Brock's Fireworks Ltd is a manufacturer of

firework Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices in ...

s, founded in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and subsequently based in

Hemel Hempstead Hemel Hempstead () is a town in the Dacorum district in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of London, which is part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2011 census was 97,500. Developed after the Second World War as a ne ...

Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries (''Siorrachd Dhùn Phris'' in Gaelic) is a historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the historic county. I ...

and

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

. Brock's was founded in 1698 in

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...

by John Brock, and is the oldest British firework manufacturer. John Brock died on 5 November 1720 aged 43 and is buried at

St James's Church, Clerkenwell St James Church, Clerkenwell, is an Anglican parish church in Clerkenwell, London, England. History Nunnery of St Mary: c. 1100–1539 The parish of St James, Clerkenwell, has had a long and sometimes lively history. The springs which giv ...

, London. In 1825 the factory was located in a residential area in Baker's Row (now Vallance Road),

Whitechapel Whitechapel is a district in East London and the future administrative centre of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a part of the East End of London, east of Charing Cross. Part of the historic county of Middlesex, the area formed ...

: it was destroyed when a boy who was ramming

gunpowder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). ...

into a firework accidentally created a spark which ignited it, and threw it aside as he ran out in fright. Fifty pounds of gunpowder and a large amount of

saltpetre Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Indian saltpetre (large deposits of which were historically mined in India). It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitra ...

exploded immediately, blowing the roof off, setting fire to the building, and smashing every pane of glass in most of the adjoining streets. The company established a presence in south London, in

South Norwood South Norwood is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Croydon, Greater London and formerly in the historic county of Surrey. It is located 7.8 miles (12.5 km) south-east of Charing Cross, north of Wood ...

and

Sutton Sutton (''south settlement'' or ''south town'' in Old English) may refer to: Places United Kingdom England In alphabetical order by county: * Sutton, Bedfordshire * Sutton, Berkshire, a List of United Kingdom locations: Stu-Sz#Su, location * S ...

and developed an association with

the Crystal Palace The Crystal Palace was a cast iron and plate glass structure, originally built in Hyde Park, London, Hyde Park, London, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. The exhibition took place from 1 May to 15 October 1851, and more than 14,000 exhibit ...

, devising public displays (known as "Brock's Benefits"), from 1826, and adopting "Crystal Palace" as a brand name. In 1868, the company built a firework "manufactory" in

Nunhead Nunhead is a suburb in the London Borough of Southwark in London, England.Southwark Council Nunhead and Peckham Rye Community Council It is an inner-city suburb located southeast of Charing Cross. It is the location of the Nunhead Cemetery.BBC ...

, south-east London, not far from where The Pyrotechnists Arms still exists. It was then referred to as C. T. Brock & Co, "Crystal Palace" Fireworks. Brock Street, was built on a closed section of nearby Tappesfield Road, commemorating the factory. The 1887 edition and several subsequent editions of ''

Whitaker's Almanack ''Whitaker's'' is a reference book, published annually in the United Kingdom. The book was originally published by J Whitaker & Sons from 1868 to 1997, then by The Stationery Office until 2003, and then by A & C Black which became a wholly owned ...

'' included advertisements for Brock's: the company provided fireworks for the Crystal Palace company, the UK

War Office The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...

, the Government of India and other bodies. Henry Brock died on 4 October 1901 at age 53, and was buried at Holy Trinity Church,

Leverstock Green Leverstock Green is a suburb in Hemel Hempstead, in the English county of Hertfordshire. It is located on the eastern edge of the town. Leverstock Green has a school, Leverstock Green Church of England Primary School, cricket club, tennis clu ...

. The company moved to Hemel Hempstead in the early 1930s. In the 1930s, Brock's built homes and a sports clubThe former sports club site is now the ground of Hemel Hempstead Football Club. for its workers near to its site on the north eastern side of Hemel Hempstead. The street names (Ranelagh Road and Vauxhall Road) reflected earlier associations with the 18th-century London Pleasure Gardens where Brock's was contracted to display fireworks. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

the company made the famous "target markers"The target markers were pyrotechnics which were set to burst at a certain height above the ground, scattering up to 60 small candles. used by the RAF's Pathfinder Force (PFF). These guided the bombers so they could drop their ordnance more accurately. In the early 1970s the company moved from Hemel Hempstead to

Sanquhar Sanquhar ( sco, Sanchar, gd, Seanchair) is a village on the River Nith in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, north of Thornhill and west of Moffat. It is a former Royal Burgh. It is notable for its tiny post office, established in 1712 and con ...

, Scotland. In the 1970s, the company also opened an additional factory at

Swaffham Swaffham () is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District and English county of Norfolk. It is situated east of King's Lynn and west of Norwich. The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 6,9 ...

in Norfolk. Brock's Fireworks was bought by Standard Fireworks in 1988, and Standard Fireworks were bought by China-based Black Cat Fireworks, bringing an end to production in the UK.

Footnotes

References

{{Reflist

External links

Company website
Companies based in Dacorum Fireworks Fireworks companies 1698 establishments in England Companies established in 1698 Manufacturing companies based in London