Requisition of Railings and Gates for Scrap during WW2
PAUL RICHARDS
Wartime Scrap
Scrap steel and iron is an intrinsic requirement for steel production and during the early stages of WW2 a considerable amount of scrap was imported from the USA to meet our increasing wartime demands. However, during August and September 1941 Great Britain began to implement minimal importation of scrap from the USA for two reasons - the Americans required the scrap for themselves, coupled with the need to save shipping space when crossing the Atlantic Ocean with supplies. Following this reduction of imported scrap there were insufficient volumes arising through normal collections compared with that required. It was subsequently agreed that the government’s Minister of Works would be responsible for co-ordinating the collection of scrap (later including iron railings) for the ‘Iron and Steel Control’ which was then under the control of the Ministry of Supply.
Scrap Railings and Gates Contribution by Neath
Neath Council was quite prepared to fully meet the nation’s requirements and quickly began preparations to provide scrap for the War effort ahead of any mandatory plans being issued by the government. Neath Borough Education Committee discussed the removal of railings in their schools during October 1941 (Neath Guardian - 24th October 1941) and decided that they would claim the available compensation but would seek to clarify the rules for railings in schools i.e. safety, trespass, etc. Also, in all but two locations, protests were made against the removal of railings by places of worship (Neath Guardian - 17th July 1942) and it was agreed by the Council that removal would indeed result in ‘damage, trespass and nuisance’ and so recommended their retention.
Soon after, with the need for scrap increasing further, railings and gates would now be requisitioned for the War effort under 'Regulation 50B' with a standard rate of compensation being made available, on application, of 25/- per ton which was itself based on the controlled price of scrap (No.14 Scrap Order), less cost of severance, making good and carriage. While this was recognised as a relatively small recompense everyone was expected to contribute their utmost during wartime. Provision was made for an appeals process whereby if an owner considered their railings or gates of historical (typically pre-1850) and/or artistic importance, or for safety reasons, then they may be given exemption by a 'Central Panel of Experts'. With official requisition now underway a meeting was held on 11th November 1942 between Neath Council, the local Demolition and Recovery Officer, Clerk of Works to the Ministry, and the scrap collection Contractors, to discuss a forward plan. The following was agreed:-
1. The Statutory Press Notice giving 10 days notice of the intention to recover railings to be given immediately (example shown in figure 1).
2. On or after the 30th November, the Contractors to deliver to each householder Form DD and R47 giving notice of the intention to remove gates and railings.
3. The removal of railings to commence 3 days after service of notice.
4. The Contractors to deliver to each householder, a receipt ticket specifying the weight of the railings removed. As it is impracticable to weigh the railings from each house separately, the individual weight ticket will give an approximate weight based on the average for a number of houses.
5. Owners desiring compensation to call at the Borough Engineer’s Office for Claim Form No.8 and at the same time produce the Contractor’s weight ticket.
6. The claim form will be checked with Form E supplied by the Ministry of Works & Planning and, if found to be correct, payment to be made by the Council on the basis of 25/- per ton.
7. Payments thus made will be reimbursed by the Ministry.
8. Any difficulty or complaints arising with householders on the removal of railings or damage caused thereby, to be referred by the Borough Engineer to the Demolition Officer for his immediate attention.
9. The railings and gates to Churches and Chapels are not to be removed pending completion of negotiations now proceeding with the Ministry.
Figure 1 Requisition of Unnecessary Railings notice (Western Mail & South Wales News, 20th November 1942) note: 'It is hoped that Owners will be prepared to make a free gift of their Railings, etc. to the nation'
Work commenced on 28th December 1942 and by mid-January 1943 five streets had been completed. Also, the railings of Neath Public Library and the Borough Treasurer’s Office had been removed with other Council property to follow. By mid-February (Neath Guardian - 12th February 1943) fifteen streets had been completed with the first six of these contributing 61 tons 16 hundredweight of scrap. Concerns were raised regarding children’s safety at Eastland Road where the removal of railings would result in a drop from the wall of a number of feet, or where railings were providing substantial support to a wall and this was to be investigated.
