The munition factory was on the site of Brotherton's Tar Works, later Lanstar, and now Tescos.

At its peak production of TNT (Trinitrotoluene), the Litherland Munitions Factory employed over 800 people.

The ladies in the photograph are wearing the triangular brass badge with the words 'ON' 'WAR' 'SERVICE' 1916 on their work hats - The badge could also be worn on their civilian clothes.

Note too the lady in the front with a toy dog - possibly a 'mascot'

One of the ladies in the photo lived off Hawthorne Road, it may have been Staley Street, I did have her name but can't recall it.

Before Tescos was built, a land survey was carried out for soil contamination as to the highly toxic products from the previous use of the land.

The company that carried out the survey contacted me through my old website with regard to the Merseyside Blitz and the danger of unexploded bombs.

I informed them the area had been bombed on a targeted Luftwaffe attack on the 16th of April 1941 on the Litherland canalside factories, which resulted in all the factories being hit.

Considerable damage was also done to Webster Street and the streets off it resulting in many deaths.

SOURCE BELOW: The Imperial War Museum

Caroline Rennles worked at the Slade Green Factory in Kent, and she remembered the effect of the TNT well:

“Well of course we all had bright yellow faces, you see, ’cos we had no gas masks in those times.

The manager used to say, ‘Tuck that hair under!’

So it was all bright ginger, all our front hair, and all our faces were bright yellow – they used to call us canaries.”

Ethel Dean who worked at Woolwich Arsenal, recalled:

‘Everything that powder touches goes yellow.

All the girls’ faces were yellow, all around their mouths.

They had their own canteen, in which everything was yellow that they touched. The colour did eventually wear off.

The Canary Girls, as they became known, didn’t just suffer with a change in skin colour though; TNT poisoning also meant coughs, chest infections, digestive problems, and ultimately could lead to death.

It's estimated that around 400 women lost their lives due to TNT poisoning during the war.