Gwaith Powdwr facts for kids
Gwaith Powdwr (which means Powder Works in English) is a special place in Penrhyndeudraeth, Wales. It used to be a factory that made explosives. Now, it's a beautiful nature reserve looked after by the North Wales Wildlife Trust.
The factory first opened in 1865. Over the years, it had different owners. In 1922, Ralph Cooke bought it and called it Cooke's Explosives. This factory became very important for making explosives. During the Second World War, it made over 17 million grenades! Ralph Cooke retired in 1955. Then, a company called Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) took over. The factory closed in 1995. Sadly, there were some accidents at the factory, including explosions in 1957 and 1988.
Contents
History of the Explosives Factory
Early Days of the Factory
The site started as the Patent Safety Guncotton Company in 1865. It was built to make explosives for mining quarries. In 1875, the factory got its official license. It then became part of the New Explosives Company. Later, in the early 1900s, it changed its name again to Steelite Explosives Company Ltd.
In June 1915, a big explosion happened at the factory. People in the nearby village of Penrhyndeudraeth felt the shockwave. Windows in their homes were even smashed! At first, local residents thought it was an attack. They quickly went to Porthmadog until they found out what had really happened.
Cooke's Explosives Era
In 1922, Ralph Cooke bought the factory. He was a businessman who owned coal mines. He also had a similar factory in Essex. After buying this new site, he renamed it Cooke's Explosives. Two years later, Cooke closed his Essex factory. He then made the Gwaith Powdwr factory much bigger.
Another explosion happened at the site in 1928. After this, Cooke sold part of his company to a rival firm, Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). This deal helped him get more expert knowledge for his factory. During the Second World War, the factory was asked to make grenades for the armed forces. It produced more than 17 million grenades for the war effort.
Closure of the Factory
Ralph Cooke retired in 1955. After he left, ICI bought all the remaining shares of the company. In 1957, four workers died in an explosion. It was thought that mice chewing through cables caused this accident. Another explosion happened in June 1988. This one sadly killed two workers and injured eight others. An investigation found that workers were outside a safe area during mixing. The company was later fined for not following health and safety rules. The factory finally closed in 1995. This was because less explosives were needed for mining. When it was busiest, about 500 people worked at the factory.
Gwaith Powdwr Nature Reserve
The land was given to the North Wales Wildlife Trust in 1998. The area was then turned into a nature reserve. It covers about 24 hectares, which is like 60 football fields. This nature reserve is very important for wildlife. It is known as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). It is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Before it could become a nature reserve, the land needed to be cleaned. This was to remove any harmful chemicals from its time as an explosives factory. After cleaning, new plants were grown there.
