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Tar Works

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Bootle Tar Works

The Brotherton’s Tar Distillery used to be on Hawthorne Road.  It was owned by the ‘Brotherton and Co’ business. 

 

During the First World War, the factory was used to make munitions (weapons), such as explosives.  However, the chemicals produced toxic fumes, which killed a lot of the workers!  They also caused people’s skin to turn yellow! 

Did you know?

A huge fire destroyed the building in 1972.  

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Bootle Tar Works

Tar works.jpg

Bootle Tar Works

Eventually, protective uniforms and were introduced, as well as ventilation (which stopped people suffocating from those fumes!) 

 

Later, the distillery was taken over by another company, becoming ‘Lanstar Tar Works’. 

Did you know?

The people who worked there were nicknamed ‘Canaries’ because of the yellow skin that they got from working in the factories.

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