Winifred Feeny BEM
Mrs Winifred Feeny B.E.M.
Winifred Feeny was a supervisor in Steeton Dump munitions factory during WW2. She was awarded the British Empire medal for her war work.
Article from Keighley News: An Oakworth Woman
Mrs Winifred Feeny, of Vale Terrace, Oakworth, has been awarded the British Empire Medal for her work as a shop steward and convener at a Royal Ordnance Factory in the North. She has worked at the factory for nearly two years, starting as a patrol inspector. Her flair for organisation and helping others was soon discovered and she was given one of the most difficult jobs in the factory, that of straightening out other peoples worries and difficulties.
In an interview with a news reporter she said that she did not think that the award was meant for her alone, but as a symbol to the other workers in the factory. She is a typical Yorkshire woman, and although she often had to work over 70 hours a week she managed to do all her own housework.
Mrs Feeny had to retire owing to ill health in October, but she hopes to resume her work in the near future. A native of Sheffield, she lived at Morton until a few months ago. She has a 3 1/2 year old daughter, and says she intends to keep the medal for her because, she says, it was
really for her daughter and her future she worked, and she wanted her to know that she had a part in winning the medal. While working she left the child with a neighbour.
Mrs Feeny had to retire in October owing to ill-health, but she is hoping to resume work again in the near future, and certainly before the medal is presented to her. On leaving her fellow workers presented her with a cheque for £5.
Mrs Feeny had no knowledge of the award until her husband, who works nearby, came home to tell her. "I thought he was joking," she said, "and was not convinced until I got a letter from the Director-General of Royal Ordnance Factories congratulating me on the award." Her sister works at the same factory and her two brothers are serving in the Army.
Information from The London Gazette:
Numb. 35843. FOURTH SUPPLEMENT TO The London Gazette of TUESDAY, the 29th of
DECEMBER, 1942
Published by Authority. Registered as a newspaper
MONDAY, 4 JANUARY, 1943. CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD.
St. James's Palace, S.W.1.
1st January, 1943.
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the British Empire Medal (Civil Division) to the undermentioned:—
Winifred, Mrs. Feeny, Examiner, Royal Ordnance Factory, Ministry of Supply.
Winifred Feeny's British Empire Medal
Ministry of Supply correspondence referring to the investiture at Buckingham Palace.
Letter of congratulations from Ivor Thomas - MP for Keighley, who later became Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 1945.
Article from Keighley News: B.E.M. Holder Dead (date unknown)
The death occurred on Tuesday of Mrs. Winifred Feeny (47) of 32, Beauvais Drive, Riddlesden, who in 1943 was awarded the British Empire Medal for her work as a shop steward and convener at a Royal Ordnance Factory in the North of England.
She worked at the factory nearly two years as a patrol inspector. Her flair for organisation and helping others was soon discovered, and she was given the job of straightening out other people's worries. She was a native of Sheffield and had previously lived at Morton and Oakworth. During the past few years she had helped her husband, Mr F. Feeny, who is the steward of the Wellington Club in Lawkholme Lane, Keighley.
