Worker of the Week is a series of blog posts which highlights the workers at H.M. Factory Gretna that our volunteers researched for The Miracle Workers Project. This project aimed to centralise all of the 30,000 people who worked at Gretna during World War One and, although it may be over, our amazing research volunteers are continuing to uncover more stories about H.M. Factory Gretna workers to be added to this database. We are always looking to learn more about H.M. Factory Gretna workers. If you know anything about a H.M. Factory Gretna worker please feel free to get in touch with us by contacting info@devilsporridge.org.uk  This week’s Worker of the Week, Harry Ainsworth, who seems have been involved in some “unbuisness- like methods” during his time at the factory. As always thanks to all our amazing research volunteers.

Early Life

• On the 10th June 1883 in Wakefield, Yorkshire, Harry was born to George Ainsworth and Eliza nee Land.
• He had 9 surviving siblings.
• George worked as a lamplighter and chapel keeper.
• According to census records, the family seemed to move between several different addresses in Wakefield.

Wire Fitter

• By the 1901 census, Harry is the oldest of the children living with his parents at 17.
• He worked as a ‘wire winder,’ as did one of his younger brothers.
• At this time there were three wire / rope manufactures in Wakefield.

Married Life

• On 22nd November 1909, Harry married Annie Hudson at Wakefield and one of Harry’s younger sisters was a witness.
• Annie was a widow and already had 4 sons prior to her marriage with Harry.
• In May 1910, Annie and Harry had another son, this record shows that they were still living in Wakefield.
• By 1911, the family are living in three rooms. Harry is working as an “iron founder moulder and economiser pipe maker” according to the census.

“Unbuisness-Like Methods” at H.M. Factory Gretna

• Next we find Harry living C2 Hostel, Ottawa Road in Eastriggs. [1]

Could the inside of Harry’s hostel have looked similar to this photo, which was taken inside a hostel for H.M. Factory Gretna?

• It seems he was employed as a fitter at H.M. Factory Gretna under the management of Mr Auld. [1] [2]
• Although, we don’t know when he started at the factory, according to the Dumfries and Galloway Standard newspaper he must have been there in 1918:

“In Dumfries Sheriff Court on Friday, Harry Ainsworth, Fitter, C 2 Hostel, Owttawa Road Eastriggs, was charged with having defrauded the Ministry of Munitions of the sum of 14s 6d, with respect that he on 21st February at the clocking station at the clocking station in the gun-cotton drying area, clocked his card at 11.23a.m., and at the fitters’ shop, inside area, entered in the time book 11.23a.m., as the time at which he commenced work on said date; the fact being that he did not commence work until 6p.m. Accused pleaded not guilty…”

– ‘”Unbusiness-Like Methods” at Gretna’, The Dumfries and Galloway Standard newspaper, Wednesday 20th March 1918. [1]

• This goes on to explain that after receiving his calling up notice, Harry went to Gretna to make the military authorities aware of his protection certificate (presumably from working at H.M. Factory Gretna) with the permission of his supervisor, Mr Auld. [1] [2]
• However, Harry clocked on before he left the factory, which meant this was recorded as a 19 hour shift. [1]
• Mr Auld revealed that whilst he had given Harry a train ticket to go to Gretna, he had not given Harry permission to do this in the Ministry’s time and did not agree with him having done so.[1]
• Despite this accusation Harry pleaded not guilty, arguing that it was custom for men to go to Gretna in the Ministry’s time after they were called up and it was done with the knowledge of superior officials! [1]

The train station at Gretna township. Could Harry have been here while he had clocked on at the factory?

• According to the newspaper, the Sheriff Champion, found the case unproven and seemed somewhat disapproving as can be seen below. [1]

“He was afraid very casual customs might prevail at Gretna. Probably they would be better of revision: but bringing up any particular individual and charging him with an offence under the regulations was not the fairest way to institute reform. Anything more unbusiness-like than this practice one could scarcely imagine, and it was little wonder that expenses ran up at Gretna if this was the way they did business.”

– ‘”Unbusiness-Like Methods” at Gretna’, The Dumfries and Galloway Standard newspaper, Wednesday 20th March 1918. [1]

(Although, referred to in the article as the “at Gretna” it is important to note that the nine-mile rural site of H.M. Factory Gretna stretched from Longtown in England to Dornock in Scotland. Eastriggs and Gretna were both vital the factory; built to house the factory workers and accommodate their needs. It’s unlikely that they would wish to reveal the exact location of the munitions factory in the press at the time, which could be perhaps the reason for this.)

• The same newspaper reported that an inquiry should be made into business methods at the Factory, in response to the Sheriff Champion’s comments. [1]

Royal Engineers

• Following this in March 1918, Harry joined the Royal Engineers after being called up.

Later Life

• According to the 1939 Register, Harry is working as a fitter’s mate at the railway and living in Wakefield with Annie.
• Similarly, it appears that some of his siblings were also involved in the railway as were his and Annie’s children.

• In 1950, Annie died.
• Harry died in October 1966, aged 83 years old.