On 13th April 1943 Neath Council reported that a total of 204 tons 13 hundredweight had been obtained from sixty-nine streets (also Neath Guardian - 23rd April 1943) although the earlier protestations regarding premises on Eastland Road (and later some on Crythan Road) had been dismissed by the Ministry. However, the Council agreed to protest further against these instructions and to extend their concerns to any similar instances that may arise. The outcome remains unknown. However, on 1st May 1943 the Council reported that practically all household railings had been collected involving ninety seven streets for a total of 288 tons 9 hundredweight, and at that point only thirty nine households had submitted a claim.
Notably, there was a different story emerging relating to Church/Chapel railings and gates. The responsibility for these items had by April 1943 been transferred to the Emergency Works Officer, Swansea. It appears that many of the railings etc of these premises in Swansea had already been removed (prematurely) on the instruction of the Cardiff-based Officer without waiting for the outcome of the negotiations! The retention schedule subsequently agreed with Neath Churches and Chapels was:-
St. Thomas’ Church – Gates (Burial Ground)
Jerusalem Baptist, Briton Ferry – Gate in Caroline Street leading to basement
Orchard Place Baptist Church – Railing to steps area and landing to Church entrance
Rehobeth Baptist Church – Railings and Gates to Church and Vestry
Wesleyan Methodist Chapel – Gate and length of railing at entrance to British Restaurant
Bethel Methodist Chapel – Railings to steps
Siloh Congregational Chapel – Railings in front of Church entrance
Zoar Congregational Church – Gates (Burial Ground)
Maesyrhaf Congregational Chapel – Gates and railings from Gate to Railway Embankment
Ritson Street Congregational Chapel – Railing and Gate to Thomas Street
Bethel Methodist Chapel, Briton Ferry – Small entrance gate
London Rd. Presbyterian Chapel – Railing and Gate to Basement Steps
By 8th June 1943 the Council reported that the removal of railings to houses had been completed involving 2,626 properties for 318 tons 15 hundredweight of scrap. Removal of railings from Churches, Chapels and schools was almost finished involving fifteen Churches/Chapels for 19 tons 18 ½ hundredweight, and three schools for 2 tons 4 ½ hundredweight. A report in October 1943 (Neath Guardian - 22nd October 1943) stated that a total of twenty of these premises had submitted claims for compensation.
As such, this concluded the work by Neath Council. Good examples remain to be seen of where the original railings were removed from walls, their mountings still visible, such as along the premises opposite the rear of Victoria Gardens, another example shown in figure 2, that of the Constitutional Club (now ‘Allan Leonard Lewis’ public house) in Orchard Street.
Constitutional Club, Orchard Street
a) pre-WW2 with railings either-side of entrance b) Remains of railing mounting points 2022
Across Great Britain, by 12th June 1943 a total of 532,189 tons of railings and gates were obtained which had been contributed by 3,500,000 properties with only 130,000 households applying for compensation.
Both during and since WW2 there have been many anecdotal stories of large amounts of scrapped railings etc. being subsequently dumped or sold off very cheaply rendering their initial removal unnecessary. Whilst there are no doubt instances of officials misinterpreting Ministry instructions (and possibly being over-zealous), or even that all scrap not being used by the cessation of hostilities. Stories abound about railings remaining stockpiled at Kings Dock, Swansea after the War and of people endeavouring to locate their 'beloved' railings and buying them back! There is no doubt that the initial requirement existed and significantly aided the War effort. It also served morale giving people pride in saying, 'I have given up my railings to help end the War'. While anecdotal claims have also been made regarding preferential exemption treatment for certain premises around Great Britain, the criteria for retention appears clear and certainly based on Council records, seems to be have applied without favour in Neath at least.
SOURCES/REFERENCES
Hansard, v128, 13/7/43
Neath Council Records housed at the Neath Antiquarian Society Archive
Newspaper Reports - as listed
