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Postcard of a ship the HMS Birmingham.

HMS Birmingham

By Collections blog

This is a postcard from our Museum store which shows a photo of the WW1 ship HMS Birmingham. HMS Birmingham was launched on the 13th of May 1913 and was commissioned in February 1914. She joined the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet in 1914, visiting Keil in June that year.

 

On August 9th 1914, she spotted the U-15, whose engines had failed as she lay stopped on the surface in heavy fog, off Fair Isle. The crew of Birmingham could hear hammering from inside the boat from attempted repairs, and so fired on her but missed. As the U-boat began to dive, she rammed her, cutting her in two. U-15 went down with all hands, the first U-boat loss to an enemy warship. Birmingham also sank two German merchant ships that year and took part in the battle of Heligoland on August 28th and the battle of Dogger Bank in January 1915. In February 1915, she joined the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron, Attacking a U-boat on 18th June 1915 with no success.

 

She also took part in the battle of Jutland as a member of the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron, during which she sustained damage caused by splintering during the night of the battle.

After the First World War, she was flagship for the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron in 1919-1920, after which she was transferred to the Nore from 1920-1922. Considered (with two other two shaft ‘Towns’) for conversion to a mine layer, but the idea was not pursued. She was recommissioned in November 1923 to the Africa Station with the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron as flagship, relieving Lowestoft. She then continued to serve in foreign stations until being sold in 1931. She arrived at the yards of Thos W Ward, of Pembroke dock on 12th March that year to be broken up.

 

If you’re interested in the history of the Second World War, you might find this book from our online shop of interest: https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/product/the-solway-military-coast-book

Construction of a sub-station at H M Factory Gretna in 1916. This is an archive photo.

The builders of HM Factory Gretna

By Collections blog

One of the most remarkable things about HM Factory Gretna was the speed with which it was built in World War One.  Construction started in 1915 in response to the Shell Crisis.  There was an urgency about the work done here, the Factory was needed to produce RDB Cordite and to help turn the tide of the War.

Constructing the Ether Plant in 1916.

The construction work was done by 10,000 mainly Irish navvies.  Many of them would have worked on other major construction sites such as railway lines and canals.  They worked hard and lived an itinerant lifestyle.  For example, we know of one family who were all in Eastriggs during World War One (several of them got married while they worked here) and were later all in Middlesborough by 1921.

Navvies became associated with anti-social behaviour and crime due. The actions of a few seems to have tarnished the reputation of the many.  This article from the local newspaper is typical of the sorts of crimes which occurred in the early days of the Factory.

Recently, a family history researcher approached the Museum about their family’s connections with the Factory.  They wanted to know more about the role of navvies and to see if we have any documents relating to their family member.  We were unable to find any specific reference to the individuals involved but the researcher found the other information we provided (including photographs of the Factory construction and information about working conditions and newspaper reports very interesting).

They gave us permission to share their family’s connections with HM Factory Gretna here and we are also keeping a copy in our archive of workers.  We are very grateful to them for sharing this information with us.

The marriage certificate of Christopher Maloney and Catherine Maguire in Carlisle Roman Catholic Church (many navvies were RC and two churches were built for those of this faith) in 1916. He gave his address as No 2 Hut, Mill Hill, Kirkandrews, Gretna and his occupation as General Labourer.

After the War, Christopher and Catherine Maloney moved back to Ireland and they both died very young of Tuberculosis in 1924.  They left two children who were brought up by their grandmother in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.

The navvies not only built the Factory but the two townships of Eastriggs and Gretna which were built for the 30,000 workers.

Over a hundred miles of railway track were laid in HM Factory Gretna and 16 railway stations were constructed.

If you enjoyed this article then the following books (available from our online shop) may be of interest to you:

The Devil’s Porridge Museum Guidebook

Gretna’s Secret War

Illustration of a Breguet plane.

WW1 Plane Postcards Part 2

By Collections blog

Here are some more of the WW1 plane postcards which are being kept in the Museums store. This post will include information about the Royal Aircraft Factory b.e. 2c.