Sources and Further Reading

Find Harry Ainsworth’s online database entry by clicking here>

Do you have a relative who worked at H.M. Factory Gretna? We would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact us by emailing info@devilsporridge.org.uk. You never know maybe your relative feature in a future Worker of the Week blog post! You can also have a look at some more H.M. Factory Gretna workers on our online database here>

Worker of the Week is a series of blog posts which highlights the workers at H.M. Factory Gretna that our volunteers researched for The Miracle Workers Project. This project aimed to centralise all of the 30,000 people who worked at Gretna during World War One and, although it may be over, our amazing research volunteers are continuing to uncover more stories about H.M. Factory Gretna workers to be added to this database. We are always looking to learn more about H.M. Factory Gretna workers. If you know anything about a H.M. Factory Gretna worker please feel free to get in touch with us by contacting info@devilsporridge.org.uk  A huge thank our research volunteers as always and a particular thanks to Marylin for researching this Week’s Worker of the Week!

This week’s Worker of the Week is Percy Toplis. 

Please be aware there is some content in this blog which may not be suitable for young readers.

Early Life

•    On 22nd August 1896 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire Francis was born to Herbert and Rejoice Elizabeth nee Walker. He was their eldest child.
•     In 1901 census, the family are living in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

First Job and First Imprisonment

• In the 1911 census, Percy is living in Westhouse, Nottinghamshire and his job is a pony driver underground in a coal mine. Farther, Herbert is a coal miner hewer.
• Prior to the war, according to Wikipedia, Francis was imprisoned for attempted rape. [1] [2]

World War One

• In 1915 he served with the Royal Army Medical Corps in the Balkans. [1] [2]
• In 1917, he was allegedly involved in and possibly amongst the leaders of the Estaples Muntiny in France, according to claims of the authors of the 1978 book ‘ The Monocled Muntineer.’
• This book was adapted into a BBC television production of the same name in 1987. [5]
• However, this accuracy of both the book and the on screen adaptation may be debatable. It seems to have been the source of much discussion in the past. [2] [1]
• It seems as though the conclusive evidence of what may have happened during the Estaples Muntiny in France from the National Archive may have already been destroyed. [4]

H.M. Factory Gretna

• In 1917 he seems to have worked at H.M. Factory Gretna very briefly, but we don’t know what he did at the factory.[3]
• According to The Penrith Observer newspaper was convicted of theft and fraud in Annan when he worked at H.M. Factory Gretna. [3]

Theft and Fraud

• This does not seem to be Percy’s only conviction. There seem to be many convictions for theft and fraud.[1] [2] [3]
• However, only one seems to be from when he worked at H.M. Factory Gretna. [3]

“TOPLIS AT CARLISLE. In the police description of Toplis a long list of convictions for fraud and theft was given the last case being at Annan, in 1917, when Toplis was believed to have been working at the Gretna munitions factory.”

– The Penrith Observer newspaper, Tuesday 8th June 1920.[3]

(Although, referred to in the article as the “Gretna munitions factory” it is important to note that the nine-mile rural site of H.M. Factory Gretna stretched from Longtown in England to Dornock in Scotland. Eastriggs and Gretna were both vital the factory; built to house the factory workers and accommodate their needs. The administration buildings were located in Gretna too.)

• After this it seems that Percy was posted overseas with the military. [1] [2]
• However, it seems that he was back in the UK by the time of his father’s death in August 1918 and Percy deserted the military. [1] [2]
• In November 1918, he was imprisoned again for fraud. [1] [2]
• Percy was released in 1920. [1] [2]
• Then, he seems to join the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) and would later dessert again. [1] [2]

Murder?

• On the Saturday 24th April 1920, taxi driver Sidney George Spicer, was shot dead and Percy was the last person seen in his car (seen there after Sidney’s death!) [2]
• As a result, Percy was wanted for murder. The case was well covered in the press and a manhunt was commenced to find him.  [2]
• On 6th June 1920, Percy was shot by police at Plumpton, near Penrith. [2]

Sources and Further Reading

If you would like to find out more about Percy Francis Toplis we would strongly suggest the following information sources and websites. Please be aware many of these are not in The Devil’s Porridge Museum’s archive or collection.

[1] Percy Toplis Wikipedia page – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Toplis

[2] Percy Toplis, Eden District Council (Penrith Museum) 2004 – https://www.eden.gov.uk/leisure-culture-and-events/penrith-and-eden-museum/museum-collections/percy-toplis/

[4] Estaples Mutiny, Hansard, UK Parliament record – https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/1978-04-05/debates/c6d91818-0096-4f4a-aec0-f695e8351020/EtaplesMutiny

[5] The Monocled Mutineer, History of the BBC – https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/august/the-monocled-mutineer

Photo source: By Unknown. Photograph Nottingham Evening Post, taken on occasion of wartime revisit to Blackwell, fraudulently dressed as a British Army Captain. The newspaper later released this photograph to police for his ‘Wanted’ notice in 1920. – Nottingham Evening Post, PD-US, Link

Read Francis Percy Toplis’ online database entry here>

Do you have a relative who worked at H.M. Factory Gretna? We would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact us by emailing info@devilsporridge.org.uk. You never know maybe your relative feature in a future Worker of the Week blog post! You can also have a look at some more H.M. Factory Gretna workers on our online database here>