Six of Newton Aycliffe’s Durham County Councillors – Jed Hillary, John Clare, Kate Hopper, Eddy Adam, Joan Gray and Mike Dixon – visited the former Presswork Metals factory, which is being turned into a mixed-use leisure facility by local family construction firm Finley Structures.
The company’s Managing Director Julie Finley showed them ambitious plans to preserve the heritage and memory of the Aycliffe Angels, who worked at the Royal Ordnance Factory during World War II. Finley Structures will name the complex ROF 59,
Much of the original brickwork as well as some of the 1960s Presswork Metals building has been preserved, with the 21st Century steelwork creating a palimpsest effect of building through the ages.
Staff working at the new ROF 59 will wear overalls, like the Aycliffe Angels. Part of an old railway line, used to transport the munitions which was uncovered during foundation works, will be incorporated into other memorabilia features and archive photographs.
Cllr Hillary revealed how his parents – Bob and Millie Hillary – met in Aycliffe after working there during hostilities.
“It’s really quite amazing,” he said. “My mother and father actually met in School Aycliffe during the war, my father was stationed here with the Army guarding the place and my Mum worked here in the Ordnance Factory.
“We’re steeped in history, but this area, where the Royal Ordnance Factory is an important place in the history of the country. It provided munitions during the Second World War and to actually commemorate this is really important. I don’t think people realise just how big a footprint the Royal Ordnance Factory had. There are still bunkers at the other end of where Hitachi is now, and some of the old munitions factories stretch down to St Cuthbert’s Way.
Cllr Clare, well known in Aycliffe as a former History teacher at Greenfield School, said: “Just looking at the building you can see history growing before your very eyes, beginning with the roofline of the Royal Ordnance Factory walls. Above that you have a brick wall from the 50s or 60s and above that you have the 21st Century steelwork – is that not exciting?
“It started off making bombs followed by post-war new town aims and the Presswork Metals factory, and now it is to be a leisure facility. Projects like this are integral to the success of Aycliffe Business Park”
Julie (left) and Gary Finley (right), from Finley Structures show Durham County Councillors Jed Hillary, John Clare, Kate Hopper, Eddy Adam, Joan Gray and Mike Dixon their plans to create a permanent memorial to the Aycliffe Angels within their reconstruction of the former ROF factory soon to be open to provide a new leisure facility for Aycliffe..
