Kynoch

The firm of Pursall and Phillips operated a 'percussion cap manufactory' at Whittall Street, in Birmingham, in the mid 19th century.

[1][2] As a result, the firm moved to Witton in 1862,[3] on a site adjacent to the London and North Western Railway's Grand Junction line.

This factory employed several thousand workers during World War I, but closed shortly after it, all production being moved to South Africa.

It was believed that the plant was shelled by a German U-boat[6] During the 1950s, the sound of test firing of munitions still occasionally shattered the peace over Witton, but with the standardization of cartridges across the Western powers and a general downturn in ammunition requirements, the sidelines in sporting cartridges were discontinued by Imperial Metal Industries (IMI) in 1970.

Initially production commenced in Royston, Hertfordshire and in 2000, moved to a purpose built facility in Mildenhall, Suffolk.

Memorial card to the nineteen victims of the explosion at Messrs Pursall and Philip's works on Whittall Street, fifteen of whom were interred together at St Mary's Church , also in Whittall Street