Hereford home to 'vital' national munitions database

Senior archivist Rhys Griffiths and community historian Clare Wichbold

Herefordshire will be home to a new national database about the people who worked at wartime weapons factories.

The Rotherwas factory in Hereford was one of Europe's biggest explosive-filling sites during World War One.

According to records, 6,000 people worked packing shells for allied troops.

Nationally, 250,000 entries have been added.

The project has already attracted interest from all over the country, and community historians will be working with the Herefordshire Archives and Records Centre to create the national database.

Senior archivist Rhys Griffiths described the collection as a vital and important asset for family historians and other researchers.

• Listen to BBC Sounds where reporter Kalpana Boodhoo went to the centre to see some of the records.

Speaking on BBC Hereford & Worcester he said: "Lots and lots of people locally have ancestors who worked here in both the First World War and the Second World War.

"On top of that because the collection includes records from right across the country we are having enquiries flying in from all corners, from people who know that this vital and incredibly important asset has been transferred to us."

Discussing the database, community historian Clare Wichbold added: "It is only five per cent of the records as many have been lost of course over the years but it is a very, very important resource for research when people are looking at their own history."