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Many of these photographs are copies that were kindly donated by Roche Products Ltd to the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project. Taken during the War years they reveal how Roche's offices in Broadwater Road became the home of the 4th Hertfordshire Battalion Home Guard. Betty W started work aged 15 years when WWII was on. She was employed at Roche as a junior office worker and felt lucky to get a job at such a well thought of company. She remembers two of the Directors well - "lovely gentlemen - Mr. Henry and Mr Charles. Miss Tovey also made quite an impression on me being the Company Secretary, 'a charming lady'. I was so young and inexperienced at life that three such charming and kind people made a great impression on me, being 'from the sticks' as it were, that I clearly remember those three with pleasure. I think they were Swiss." Betty was paid 25 shillings a week, with some paid holidays. Although there was a canteen Betty went home for her lunch - there was also a lady who came around with a trolley each day with tea. Of the social facilities on offer Betty got involved in the Eileen Fowler keep fit programme. It being war-time she remembered the outside of the building being painted using camouflage paint (as the building was originally white ) - "we young girls flirted with the young boys who were helping with the painting!" However timekeeping was strict and "one did not chat with fellow workers, in spite of this, or perhaps because of it, it was a happy place to work". Betty stayed at Roche until she was 18 when she joined the forces.

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Roche Products Ltd pharmacological laboratories designed by Otto R. Salvisberg of Switzerland. Image from Industry At Welwyn book produced by the Welwyn Garden City Company Ltd c1939 to encourage manufacturers to locate to Welwyn Garden City. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by David S as part of the Where Do You Think We Worked? project.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard who were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This shows the Smith Gun being brought into action and appears in the book Roche In War-Time 1939-1948. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This shows the Twin Lewis Gun on the roof of one of the Roche buildings and appears in the book Roche In War-Time 1939-1948. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard who were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This photograph is called Well Camouflaged and appears in the book Roche In War-Time 1939-1948. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard who were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This picture shows members of the Home Guard patrol receiving instructions and appears in the book Roche In War-Time 1939-1948. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard who were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. Members of the Home Guard are shown preparing for a patrol in another photograph from Roche In War-Time 1939-1948. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This shows their headquarters in one of Roches offices and appears in the book Roche In War-Time 1939-1948. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard who were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This photograph shows one of the Home Guards making use of Walky-Talky and appears in the book Roche In War-Time 1939-1948. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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Members of the Civil Nursing Reserve were also in action at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This image shows Home Guard medics with members of the Civil Nursing Reserve. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This photograph is titled Come To The Cook-House Door and shows members of the Home Guard Auxiliaries serving up meals they had cooked for the citizen warriors. It appears in the book Roche In War-Time 1939-1948. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This shows papers being checked and appears in the book Roche In War-Time 1939-1948 with the title Beware Fifth Column. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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A well camouflaged member of the 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard who were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard who were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This shows what looks like an inspection and appears in the book Roche In War-Time 1939-1948. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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Also on site at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years were Home Guard Auxiliaries who were largely drawn from ladies of the Roche staff some of whom were enrolled in the Civil Nursing Reserve. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard who were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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Some of the 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard who were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This photograph appears in the book Roche In War-Time 1939-1948. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The 4th Herts Battalion Home Guard were based at Roches offices in Broadwater Road during the War Years. This photograph shows The Doctor At Work and appears in the book Roche In War-Time 1939-1948. Image copyright Roche Products Limited.
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The beautiful cover of Roche Products Ltds book Roche In War-Time 1939-1945 is from an original painting by Charles Paine, A.R.C.A., overleaf is the following "This picture serves to remind us of many nights during the war years and is an impression of some of the main Roche buildings, Welwyn Garden City, under the searchlights, star-shells, flares, and the flash of distant explosions."
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The book Roche In War-Time 1939-1945 is a record of how the company reacted to the challenges of working through the war.
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A photograph of the Roche Products Ltd factory in Broadwater Road taken in May 1963 by Ken Wright. The Trust is very grateful to Ken who has donated a wonderful collection of his WGC photographs to our archive.
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Welwyn for Work - Rest - Play published by the public relations department of Welwyn Garden City Ltd in November 1939. Page 10 shows ideal working conditions for garden city workers at Roche Products Ltd. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Tony F as part of the Where Do You Think We Worked? project.
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Welwyn Times 21st December 1945 - page 2 - Roches Products Ltd advertisement Girls required for light packing, filing and assembly work. This copy of the Welwyn Times was donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by BJW and is shown here courtesy of the Welwyn Hatfield Times.
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Welwyn Times 10th January 1947 page 4. Mention of a party given for 160 children by the Roche Products Social & Sports Club. This copy of the Welwyn Times was donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by BJW and reproduced here courtesy Welwyn Hatfield Times.
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Welwyn Times 24th January 1947 page 4 - situations vacant - posts at Roche Products Ltd for shorthand & copy typists and for a Remmington Accounting Machine operator. The company offers Five day week, good working conditions, canteen and good wages. This copy of the Welwyn Times was donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by BJW and is reproduced here courtesy Welwyn Hatfield Times.
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Roche - lab assistants Jon W and Eric B photographed by their boss Dr Andrews (a keen photographer) c1949-50. Photograph donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Jon as part of the Where Do You Think We Worked? projects.
 
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