Building record 11496 - World War II Aircraft Factory, West of Albion Street

<1> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2018, Land to the Rear of Volunteer Street, Chester, Cheshire: An Archaeological Watching Brief, R4255 (Client Report). SCH8605.

In 2018, a watching brief was undertaken during groundworks associated with the re-development of land at Volunteer Street, just to the north-west of the aircraft factory site; this work formed part of a programme of archaeological mitigation work ongoing since 2013 (ECH5673, see source 2). As part of these investigations, archive research and archaeological investigation, has identified an extant building, situated to the south-west of the Volunteer Street site, to be a World War II aircraft factory erected in 1942. Plans show a steel-framed building with basement beneath which included a heating chamber, a fuel store and three air raid shelters. A brief examination of this building as part of the Volunteer Street project, has confirmed it to be the documented air craft factory, still complete with basement and air raid shelters beneath.

Located to the north-west of the factory, at the corner of Pepper Street and Volunteer Street, was the garage of the Anchor Motor Company (recorded separately, see 11433). The programme of archaeological investigation at Volunteer Street, has proven that the garage was extended, also with a steel-framed structure, with a basement and at least one air raid shelter beneath, which was used for the purposes of air craft production. Post-war cartographic sources imply that this extension building to the Anchor Motor Company was physically connected to the aircraft factory via a narrow passageway or similar covered route.

<2> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2013, Proposed Redevelopment of the Former Habitat Unit, Pepper Street, Chester and Archaeological Evaluation, R3530 (Client Report). SCH7239.