During World War 2, I & R Morleys did their bit for the boys on the front line. The Sutton-In-Ashfield facility was used to manufacture weaponry to the Ministry of Supply linking up with the Woolwich arsenal to produce whatever was required: small arms, ammunition, parts and anti-aircraft guns. It didn’t come easily. The first setback arrived before a single bullet had been made. A lorry was sent North to fetch a capstan lathe but on a snow swept road it skidded and dumped the machinery into a ditch.

The first munitions object produced by Morleys was a round metal ring for an ack-ack gun. It was rejected because it was .002 inches out. However, the might of Morley was turning out war products with the same quality and quantity they usually reserved for ladies underwear. They made parts for Jeeps, spindles for anti-aircraft guns and tails for torpedoes.

In one month 130 employees working non-stop shifts six days a week, 24 hours a day turned out 43,000 parts. In an employee magazine it is stated that “the board despite their early misgivings, have given to this project their increasing enthusiastic backing. Today their pride swells with the Victory tide”.