Manufacturing at the Colt Browning machine gun factory

1918

In this bustling wartime photograph from 1918, workers—predominantly women—are seen assembling Colt Browning machine guns in a British factory. Long rows of lathes and workstations fill the industrial hall, each attended by focused operatives contributing to the enormous munitions effort during the final year of World War I.

This scene exemplifies the critical role of the home front in sustaining the war effort. As millions of men served on the battlefields, women stepped into industrial roles in unprecedented numbers, transforming the workforce and challenging social conventions of the time.

The photo not only reflects the rapid mechanisation of warfare, but also the rising influence of women in sectors previously dominated by men—marking a pivotal moment in British labour history.

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WWI weapons factory UK, Colt Browning machine gun, women workers WWI, British munitions industry 1918, Southwark wartime history, WWI gun manufacturing Britain, historic factories London, British women in war work, Grange industrial heritage