TIVERTON Museum of Mid Devon Life is looking for relatives of people who worked in the Munitions Department at the Heathcoat Factory during World War One.

The museum wants to add to the list of people known to have worked in the department - and also wants to record people’s family stories of the factory at that time.

Pippa Griffith, Director of Tiverton Museum, said: “At the museum we have a small number of photographs of munitions workers, and know the names of some of them.

“We would love to hear from anyone who can help us to build our knowledge of the factory during World War One. “The first six women employed in the Munitions Department on May 22, 1916 were Miss Aslett, Miss Cosway, Miss Elson, Miss Lake, Miss Moore and Mrs W. Thorne.

“Later on we know that Miss C. Dally, Miss Robjohns, Mrs Minnie Ellacott (nee Sydenham), Miss J. Norman, Miss F. Stuckey, Mrs Edbrooke, Mrs Hodsdon, Miss B. Warren, Ellen Boobier and Mr Baker were working in the department.

“A photograph from 1917 shows that around 90 people were working on making shell cases – over half of whom were women.

“If anyone recognises any of these names, or any of the people in the photographs it would be fantastic to hear from them.

“We’re also on the hunt for the triangular ‘On War Service’ badges which you can see them wearing in the photographs.”

This research is part of the museum’s project ‘Munitions and Matrons’ which has been funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund’s ‘First World War: then and now’ programme.

The project will focus on the contribution that the Heathcoat Factory made to the war effort during the First World War.

Tiverton Museum’s project will examine the history of the Heathcoat lace factory, which from 1915 produced shell cases and components for very early gas masks.

Museum staff and volunteers will collect and research photographs, newspapers and documents, as well as family tales passed down to help them build a clear picture of what life was really like for the local people who worked in the factory.