Emily Winifred Brannan

Emily Brannan was a munitions worker employed in the melt house on eight hour shifts with a one hour break. She had only been working in the munition factory (not identified) for about 14 weeks when she was taken ill on 9 October 1916. She died in hospital less than two weeks later on 28 October. The Coroner recorded a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence that Emily had died from TNT [Trinitrotoluene] poisoining.

Emily's brother James served with the Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own), G/4852 Private, and was killed in action in France on 31 March 1918 aged 34 (see record on this Roll of Honour). Nineteen year-old Emily Winifred Brannan, a munition worker from Nottingham, died as a result of T.N.T. poisoning on 28th October 1916. The inquest into her death was held on 1st November 1916. “MUNITION WORKER’S DEATH. “DUE TO T.N.T. An inquest was held in a North Midland city to-day [1st November 1916] on a young girl named Emily Winifred Brannon [sic], aged 19, who died in hospital after being taken ill in a munition works. Two factory inspectors, a gentleman and a lady, were present and also an official from the works. “Thomas Brannon, [sic] a labourer, the brother of the deceased, said the girl had been working at the munition factory 14 weeks. She used to have good health before she went there, but two or three days before being brought to the hospital she complained of feeling ill. “The staff-superintendent of the works said the deceased was employed in the melt house, and worked on an eight hour shift. One hour in the middle of the shift was allowed for meals or recreation. “Asked whether there was any likelihood of the girl getting certain material on her fingers the witness said she would wear gloves and a respirator. The atmosphere was charged with fumes which it was undesirable to inhale, but it was in contemplation to make a new arrangement whereby the workpeople would not be so long in a certain atmosphere. There was a Red Cross hospital on the premises, equipped with trained nurses, and there were a permanent medical officer and two visiting medical officers. The girls were also made to take a hot bath every week, in the employers’ time. Before having a meal they were shut up in a change room for a quarter of an hour, so as to ensure that they would wash, and this time was paid for. The authorities also, coming to the conclusion that whilst a man would always feed himself, a woman would not, were now deducting tenpence a day from their wages, in return for which they got two square meals, and as much hot milk as they could drink. The idea was that, having paid for the food, they would eat it. Further, there was a dentist from whom they could have attention free of charge. The deceased first fell ill on October 9th, when he saw that she was a bad colour and vomited, but she worked up to the 12th, and saw a doctor on the 13th. “Dr. Smith said that when the girl saw him on the 13th she was obviously very ill, and he had her sent home. Only a small proportion of those who felt ill became jaundiced, and that was a very serious condition. A great improvement was now being made at the works every week. “Dr. Gordon, the lady house surgeon, said that the girl died on October 28th. A post-mortem examination showed that there was acute yellow atrophy of the liver, the result of T.N.T. poisoning. “The Coroner, in summing up, remarked that in this work, as in that of mining, fatalities seemed inevitable, and the only thing to do was to reduce the risks as far as possible. “A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned.” [1] [1] ‘Nottingham Evening Post,’ 1st November 1916. Source: Jim Grundy's 'Hucknall Small Town' facebook pages