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Aycliffe Angels

Unique and Local Primary Sources

Home Learning Booklet

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Contents

Introduction ...................................................................... 3

Durham County Record Office ................................................ 4

The Aycliffe Angels ............................................................. 5

Sources used in the Worksheets .............................................. 7

Finding New Sources ............................................................ 8

Worksheet ....................................................................... 10

Glossary ......................................................................... 18

Worksheets with Answers ..................................................... 19

Sources can be printed for home education use only.

Any further use will require additional permission

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Introduction

This home learning booklet is designed for use by children working with

parents or teachers to find out more the Aycliffe Angels, munitions

workers in Aycliffe during the Second World War.

It investigates what life was like for those women using archives,

reports and records from the time. These are also known as primary

sources and are a fantastic way to find out about history for yourself,

discovering real people who lived and worked in Durham in times past.

It can be challenging, people in the past often use words that seem

strange to us, but the worksheet takes a step by step approach and

there is a glossary to explain any difficult terms.

The booklets are designed to be used by schools or parents for home

learning, but could equally be used in class. Each contains:

• Historical background – you can read this through in advance or

with your child, as you prefer

• Suggestion for websites to find out more

• A worksheet for the child to work through, which introduces and

explains the sources one by one

• Glossary – explaining some of the words and terms contained in

the sources

• Worksheet with answers

Finally, we would love to hear about your experience of using this

booklet. Please complete the questionnaire on our website or email

your comments to record.office@durham.gov.uk.

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Durham County Record Office Our records tell the story of County Durham, its people and places,

from soldiers to suffragettes and from coal mining to the World Wars.

They are a fantastic way for children to investigate their local history

for themselves.

Ordinarily, we operate a public searchroom and research service to

help people access our records. We also run workshops and produce

resources for schools.

In the current lockdown situation, we are offering online learning

worksheets to assist both teachers and parents with home schooling.

For further information, please contact our education archivist at

record.office@durham.gov.uk.

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The Aycliffe Angels

During the Second World War, over 17,000 people worked at a

munitions factory in what is now Newton Aycliffe. They came from all

over County Durham and Teesside and were known as the ‘Aycliffe

Angels’.

The factory, known officially as Royal Ordnance Factory, R.O.F.,

Aycliffe or R.O.F. 59, opened in April 1941 and closed in May 1945. Its

peak operating period in terms of output and numbers of staff was in

1943.

It was one of 16 filling factories, where explosive powder was put into

casings. Different powders were used, including TNT and cordite. In

line with contemporary working practices, the workers were given

minimal protective equipment. Many angels spoke of the ‘yellow

powder’ (possibly TNT), which made their hair and skin yellow, even

years after the war ended.

The workforce was organised into three shifts: 6am – 2pm; 2pm –

10pm; 10pm – 6am. This enabled the factory to operate around the

clock. In addition, many workers spent several hours commuting to and

from the factory each day.

Rules were strict, especially in areas where explosive powder was

used. Workers had to change out of their outdoor clothes and into their

factory uniforms every time they went in or out. Many people smoked

in those days and the rules made cigarette breaks very difficult. One

worker was given a prison sentence for smoking in a restricted area!

Secrecy was paramount and, even today, much is not known about the

factory. Women who worked there were told never to talk about their

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jobs, much less reveal where they worked. In fact, the location was

chosen because, at the time, it was a marshy area, often surrounded

by fog.

The factory received its share of famous visitors. Winston Churchill

visited in May 1942 to thank workers for their contribution to the war

effort. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, our present queen’s

parents, also visited, as did actress Gracie Fields.

After the war, with the building of Newton Aycliffe, the site became

an industrial estate. Even today, some of the original buildings still

stand.

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Sources used in the Worksheets The sources are taken from a range of archives and are either items in

our collections or documents to which we have access.

The images of the factory are taken from our D/X 1822 collection,

which was created by a journalist from the Northern Echo who did a lot

of community work with the Aycliffe Angels in the mid-2000s. He

collected a lot of archives in the process, which he later donated to us.

The two images used are:

DCRO Ref: D/X 1822/60/1/8

Group photograph of unidentified employees at R.O.F. Aycliffe, n.d.

