FRANK Reefer Burrows was the elder of the two directors of Burrowite Explosives Ltd and the eldest of the eleven children of Joseph and Margaretta Burrows.

He was born on October 3, 1888 and Joseph Gilbert Burrows, the younger director, on September 3, 1891. The brothers grew up in the village of Herodsfoot, near Liskeard, where later they both worked for the East Cornwall Gunpowder Company as ‘machine minders’.

Joining them to work in the explosives factory by the time of the 1911 census were sisters Florence and Minnie, as ‘case makers’ and 15-year-old brother Edwin, also a ‘machine minder’.

Soon after, almost the whole family: Margaretta, four of her sons and three of her daughters, set sail for Canada to join Joseph senior, who had emigrated to Thunder Bay, Ontario, in 1909. Joseph, Joseph Gilbert, Harry and Harold were working as ‘powder makers’, Frank was a manager and Pearl was a clerk; all gave their employer as the ‘Burrowite Powder Company’. During WWI Joseph Gilbert Burrows served as a Private in the 94th Battalion of the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force from April 1916 to July 1919.

In 1931, Burrowite Explosives Ltd was formed and took over the site at Trago Mills, adding the factory at Herodsfoot in 1938. Their customers were the quarries and mines across England and Wales, Frank was managing director and Joseph, director and secretary.

During WWII, Burrowite had a contract to supply their products to the government and employed the former Prime Minister Harold Wilson’s father, Herbert, as their manager and industrial chemist. During the 1940s Frank was living in Graylands on Dean Street; he is thought to have constructed the bunker which can still be seen today.

Mrs Burrows regularly advertised for domestic help in the Cornish Times. Joseph and his first wife Veronica’s address in the 1940s was Trago Mills, Two Waters Foot, Liskeard.

Both brothers returned to Canada about the time of their mother’s death in 1955. Joseph and his second wife Constance returned on July 12, 1955 aboard the Cunard ship ‘Mauretania’ giving their address as Ash Park, Liskeard. Frank returned later, travelling alone on Cunard’s ‘Queen Mary’; his address on the passenger list was given as Graylands, not in Liskeard, but at 13 Edgcumbe, St Austell.

In their report for 1958, the three directors, A R Davies had joined the Burrows brothers, stated the net profit for the year was £13,446, compared to £9,067 for 1957, but the final compensation claims against the company in respect of a lorry explosion had yet to be decided.

Production ceased at Trago Mill in 1960. A huge explosion occurred at Herodsfoot on June 23, 1963, killing one worker and badly injuring two others; one mill was destroyed and two badly damaged. Later that year the Burrow brothers retired and their business was sold to the ICI corporation.

Frank was the first brother to die on May 12, 1969 at his home, Graylands in St Austell, aged 81. Joseph died on June 29, 1977 at Ash Park in Liskeard, aged 86.