Royal Aircraft Factory B.E. 2c

The B.E. 2c was designed as an inherently stable aeroplane, easy to fly and an ideal answer to the Royal Flying Corps’ fundamental operational requirement for a good reconnaissance aircraft. It first flew on 30th May 1914 powered by a 70hp Renault engine. When it entered service with No.8 Squadron RFC in April 1915, the 90hp RAF engine had been fitted as the standard power plant. The B.E. 2c’s stability was initially well received by service pilots but with the advent of the true fighter Fokker monoplanes and the Albatros biplanes, they became very easy prey, being to stable to avoid attack and too slow to get away. Nonetheless, production of large numbers continued and 14 squadrons of the RFC and one of the RNAS were equiped with this type. It was still in action on the Western Front during ‘Bloody April’, 1917 where it suffered a large number of casulties. It was operated overseas by both the RNAS and the RFC, serving as a bombing and reconsissacne aircraft in Maceedonia and the Middle East, and in the Dardenells and the Aegen.

 

You can see our previous plane postcard here: https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/ww1-plane-postcards

 

WW1 Railway Mounted Artillery illustration.

WW1 Postcards

By Collections blog

The postcard above shows some soldiers next to a railway mounted seige gun. These postcards from WW1 show soldiers in many different settings during the war for example some show soldiers using an antiaircraft gun, some show soldiers walking with their regiments and some show soldiers being treated for their injuries. You can see some of the postcards below.

 

This postcard shows some soldiers using an antiaircraft gun.

 

This postcard shows one soldier being treated for his injuries

 

Some children's artwork on a wall in The Devil's Porridge Museum.

The Devils Porridge Online Events

By Archive

While the Museum is closed we have decided to run some of our Kids Clubs online, these clubs will be broadcast on Facebook live or just posted as a video on Facebook around the time tha. In addition to our online Book Bug sessions we are also going to be running other weekly online activities . On Tuesday afternoons we will be posting an Arts and Crafts video taking viewers through each step in different craft project each week, Wednesday morning at 9.30 our Facebook live book bug sessions will take place, on Thursday afternoons as part of our Young Historians Club a new history activity sheet will be made available on our website and through a link on our Facebook page and on Friday afternoon via our Facebook page we will either have colouring activities or a drawing workshop video.

 

Tuesdays – Posting an afternoon Arts and Crafts video taking viewers through each step in different crafts projects each week.

Wednesdays – Tune into our Facebook live Bookbug session at 9.30am

 

Thursdays – For our Young Historians club a new history activity sheet will be made available on our website and on Facebook.

Fridays – On our Facebook page will have either colouring activities or a drawing workshop video.

Agnes Barr Auchenloss

National Doctors Day

By Collections blog

12,000 women worked at HM Factory Gretna in World War One and one of the most remarkable must have been Agnes Barr Auchenloss.  National Doctor’s Day seemed like a perfect time to share her story.

Agnes Barr Auchenloss

Agnes was  born on May 30th 1886 in Paisley.  She graduated from the University of Glasgow with a MB_ChB in 1911.  Her name appeared nine times on the prize lists and she achieved first class certificates in Anatomy and Surgery during her time at University.  After graduation, she worked as a doctor then moved to South Africa.  She married Gosta Lundholm in Cape Town and gave birth to their first child in 1915.  

Gosta Lundholm

Gosta was a chemist and his father was an associate of Alfred Nobel.  His family originated from Sweden but had lived in Scotland for many years before the War and both Gosta’s father and mother had British citizenship.  Gosta studied in Edinburgh, London and Zurich before travelling to South Africa to work as a chemist with the British South African Explosive Co. Ltd at Modderfontein in the Transvaal (this factory made explosives for use in the Rand goldmines). 

In June 1916, the family moved to Eastriggs so Gosta could work in HM Factory Gretna (as an explosives expert, his skills were in demand during war time).

The Ridge in Eastriggs where Agnes lived.

This talented and intelligent couple lived at the No. 9, The Ridge Eastriggs with their son and both contributed to the war effort in their own way.  Gosta assisted in the construction of the plant.  He was regarded as one of the leading chemists in the Factory and was appointed Assistant Section Manager of the Nitro Glycerine section in 1917, a position he held until the end of the War.   

Agnes worked as a Medical Officer in the Factory throughout the War.  She was introduced to the King and Queen during their visit to the Factory in 1917 and said to the King, “It’s good to be in the hands of a kent face” which the King is said to have understood and appreciated when the phrase was explained to him. 

After the War, they returned to South Africa and had another son.  In 1929, they returned to Scotland when Gosta took up a position at an ICI detonator factory in Ardeer.  

