Two Munitions Workers Die in 'Raid-Night Tragedy'

Inside the church of St. Andrew the Apostle at  Bolton-upon-Dearne there is the a memorial, which bears the names of two munitions workers, Clara Garbutt and Ella Howitt; Both of  whom sadly died during an air raid one night in April 1918. The two women were employed by John Baker & Co of Kilnhurst, which had operated as a steel works prior to war, but like many other factories of the period, had re-calibrated it's machinery to help with the war effort. By Spring of 1918 their workforce comprised of one hundred and fifty women. The majority of the factory's male employees had either enlisted or been conscripted into the armed forces, In order to fulfill orders and produce the much needed ammunition, women had to fill the vacant positions. It is believed that the factory produce six million shells through out the course of the war.

The Munition Girls, by Alexander Stanhope Forbes, 1918. From a colour transparency in the Science Museum Science Museum Group Collection ©The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

On the night of 12th April 1918 an air raid warning was issued to John Baker & Co. At around 10.30pm the machine shop supervisor David Pilmore watched Ella & Clara leave the works, as the two women left the premises the bright factory lights were turned off, leaving the pair in near darkness. Clara and Ella attempted take their usual route home along the canal towards Swinton Bridge. But the two women were never to make it that far. They were reported missing the following day. The canal was dragged and the bodies were recovered on Sunday morning. Poignantly the women were discovered linking arms, as though they slipped suddenly, with no time to react and save themselves.

The following account is taken from The Mexborough & Swinton Times dated April 20th 1918.

" Mr J. Kenyon Parker held an inquest at Swinton on Tuesday relative to the death of  of Ella Howitt (29), 7 Angel Street Bolton on Dearne, Wife of Pte W. H. Howitt K.O.Y.L.I on active service in France, and Clara Beatrice Garbutt (37) wife of Bernard Garbutt, 16, Angel Street, Bolton-on-Dearne; who were drowned in the canal near the works at which they were employed, on Friday night. They left the works after an air raid warning had been given and were not seen again. They were reported missing the following day,  and as their way home from the works lay by the canal the water was dragged and the bodies of the two women were recovered on Sunday Morning. They were arm in arm and had the appearance of having walked into the canal."

Ella was married to soldier William Henry Howitt who was serving in France at the time of her death. The couple had one daughter named Mabel. Mabel was a month shy of her tenth birthday when her mother died. William survived the war and passed away in 1960 at the age 81. Mabel died in 1985. At the time of her death Clara had been separated from her husband Bernard Garbutt for 12 years. Her body was taken to her sister's house at Swinton shortly after it was discovered. It is not known if she had any children.

St. Andrew's Church Bolton Upon Dearne,

An inquest was held a few days after the incident to establish the cause death. The corner returned "A verdict of accidental death', but advised Baker & Co to make improvements in order to prevent similar accidents from occurring, such as using an alternative evacuation route which did not run by the canal during air raids. The company director, George Baker, also attended the inquest and said "His firm would welcome any suggestion the jury could make for safe guarding their workforce from this danger"

My Baker also took the opportunity to express his "sympathy with the relatives in these cases, and said it seemed terrible that these women who had come forward and worked so splendidly in the hour of the nations need, should have come to such an end"
Mexborough & Swinton Times, 20th April 1918

After the war George Baker commissioned artist Stanhope Forbes to create a painting commemorating the works and it's contribution to the war effort. Each of his employees was giving a framed copy. The piece was entitled 'The Munitions Girls' and looking at the image, it's not difficult to imagine that the two women at the forefront of the painting pushing a trolley of shells could easily be Clara and Ella.