About

The Flame Keepers project captures and tells the untold heritage of diverse working-class Islanders who worked at the Ronson Lighter Factory on the Isle of Wight between the 1960s and 1980s.

It includes women, men and people with disabilities – preserving their voices, unique factory culture, and the Island's forgotten industrial community before it's lost.

Flame Keepers is run by Discover More CIC, an Island-based community interest company, and is part of Creative Island's Past Futures programme.

The project is made possible thanks to National Lottery players and the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation and Creative Island.

What you'll find on this site

Full-length oral history interviews with former Ronson workers, each with an interactive transcript; photographs donated by former workers and their families, many shown publicly for the first time; and news of the project as it develops.

Get involved

Did you – or a parent or grandparent – work at Ronson's? We'd love to hear from you.