28 replies to this topic

[phildunford]

'Crystal Palace Fireworks' asked me to put up these articles about Brocks factory at Swaffham (he was having a bit of tech trouble):

[pyrotechnist]

Does any one know if the Swaffham factory is still up.

[crystal palace fireworks]

Thanks for uploading these Phildunford,

The newspaper articles on `Brock`s Fireworks factory` were taken from the `Eastern Daily Press` (local newspaper covering norfolk, suffolk, and cambridge areas), special thanks to the `Norfolk Studies Library` in Norwich, and in particular to `Katherine Osbourne (library assistant) for emailing them to me.

The publishing dates of each headings are as follows:-

Blaze at firework factory - 5.8.1971

Firework factory for Swaffham - 7.10.1955

Brock`s factory closure `only temporary` - 23.3.1976

The factory is now a business park!

Edited by crystal palace fireworks, 07 August 2008 - 08:22 AM.

[pyrotechnist]

Is this it ?

Linky

[crystal palace fireworks]

the address for the site is `Ecotech Business & Innovation Park
Swaffham
Norfolk
PE37 7PT

Part of this site is where the firework factory used to be....................there is also a `Brocks Road` nearby I believe!

Edited by crystal palace fireworks, 07 August 2008 - 03:43 PM.

[pyrotechnist]

It is a shame that this site no longer exists

[crystal palace fireworks]

Yeah, like most of these old factory sites, they are either built-on or left to rot!.........although I will never give up trying to find old photo`s of these places!

I hope I get lucky with the lottery........... I would definately buy Joyce Green if it came up for sale!

Edited by crystal palace fireworks, 07 August 2008 - 06:38 PM.

[pyrotechnist]

Me to if I was lucky , do you have any pictures of anyone of the Brocks factories? I am curios to know how many of the old sites still exist rotting away. I know Pains Wessex still exists but is used now for military purposes, massive factory but looks cool.

[crystal palace fireworks]

No I wish I did, but I have emailed a few organisations to see if they have any!...........hopefully we will get lucky!

Would you be interested in helping me with this?

[pyrotechnist]

Yes if you want

[spectrum]

Nothing remains of the old Breocks site although another company has licensed a pyrotechnic factory near to where they were based but simply havent got around to developing and building the place yet.

My old boss at Astra used to work for Brocks, we were talking about Swaffham only very recently and he described the set up to me. From what I know they used to extrude-fill the fireworks on that site. I did have an old plan (original one too) but I lent it to a shit of a man which, along with a fairly large label collection, he kept. Don't trust anyone!

[pyrotechnist]

Nothing remains of the old Breocks site although another company has licensed a pyrotechnic factory near to where they were based but simply havent got around to developing and building the place yet.

My old boss at Astra used to work for Brocks, we were talking about Swaffham only very recently and he described the set up to me. From what I know they used to extrude-fill the fireworks on that site. I did have an old plan (original one too) but I lent it to a shit of a man which, along with a fairly large label collection, he kept. Don't trust anyone!

Can you not get them back off him? I sure would if someone kept a collection that belonged to me. I really want to find out how many factories exist within the UK abandoned which used to make fireworks.

[crystal palace fireworks]

Spectrum,

Did your old boss ever know the owners of brocks fireworks personally?.........if so, would he happen to know the whereabouts of the related families?


I believe there is Andrew Brock (somewhere) who`s father (not sure of his first name...deceased) was the last decendant of the brocks who made or managed one of the factories!

Pyrotechnist:- Ive sent you a email!

[MDH]

I can't find anything from brock but there's an old Wells Fireworks factory video by urban explorers here: http://ca.youtube.co...h?v=NUmqccpElfw

I would recommend that you cut your volume first, though. They must have music.

[pyroduck7]

i never knew there was one there!

thats near me.