[c.1945]

DCRO Ref: D/X 1822/23(22)

Copy photograph of a group of workers at R.O.F. Aycliffe on stage in

costumes, n.d. [1941-1945]

The extracts from interviews with Aycliffe Angels are taken from our

collection D/X 1250. We have transcripts and recordings of 70

interviews.

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Finding New Sources

The Record Office has many more archives like these, including

photographs of Winston Churchill’s visit to the factory in 1943.

You can also find more online. There is no single website for the

Aycliffe Angels, but there are a few accounts to be found by women

who worked at the factory.

Please note that many of these resources are still under copyright.

Dorothy Addison’s Story

Given to BBC – World War Two, the People’s War

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/00/a8103700.

shtml

Dorothy was an Aycliffe Angel from Gateshead. The account is taken

from a speech she gave to the Middleton Women’s Institute, describing

her experiences working at the factory, including her work, air raids,

as well as visits by Gracie Fields and the King and Queen.

Dora Mattrick’s Story

https://careindustrynews.co.uk/2019/07/aycliffe-angel-recalls-

making-munitions-during-ww2

Dora was an Aycliffe Angel from Newcastle. Trained as a mechanical

engineer, she started work soon after an accident had killed six

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women. Despite that, she describes not being scared and says that ‘we

just did what we had to do’.

Joan Davis’ and Vera Stobbs’ Stories

Article in the Northern Echo

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/13619766.aycliffe-angels-

return-work

Joan Davies and Vera Stobbs, two former Aycliffe Angels, return to the

site of the factory and describe their experiences of working there.

You may also find the following useful for giving a broader overview of

the Home Front in the North East

North East War Diary

https://ne-diary.genuki.uk

This website sets out the Second World War in the region day by day,

including where bombs fell, with an index so you can easily find

references to your town or village.

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Worksheet

Have a look at this photograph.

Let’s investigate what may be happening here.

Start by listing all the things you can see in the photograph.

For example, women wearing headscarves.

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What questions do you have?

For example, When was the photograph taken?

Now look back at the photo. Can we find any clues that might help to

answer your questions?

For example, if you wondered what the women were doing, they are

all wearing protective overalls, which might mean they do dirty or

dangerous work.

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The photograph was taken in a munitions factory in Aycliffe during the

Second World War. A munitions factory is a place where bombs and

bullets are made. The workers at Aycliffe were known as Aycliffe

Angels.

Let’s see what else we can find out about the factory.

In the 1980s, Durham University interviewed many former Aycliffe

Angels and recorded the interviews. This was what one angel had to

say about her work.

You may find the grammar a little strange because it’s a record of

what someone said and we don’t always speak in careful sentences

when we talk! There is a glossary on page 18 to explain words you may

not know.

We were all partitioned off, there was about eight or ten lines of

women (I've forgotten how many there would be in a line) and they

were all partitioned off, and if it exploded - which my machine did - it

didn't hurt anybody else because we were all in separate cubicles.

Make a list of all the facts in the extract.

For example, the machines were all partitioned [separated off from

each other in cubicles].

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Take a look at this article from the Northern Echo on 23 February

1942.

Where did the explosion happen?

Is the factory named?

Why do you think that might be?

How many women were killed?

What do we know about Phoebe

Morland?

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Have a look at this photograph of Phoebe Morland.

Does it tell us anything more about her?

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Have a look at this photograph. The women here are all Aycliffe Angels

What do you notice?

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Why were Aycliffe Angels dressed like this? What are they doing?

We can find clues in another extract from an interview with an Aycliffe

Angel.

Well, the concert party really started off when different people were

giving [performing] the odd items on a night. Night shift only, we

didn’t do it during the day.

And during the break, people would get up and sing or somebody would

get up and recite a monologue, or somebody else would do a dance.

And then gradually, I don’t know when it was first decided, but it was

decided that the group would have a concert party and when we had

given it to our group, we would go and visit other groups.

And the other groups started having concert parties and in the finish,

we had a competition between the groups.

Can you now explain what is happening in the photograph?

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Design a poster for an Aycliffe Angels concert. Look back at the extract

and think about the different sorts of entertainment they performed.

