritt. In 1921, Lilly worked as a doffer for Messrs James & Sutcliffe & Co Worsted Spinner, of Keighley. Lily married Lawrence Brunskill at St. Peter's Church in Keighley on 9th September 1933. Lilly was a 'reeler' in a worsted factory before she worked on munitions.

Conroy, Mary (Married Bill Driver in 1943)
Cooke, Muriel
Cutler, W F - metallurgist - from Woolwich Arsenal - in quality control
Dawson, Irene
Dyson, Alice (Canadian, married to Les Dyson of Silsden)

Emmott, E.
Falconer, Joan
Feeny, Winifred B.E.M.
Falkingham, Hilda née Denby (killed in a car crash near Steeton in 1942)
Flatley, Ann (later married name of Thompson)
Ginz, Betty Ralston (killed in a car crash near Steeton in 1942)
Grandy, Madge (later married name of Wade)
Haughy, Annie (later married name of Parnell)
Hirst, Emilie Minnie (later married name of Ogden)
Helliwell, Betty (survived a car crash near Steeton in 1942)
Holdsworth, Betty (later married name of Williams)

Leech, Edith (Dolly)
Lovell, Alec in quality control - He was also a 'Home Guard' on the pillbox defences at Steeton Dump
Marsden, Lily
McDonnell, Winnie
McNamara, Florence Joan of Skipton, married to Thomas McNamara, RAF
Megan, Veronica (later married name of Robinson)
Metcalfe, Katherine (later married name of Barrett)
Mitchell, Stanley - an analytical chemist in quality control
O'Connor, Sheila - Ammunition Inspection Department - (later married Thomas Walsh)
Quinliven, Jane Elizabeth

Riley, Edith Ellen (later married name of Laycock)
Rodwell, Christine (later married name of Stables)
Shearing, Dorothy
Smith, Doris (later married name of Henshall)
Stovold, Minnie B.E.M.
Sugden, Isobel Mary (stage name of Mollie - she was the famous actress)

Teale, Irene
Thornber, Harry
Tighe, Harriet (later married Charles Feather)
Trotter, Gladys
Walton, Susan
Whitton, Florrie
Woodhead, Vera (married to Alf Woodhead)
Wordsworth, Elizabeth (Betty)

Here are some group photographs shared with us over the years. Please let us know if you spot anyone you know in them!

Photo 1 - Steeton Dump workers, probably in 1945.

Photo 2 - Steeton Dump workers, probably in 1945.

Photo 3 - Steeton Dump workers, probably in 1945.

Photo 4 - Steeton Dump workers, probably in 1945.

Photo 5 - Steeton Dump workers, probably in 1945.

Photo 6 - Steeton Dump workers, probably in 1945. The lady first on the left, front row is Mrs. E. Emmott and third from left at the back is Madge Grandy

Photo 7 - Steeton Dump workers, probably in 1945.

You may notice that some of the women are wearing a badge on their coverall. We think this is the AID badge for 'Ammunition Inspection Department' and it looked like this:

The Ammunition Inspection Department embroidered badge. It is the letters A, I and D enclosed in a circle.

If you know of someone who worked at Steeton Dump, please add their name in a comment below:

21 Responses

  1. John Ward
    My God mother worked at the Steeton Dump her name was Vera Woodhead I called them Auntie and Uncle, Her Husband was Alf Woodhead who has just had his uniform placed on the New aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. Her son is still around Allan Woodhead.
    Reply
    7th August 2020
  2. Mary Driver nee Conroy
    My mother worked at the dump during the war. She married in 1943 to Bill Driver.
    Reply
    13th May 2021
    • Andy Wade
      Hi Catherine, I have added Mary's maiden name and married name to the staff list. Thank you very much.
      Reply
      14th May 2021
  3. Michael Gilligan
    Michael Gilligan was born in Sligo Ireland in 1899.He married Alice Maud Shaw they had four children and he lived at Oakworth in what is now called Perks cottage from the film The Railway Children.
    Reply
    12th November 2021
  4. Alison QUAIN
    My mother, Katherine Metcalfe, worked at the 'Dump' during the war. She lived in Eastburn and in 1941 married Bryan Barrett from Crosshills.
    Reply
    26th March 2022
  5. Carol Smith
    My fathers cousin, Muriel Cooke, worked at the munitions dump in Steeton
    Reply
    21st July 2022
  6. Mrs Janet Bailey
    My mum Mrs Edith Leech worked at the dump doing her bit for the war she was better known as Dolly
    Reply
    21st July 2022
  7. Michael McNamara
    My mother, Florence Joan McNamara, worked at Steeton Dump during World War II. She was from Skipton and was married to Thomas McNamara, who was in the RAF.
    Reply
    21st July 2022
    • Claire Odonnell
      My grandma lily Marsden on one of these photos x
      Reply
      23rd July 2022
      • Andy Wade
        Which lady is she please Claire?
        Reply
        23rd July 2022
        • David Greenwood
          My Mum worked at the Steeton Dump during WW2. Her name was Dorothy Elizabeth Crabtree (later Greenwood married in 1943) I believe she worked in the AID possibly as a Supervisor. I have an empty 20mm brass shell case with ST 1943 stamped on the base.
          Reply
          7th January 2024
  8. Pauline Scholes
    My Mum Ann Thompson nee Flatley worked at the Dump during the war.
    Reply
    21st July 2022
  9. Craig Olley
    Photo 6 back row third from left is my Great Auntie Madge Grandy (married name Wade)
    Reply
    22nd July 2022
    • Andy Wade
      Thank you very much everybody!
      Reply
      22nd July 2022
  10. Nicola Cockshott
    My Great Great Aunt worked at the Dump during the war, her name was Miss Jane Elizabeth Quinliven.
    Reply
    24th July 2022
  11. Keith kerrison
    My mother (Gladys Trotter) worked there, transported from East Morton each day. She did not like the work!
    Reply
    18th November 2022
  12. Stephen Chadwick
    My cousin Annie Shuttleworth. Ghyll Grane Farm worked at ROC during the war. She used to fire Bren Guns to test ammunition .My brother and I went to school with many children with parents working at The Dump.
    Reply
    13th February 2023
  13. Chris Walsh
    My mother Sheila O'Connor worked in AID at Steeton. She was from County Kerry in SW Ireland. I found an autograph book in her belongings which included messages from a few colleagues from AID ..... it appears she worked in Section E17. Her address whilst working there was Chevin Hall in Otley, and there are messages from her Chevin Hall friends also who worked in other parts of Steeton. She married Thomas Walsh from County Cork in 1947 in London. She was born 1920 and came to Steeton around 1942.
    Reply
    2nd March 2023
    • Carole Hodge
      Hi Chris, Thank you for your message. Lovely to have that piece of history. Do you still have it? It would be great if you could send us copies so that we could research any name in there, if that would be ok with you? Regards, Carole Hodge.
      Reply
      3rd March 2023
      • chris walsh
        Happy to copy images of pages. Let me know the best way to transmit them :)
        Reply
        19th August 2024
        • Carole Hodge
          Hi Chris, If you could send them to carole@menofworth.org.uk that would be great, thank you. Regards, Carole
          Reply
          1st September 2024

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