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  Thanks goes to all our research volunteers.

This week’s Worker of the Week is James Prenctice who was in the factory band. 

Early Life

• On 27th June 1855, in Dalziel, Lanarkshire, Scotland, James Prentice was born.
• James became the eldest in a large family with ten other siblings.
• Additionally, James parents were Harriet and Joseph Prentice.

First Marriage

• Some time after this, in appears that James married Margaret (Maggie) Carlder.
• Together they had 6 children.
• According to the 1891 census they lived in Harriettville, West Calder, Midothian, Scotland.

***

• Strikingly, many years later, one of James children, also named James Prentice, joined the Royal Flying Corps.[3]
• Unfortunately, he was flying aeroplane in Ayr, when he collided with another plane and died.[3]
• As this is likely to happen during World War One, do you think that his father could have been working at H.M. Factory Gretna at this time?

Travels

• Following this first marriage, James left Scotland for South Africa in 1893, which was heading for Cape Town according to Outward passenger lists.

 

• Whilst in South Africa, on 6th June 1911, he married Margaret Ross Phipps.
• Presumably, James first wife had died, as he is described as widower on his marriage register.

 

• Next, we found James returning to UK, on board the ‘Saxon’ ship with his wife and children. It seems that he would have arrived at London.

H.M. Factory Gretna

• Apparently, it seems that James Prentice came back to the UK to work at H.M. Factory Gretna.
• From what we have found, James appears to have worked at the Resident Engineer at the Dornock section.

(Notably, the rural site of the factory actually stretched from Dornock in Scotland – where James worked – all the way to Longtown in England, unlike Gretna as the name suggests. However, Gretna and Eastriggs did play a vital part, as both were built to house and facilitate the people who moved into the area to work at H.M. Factory Gretna. Many of the administration buildings were also located in Gretna. However, James is more likely to have lived in Eastriggs, as according to The Factory Manual at the time, Eastriggs “provides for the accommodation of those workers chiefly engaged on the Dornock section,” or so was the initial intention from what the Manual suggests.)

• James also appears to have been involved in more than one recreational activity at the factory.
• It appears as though he was a member of the Factory Social and Athletic Committee too.
• The Factory Social and Athletic Committee controlled the recreational activities and facilities at H.M. Factory Gretna.

Dornock Band

• According to the Dornock Farewell Magazine, the Dornock area of the factory had its own band made up from workers from that section.
• Although, the Factory Social and Athletic Committee seemed initially reluctant to allow this.

“Some two years ago the workers on the Dornock area of the Factory thought they would like to start their own Band and the purposal was put before the Factory Social and Athletic Committee, but after consideration turned it down. However, the failure of the promoters only increased the desire of Dornock workers to have at least one musical organisation…”

– Factory Band, Page 24, The Dornock Farewell Magazine. [1]

 

 

• It appears that James was apart of the factory band and, more than that was an integral in helping to get the band up and running.
• As described in The Dornock Farewell Magazine:

“The transfer of Mr Prentice to Dornock as resident engineer gave great support of the purposal for the band, he being Director of all musical organisations under the Committee. When the purposal was put before him he at once prepared a scheme for the formation of a Band (brass and reed instruments), and submitted to the Committee personally.”

– Factory Band, Page 24, The Dornock Farewell Magazine.[1]

• Significantly, he Dornock Farewell magazine appears to be very complimentary to James Prentice, noting the “skilful and patient tuition” [1] he gave and how he was “appointed Musical Director by the Commitee.” [1]
• However, it is important to note that the author of this article seems to be a certain J. P. Could it be possible that James Prentice himself wrote it?

 

 

• Either way, there still seem to have been many successful performances from The Factory Band, most notably when:

“The first call upon the services of the Band was on Armistice Day, when on short notice, they turned out and headed the procession round the two Factory Townships [Eastriggs and Gretna], and also provided dance music for the large number of munition workers assembled to rejoice on such an important occasion. The playing of the Band was a great surprise and a source of pleasure to all.”

– “Factory Band”, Page 25, The Dornock Farewell Magazine. [1]

The Gondoliers

• Perhaps unsurprisingly, given James apparent Social and Athletic Committee standing, he was also involved in at least one performance given by The Gretna Choral and Operatic Society.
• In December 1918, The Gretna Choral and Operatic society gave a performance of The Gondoliers at the Border Hall in Gretna. [2]
• “MR J. PRENTICE” is listed as the “MUSUCAL DIRECTOR” for this performance. [2]

 

• In this position he would have worked alongside stage manager and performer for this production Alexander Lupton, who helped to instigate the society.
• Although, Stewart Clifford Phipps was a violinist and therefore, unlikely to be in the brass and reed instrument factory band, he appears in the programme as one of the leaders of the orchestra, which means James was likely to have worked with him for this show.
• Additionally, Egerton Sayer and Thomas George Dippie would have featured in the performance.