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Glossary

black out during the war, it was forbidden to have light showing

during hours of darkness as it would help enemy

bombers to find towns and cities. Streetlights were

turned off and special curtains were fitted on

windows

cordite an explosive used instead of gunpowder. It looks like

small strands of spaghetti

group the workers at R.O.F. Aycliffe were split into groups

according their task. For example, Group 8 made

large bombs

monologue a short play for one actor

munitions military weapons, such as guns and bombs

partitioned separated off

R.O.F. Royal Ordnance Factory

T.N.T. trinitrotoluene, a chemical compound used in

dynamite

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Worksheets with Answers

Have a look at this photograph.

Let’s investigate what may be happening here.

Start by listing all the things you can see in the photograph.

For example, women wearing headscarves.

Answers will depend on what the child has noticed, but may include:

A man wearing a suit

Some signs behind them, reading ‘Danger Area’ and ‘A concealed

mistake is a crime. It may cost not only your life, but the lives of

others’

Two Clocks showing blackout times

A wooden fence runs down the side

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What questions do you have?

For example, When was the photograph taken?

Answers will depend what the child has noticed, but might include:

Why are they having their photograph taken?

Who are they?

Where are the men?

Why would a concealed mistake cost lives?

What is a blackout?

Now look back at the photo. Can we find any clues that might help to

answer your questions?

For example, if you wondered what the women were doing, they are

all wearing protective overalls, which might mean they do dirty or

dangerous work.

Depending on the child’s questions, clues may include:

The blackout times tell us this photograph was taken during the Second

World War.

They are all wearing a similar uniform – might be factory workers.

‘Danger Area’ indicates the sort of factory they worked in.

If this was taken during the Second World War, the men may be away

fighting.

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The photograph was taken in a munitions factory in Aycliffe during the

Second World War. A munitions factory is a place where bombs and

bullets are made. The workers at Aycliffe were known as Aycliffe

Angels.

Let’s see what else we can find out about the factory.

In the 1980s, Durham University interviewed many former Aycliffe

Angels and recorded the interviews. This was what one angel had to

say about her work.

You may find the grammar a little strange because it’s a record of

what someone said and we don’t always speak in careful sentences

when we talk!

We were all partitioned off, there was about eight or ten lines of

women (I've forgotten how many there would be in a line) and they

were all partitioned off, and if it exploded - which my machine did - it

didn't hurt anybody else because we were all in separate cubicles.

Make a list of all the facts in the extract.

For example, the machines were all partitioned [separated off from

each other in cubicles].

There were eight or ten lines of women

The woman’s machine exploded

Because it was partitioned off, it didn’t hurt anyone else

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Take a look at this article from the Northern Echo on 23 February

1942.

Where did the explosion happen? A North East ordnance factory

Is the factory named? No

Why do you think that might be? So that no one could find it

How many women were killed? Four

What do we know about Phoebe

Morland?

Her husband was in the Navy

She had two children

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Have a look at this photograph of Phoebe Morland.

Does it tell us anything more about her?

Her husband’s cap has the name of the ship he served on - HMS

Victory.

Her eldest child was a girl. It’s unclear from the photograph if the

younger child is a boy or girl.

She had short dark, curly hair (which was the fashion in the 1940s).

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Have a look at this photograph. The women here are all Aycliffe Angels

What do you notice?

Answers will depend on what the child has noticed, but may include:

The women are wearing costumes, most have bows in their hair.

They are standing in a row.

They look like they are in the middle of a dance.

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Why were Aycliffe Angels dressed like this? What are they doing?

We can find clues in another extract from an interview with an Aycliffe

Angel.

Well, the concert party really started off when different people were

giving [performing] the odd items on a night. Night shift only, we

didn’t do it during the day.

And during the break, people would get up and sing or somebody would

get up and recite a monologue [speech], or somebody else would do a

dance.

And then gradually, I don’t know when it was first decided, but it was

decided that the group [the factory was divided into groups, each with

different tasks] would have a concert party and when we had given it

[performed] to our group, we would go and visit other groups.

And the other groups started having concert parties and in the finish,

we had a competition between the groups.

Can you now explain what is happening in the photograph?

The women are part of a dance group, performing for other Aycliffe

Angels.