Joyce Green Fireworks Factory, Autumn 06
I visited this place over a year ago as part of some geography coursework that involved a project on the Dartford Marshes. During this time I was in contact with a council planning officer and had done alot of research into the history of this old place!
A rather awe-uninspiring place, but with an awe-inspiring history. This factory had passed between several different fireworks companies, including the once mighty Wells Fireworks. [Coincidentally, Wells which was a family run business has the impressive record, that it was one member of the family which introduced fireworks to Walt Disney! So it was directly an action of this company that lead to the impressive displays at Disney land! I think they even had disney characters on some of the fireworks labels.]
The land itself is often used by the Royal Corps of Engineers, as the University of Greenwich owns it and allows them to use it. [As the university's own plans for it where thwarted due to the contamination of the land. This is infact the reason for the army training there. As they can test the land.. for free - So they get a training area, and the University doesn't pay for a test.] Despite being contaminated with the heavy metals, As one soldier said when I asked - "Aslong as you dont go around eating the mud - You'll be fine!".
The production huts and storage magazines will stay there as the place is still a licensed Pyrotechnics production area. As to revoke the license, all huts and storage areas would have to be removed. The cost of which would be alot. Where as - How much does it cost to allow the place to stay there rotting away? [This is of course one of the major points with alot of sites we're concerned with I suppose. Its not the fact that people want these buildings to stay - its just its cheaper.]
There were signs of homeless people living in one hut and I was priviledged enough to be greeted by a white snowy owl as I entered one hut! Which was quite touching as I could hear the shooting from the clay pidgeon place next door.. It would only take one stray shot.
[Although
from what I saw - Those guys couldn't hit a barn door, Let alone a barn
owl! ]So, After over a year of these images hiding away in some obscure directory of my hard drive.. I present to you - Joyce Green Fireworks Factory!
1. Some kind of water storage tank
2.Reminds me of a caterpillar..
3. In here the was still notes written in chalk on the wall with prices and other info.
4. Much of this site was overgrown
5. Some kind of ball mill?
6. One of the 3 rear sheds, which where very much like new.
7. Not the kind of place you wanna wear shorts too! [They're stinging nettles]
8. There was one of these in every production shed, as per government guidelines.
9. Thats true even today, what with all the overgrown bits!
10. Broken down blast wall
11. Storage shelves
12. Some buildings were being eaten by nature!
*13. A reminder of the power of the stuff that was produced and housed here.
14. View from the road
15. The factory special rules