Gosta was known as a man who was absolutely dependable with an agreeable personality.  He was said to have a lovely singing voice and enjoyed the opera, sailing and tennis.  Agnes was always helping people who were unwell and generously gave her time to the sick and injured throughout her life.  Gosta died aged 82 in 1969.  Agnes died aged 86 in 1972.   

Annan Academy Certificate for perfect attendance.

Old Annan Academy Certificates

By Collections blog

These certificates were being kept in our Museum store along with the Gretna Township school certificates which we posted about previously. The certificates were all donated by the same person and shows which years they were in the different schools during the 1920’s after the First World War.

 

The certificate below is from 1929 and was awarded for excellence in French, English and Science. The one above was awarded for Excellent Attendance for 2 years in 1928.

 

A man with his metal detector finds.

Finds from a metal detector

By Archive

A gentleman recently visited the Museum.  He is an amateur metal detector.  He spent time recently (with the landowner’s permission) exploring a field in Cumbria, near Keswick where a Roman fort had been.   He didn’t discover any Roman material that he is aware of but he did discover several objects which seem to relate to World War One and we are very grateful to him for donating them to the Museum.

metal detector finds gfro

The whole collection of recently donated objects.  There were 53 items altogether.

More research is needed into the location of the finds to see how it may have been used in the early twentieth century (the donor speculated that it may have been an army training ground) but we thought you’d like to see this unusual collection of items, some seemingly agricultural, others seem to be military and others are a complete mystery (at the moment).

Bullets and coins.

Agricultural items and a mysterious solid lead block (on left).

Military badges.

A spoon and mess tin.

One of the two glass bottles found. One is from Penrith and the other says Wigton, Silloth and Penrith on it.

A smiling person dressed in a apron with a broom.

Photographs, tour and information about Eastriggs online

By Archive

Just over a year ago, Sheila Ruddick, who was the Museum’s Secretary and a Trustee for over twenty years, took a group of young people on a tour of Eastriggs.  She showed them all the sites she had researched over the years for her own interest, for the Museum and for the map she produced ‘Eastriggs: Commonwealth Walk Guide’ (which is available from the Museum online shop – see below).

The young people (and Judith, the Museum Manager) enjoyed their afternoon exploring Eastriggs and listening to all the things that Sheila had to say.  Sadly, it was not long after this that Sheila’s health declined and she passed away much to the sadness of all at the Museum.

Vancouver Road as shown in an Auction Book from 1924 (when the Factory and townships were sold).

In case you aren’t aware, Eastriggs was built in World War One to house workers at HM Factory Gretna.  It originally had a cinema, dance hall, fire station and other amenities such as hostels for the workers.  The township was built along garden city principles and is named ‘The Commonwealth Village’ because its street names reflect the global nature of the workforce in the Factory (people came from India, Australia, South Africa etc. to contribute to the war effort here).

The young people involved have been working on and off on this map project for a year (there have been lots of interruptions due to study leave, people going to university etc.) but we have finally got an online version of the map in a condition to share with you.

Snow on The Ridge. Date unknown.

You will find photographs and information online (155 posts in total) here:

https://www.historypin.org/en/eastriggs-the-town-that-world-war-one-built-2/geo/54.985551,-3.169917,11/bounds/54.828984,-3.34302,55.14151,-2.996814/paging/1/pin/1128318

On some photos, you can compare the historic images with the current google street view image.   The photos date from different decades and there is information relating to who lived in some of the houses too.

The Green, Eastriggs, still recognisable today, it was originally built in World War One to include shops, a bank, cinema and dairy.

This project is by no means complete – we find out more every day and we will continue to add it to this website.  Members of the public can also share their own photographs and information to create a hub of Eastriggs history.

This map is not quite perfect but please do bear in mind that it was made completely for free by our young volunteers.  The important thing is that we are making as much information available to the public as possible – hope you enjoy having a look through it!

You can buy a paper copy of Sheila’s map here:

Eastriggs Commonwealth Walk Guide

Postcard with an illustration of a angry lady and a man with a bucket on his head.

Cartoon WW1 Postcards

By Collections blog

These postcards were recently donated to the Museum and are humorous cartoon postcards from WW1 during wartime. You can see all of the postcards below.

 

 

These postcards came with a large amount of postcards which were donated to the Museum which included ones with old photos of Gretna and Carlisle on them and also some with birthday wishes etc on them (which we will be posting at a later date).

 

 

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