Zylo Works

I asked my Nan and Grandad, Vera and John Brough, if they wanted to contribute to ‘People’s War’. My Grandad wrote back to me with this….

I am writing this on behalf of my wife, Vera Brough. She worked from 7am to 7pm in a factory in Brighton called “ZYLO WORKS” which made nameplates for aircraft and tanks etc. The weekly take home was about £1.50 plus, but you must adjust that to the cost of living of the time. You could not buy much as there was not much in the shops! There were one or two bombs recorded near the factory — but they were more frightened by the Anti-aircraft Guns on the tin roof — our own guns! They were probably twin Lewis guns for low flying enemy planes. In the early days they had to go down to the air raid shelter when the sirens sounded — but they soon got tired of that and mostly carried on working or you never got the jobs done. There was a Pub- “The Red Lion” which had direct hit — it is now rebuilt. This is Egremont Place and Queens Park Road. She would go on her bike up the hill — quite a push! (We met at the “ZYLO” on night or late shift and I would sometimes walk up the hill with her! My bike had a paraffin lamp on the front and Vera remembers warming her hands on this!) These were a jolly times and very good cameradi in those days everyone in the same boat — pulling together.

I don’t know what “ZYLO” means but its true name was “The London Nameplate Co” and indeed they had moved d own from the capital in the late thirties. I think they were Jewish people — and very fair and lovely people — as far a boss can be loved!!

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