A mass meeting of workers was held at Wrexham Racecourse on Saturday afternoon, organised by the Transport and General Workers’ Union, to protest about the closure of the Royal Ordnance Factory at Marchwiel. It was stated that 4,900 factory workers were to be made redundant and only 200 caretakers would remain. It was recalled that nearly 13,000 were employed on the construction of the factory and 11,000 were employed at the peak period of production of armaments. Wages from the opening of the factory in 1941 had risen from 58s. a week the basic minimum for process work, to 83s. 9d. a week.
Alderman H. T. Edwards made a strong plea that Marchwiel should be made into a trading estate. After the meeting, attended by several hundred, the workers marched through the streets carrying banners: “Wrexham tights for work. Marchwiel must remain open”.
Royal Ordnance Factory from above. 2nd May 1945.
(c)54Strat 28DL Member
REPORTED in the Leader on June 15, 1945