 

 

• Do you think that James Prentice would have been involved in any of the other performances given by The Gretna Choral and Operatic Society?
• As a member of the Social and Athletic Committee could James have even been involved in other performances at The Border Hall in Gretna, such as Cheerio Gretna (this was preformed by members of the Women’s Police Force in 1917)? [9
• So far we have found no further evidence either way, so what do you think?

 

 

• What we do know is that is that James Prentice is mentioned in a poem in The Dornock Farewell magazine:

“There’s worthy Prentice, King o’ reeds.
Weel may his callants hing their heids,
Nae mair they’ll chord his canty screeds
At Dornock.”

– “At Dornock,” Page 37, The Dornock Farewell Magazine. [8]

• Consequently, it seems he must have been well known at the factory.

Later Life

• Following this it seems that James returned to South Africa.
• Accordingly, in the Dornock, Farewell magazine he left his forwarding address as Pretoria, South Africa. [9]

 

• Lastly, James died in August 1931 in Pretoria, South Africa.

 

 

Sources and Further Information

[1] “Factory Band,” Page 24 – 25, The Dornock Souvenir Magazine.

[2] Gretna Choral and Operatic Society, The Gondoliers programme, December 1918 from The Devil’s Porridge Museum’s archive.

[3] “Young Aviator’s Death” newspaper article, The British Newspaper Archive.

[4] Worker of the Week: Alexander McKenzie Lupton – https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-the-week-alexander-mckenzie-lupton

[5] Worker of the Week: Stewart Clifford Phipps – https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-the-week-stewart-clifford-phipps

[6] Worker of the Week: Egerton Sayer – https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-the-week-egerton-sayer

[7] Worker of the Week: George Thomas Dippie – https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-the-week-thomas-geroge-dippie

[8] “At Dornock” Poem, Page 37, The Dornock Souvenir Magazine.

[9] Page 68, The Dornock Souvenir Magazine.

Read James Prentice’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 could 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 you as always to our research volunteers.

This week’s Worker of the Week is John Benns, we think he was the manager in the stationary department at H.M. Factory Gretna.

Early Life

• John Benns was born on 30th November 1872.
• When he was born, John already had six older siblings.
• His parents were Robert Benns and Lydia Frances Bowness.
• Robert worked as a Corn Miller.

 

• Following this, census records indicate that 1891 John was working as a Stationer’s clerk.

Marriage

• After that, John married Ellen Eliza Rees in Woolwhich in 1901.
• By this point, John was working as a Commercial Stationer’s Traveller, as also indicated on the census records for 1901 and again in 1911.
• Additionally, We know that John and Ellen had two children.

Time at H.M. Factory Gretna

• Both John and Ellen are registered as living at 10 S West in Gretna in the Gretna Electoral Roll. [1]
• John’s occupation is given here simply as “manager”.[1]

(It is worth noting that Gretna, were John and Ellen lived was one of the two townships, with the other being Eastriggs built to house the influx of people who came to work at the factory. Despite it’s namesake with the largest of the two townships, Gretna, the rural site of the factory actually stretched from Longtown in England to Dornock in Scotland).

• However, this is not the only mention of John.
• He is mentioned in the Mossband Farewell magazine and described as working in the “Stationary Department” amongst some thank yous. [2]
• Accordingly, we think John could have been the manager of the stationary department at the factory.

 

• The Mossband Farewell magazine was created by those who worked in the Mossband – or Longtown – section of the factory to commemorate their time working there.
• Similarly, The Dornok Farewell magazine was created by those who worked in the Dornock section of the factory.
• Although the factory rural site stretched 9-miles, Mossband and Dornock and were the two main sites with many of the buildings spread out to avoid chain-reactions from any possible explosions.

 

 

• Additionally, you can find out more about the Mossband Farewell in a video from a online talk from 2021 on our YouTube. Watch the Mossband Farewell video by clicking here>

 

Life After Gretna

• Next, John appears to have worked as Stockbrokers’ cashier from what the 1939 census indicates.
• We know that John must have moved back to London at some point after his time at the factory, but we are yet to find out exactly when. If you know more please feel free to get in touch!

 

• On 7th October 1947, John died in London.

 

Sources and Further Information

[1] Page 323 (digital page 32), Parish of Gretna Electoral Roll 1918 to 1919.

[2] Page 6, The Mossband Farewell Magazine from The Devil’s Porridge Museum’s Archive.

[3] Mossband Farewell: Workers’ Writings and the Mossband Farewell Magazine, online talk given by Professor Kristie Blair on The Devil’s Porridge Museum’s YouTube – https://youtu.be/BR2jhKFb86w?si=xo5t3dCwYgue0JtN&t=1061

 

Find John Benns 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 could feature in a future Worker of the Week blog post! If you would like to you can also have a look at some more H.M. Factory Gretna workers on our online database here>