Pyrotechnics: The History and Art of Firework MakingBrock, Alan St. H. (Alan St. Hill)
History
Pyrotechnics: The History and Art of Firework Making
Brock, Alan St. H. (Alan St. Hill)
Fireworks
These indications, if such were needed apart from the official
prohibition of the use of these two ingredients together, convinced
Mr. Arthur Brock that even greater care was necessary in dealing
with them. With this object in view, when the works were removed to
Sutton, Surrey, the two factories at South Norwood and Harold Wood,
Essex, being inadequate to deal with the business, the plan of the new
factory was arranged so as entirely to separate that portion of the
factory using chlorate of potash from the portion using sulphur. A road
running up the factory from the entrance gate divides it into what are
virtually two factories, known as the Colour and Bright Sides.
These works, which are easily the largest of the kind in the world,
cover an area of nearly 200 acres. They include about 60 magazines,
expense magazines, and drying rooms, with a total storage capacity of
1,300,000 lbs. of fireworks and 5 tons of gunpowder; 120 explosive
working buildings (mostly double), besides numerous stores,
non-explosive working buildings, saw-mills, and wood-working shops.
The buildings are connected by over four miles of tram-lines. The
average number of employees is 150 men and 200 women. During the late
war this number was increased to over 2,000 on the manufacture of
munitions.
CHAPTER IX
FIREWORK ACCIDENTS
The record of firework accidents until the date of the Explosives Act,
1875, is very meagre, not in subject matter, as reference to Chapter
VI will show, for the history of the industry up to that time appears
to have been one catalogue of accidents; the only cause for wonder
when one considers the conditions then prevailing is that there were
not more. But in detail, the only records are more or less sensational
reports of the event, and such explanation of the cause as the reporter
could pick up from some bystander.
In some cases where the workers were not killed the explanation was
found to be simple; as for instance, the accident at Mortram’s works
in 1821. Here a boy who was making stars in a room with several other
workers and other composition present, put some of his work to dry
before the open fire, and as if this was not a sufficiently reckless
proceeding, lit one on the hob, with the consequences that were to be
expected.
In most cases, however, the cause seems to have been obscure, and
little or no trouble appears to have been taken to discover the cause
with a view to prevention of a repetition.
Since the Explosives Act careful record is kept of all accidents; the
scene of the accident is inspected, and a report printed, setting out
the cause, so far as can be ascertained.
Until the introduction of chlorate of potash about 1830, if even
reasonable care had been used the chances of spontaneous ignition were
very small, and it is reasonable to suppose that such accidents as did
take place were in the majority due to such incidents as the above.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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