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Some embroidered letters in a display case.

New object of the month display for March

By Collections blog

Every month, we change the display in our object of the month cabinet.  This enables us to showcase some of the objects we have in store (some of which haven’t been on display before).

 

For March, we have this beautiful sampler on display.  It was recently accessioned (added to the collection) by our collections volunteer, Hannah.

 

This is the text that is on display with it in the cabinet:

 

Object of the Month: March 2019
Stitched Sampler

Samplers such as this were made by children as they learned to sew. They almost always include the name and age of the person who created it along with letters of the alphabet and numbers, some include poetry and pictures too.

Samplers were an essential part of most children’s upbringing until the mid-twentieth century. They were a way to practice different stitches and demonstrate the skills of the child. Sewing was an essential skill for working class women (to mend clothing) and a desirable one for upper and middle class women (who often occupied their time creating pieces such as decorated table cloths, fire guards and wall hangings).

This one was sewn in Dumfries, dates from 1885 and was sewn by a child aged 10.

object of the month

 

Reading Romany book front cover.

Talk: G Bramwell Evens or Romany of the BBC

By Events

A talk about G. Bramwell Evens, a Methodist minister who was in Gretna during World War One by David Barnaby.

April 24th 2019
7pm
£3 per person payable on the door.

David has recently published a new book about Bramwell Evens called ‘The Sky is as Blue as a Hedge-Sparrow’s Egg: Reading Romany’

George Bramwell Evens, (1884-1943) was one of the most loved broadcasters of his day.

He was Methodist minister but in the 1930s he was known by everyone as Romany of the BBC. He had an intimate knowledge of the natural world and a gift for vivid communication. His natural history programmes led thousands of children to love of the wonders of the countryside.

In this talk, David Barnaby will explore the world Romany created. David has written over a dozen books. He is an amateur naturalist, a jazz drummer, a saxophone quartet player and a circus enthusiast.

Children wearing dressing up clothes at The Devil's Porridge Museum.

Recent school visit

By News

Dalry Primary school

On Tuesday March 5th, the Devil’s Porridge Museum welcomed 60 students from Dalry Primary, Carsphairn Primary and Kells Primary (Glenkins partnership).  They had been studying World War Two in lessons and came to the museum to experience some objects making the past that bit more tangible.

Dalry PrimaryThey had two different sessions in the morning: one session looked at air raids including the role of ARP wardens and the bombing of Gretna in 1941 while the other session considered all different types of rationing including the rationing of food, petrol and clothing.

Dalry PrimaryIn the afternoon, the students explored the museum itself by going inside an air raid shelter, tasting rationed foods, trying on World War Two era clothing, visiting a 1940s house and handling different historical objects.  The group also took a tour of the Ground Floor of the museum which is dedicated to the history of HM Factory Gretna in World War One.

Dlary Primary

One of their teachers emailed the museum to say: “Thank you so much for a wonderful day! A massive thank you to everyone that helped at the museum!  The pupils enjoyed it very much.”

Dalry Primary

Thanks especially to Sheila G and Eleanor for their work and to Steven for being so helpful on his second day!  To discuss your school visit email info@devilsporridge.org.uk.

 

Isabella Dixon OBE

International Women’s Day: inspiring women of World War One

By Collections blog

Yesterday was International Women’s Day, a time to celebrate wonderful women so here is an account of bravery shown by two remarkable women during World War One.

Maud Bruce was from County Durham, aged 22 when she went to work at HM Factory Gretna (which the Devil’s Porridge Museum is primarily focused upon). She became a forewoman and was in charge of a women’s fire brigade unit in the factory.

Six months after her arrival at the plant, at 8pm on 22nd May 1917, a fire broke out in the gun cotton drying house where she was employed. In this section of the plant there were always large quantities of loose dry cotton lying about. Smoke began to appear out of one of the cotton drying machines, and within a few minutes, the room was filled with thick smoke. Flames began spreading rapidly to the layers of cotton inside the willower, as the machine was called. Maud (photographed below) climbed the ladder beside the machine, which was about 20ft. high, and cut away the burning cotton to prevent the fire from spreading, and by her cool action, the other girls were encouraged to operate the steam and water sprinklers, to extinguish the existing fire.


Her brave deed, therefore, not only halted the expansion of the fire, but also ensured that the rest of the girls carried out their fire fighting duty.

Isabella Dixon

On June 21st 1918, when she was 23, Maud was awarded the OBE by the Duke of Buccleuch, at Gretna she was described in a newspaper article as, “…a fine type of girl…”. The same article from 1917, describes another young woman called Isabella Dixon (photographed above) who was awarded an OBE at the same time as Maud, ‘for presence of mind and courage entering a burning room in an explosives factory and playing a hose upon the flames.’

Maud was one of the first people in the country to undergo plastic surgery. She lived to be 100 years old (photographed below in later life).

maud bruce in later life

A toy rabbit.

New Object of the Month display

By Collections blog

We have a new object of the month display for February.  It shows some new donations to the Museum including a small pram and some vintage children’s comic books.  We also got out a gorgeous little stuffed rabbit which was in our object store.  The display was installed by Łukasz, our Monday work experience student from Annan Academy.  If you visit the Museum this month, you will be able to see this display of children’s objects on the Ground Floor.

The top shelf shows the beautiful vintage rabbit which Hannah, our collections volunteer found in our object store recently.

rabbit

 

RAF Annan plane.

Talk: The RAF in Cumbria and Galloway and North Lancashire

By Events

The RAF in Cumbria and Galloway and North Lancashire
A talk by Ian Tyler at the Devil’s Porridge Museum

Tuesday March 5th 7pm
£3 per person pay on the door

Ian Tyler has recently published his fourteenth book which is on the RAF in Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway and North Lancashire, 1939-1946.

The book is available to buy from our online shop:

 https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/product/the-raf-in-cumbria-1939-1946

This talk will focus on themes which are similar to those in his book and will also include a short piece on the dumping of surplus wartime ammunition into the Beaufort Dyke “Irish Sea.”

The talk will touch on:
Aircraft incidents
Details of the aircrew
Trainee aircrews
The story of the Airfields
The fearless RNLI and Air Sea Rescue Units who plucked the ditched airmen from the Solway, Clyde and Irish Sea

Ian will be selling and signing copies of his book on the evening of the talk.

Ian Tyler has won three Lakeland Book of the year awards. He established “Keswick Mining Museum” which survived 30 years until his retirement. Has worked on TV with “Baldrick” Tony Robinson, Julia Bradbury, Eric Robson, Rob Bell.

Some people working on a display in The Devil's Porridge Museum.

A busy weekend at the Devil’s Porridge Museum

By News

This weekend has been a busy one for the team at the Devil’s Porridge Museum.  We had a really successful Burn’s Supper on Saturday night, see:

On Sunday, two of our young volunteers helped to install the new exhibition ‘Love in Wartime’.  They dressed mannequins with vintage wedding dresses, put up decorations, created display stands from foamboard, put up banners and recorded the objects on display in our object location file.  They were really helpful and seemed to enjoy learning the behind the scenes Museum business!

Here are some photos of Alex and Russell helping out.

Work was also going outside the Museum.  Tony and Richard worked on the telephone box outside of the Museum.  It has been there for a little while now and is getting some TLC to make it level, then it will be painted and fixed up (we are waiting on better weather to do this).  Here they are hard at work.

 

D and G Life article about a 2019 exhibition at The Devil's Porridge Museum.

Article about Museum’s new exhibition in D&G Life magazine

By News

Our new exhibition, ‘Love in Wartime’ features in the current edition of Dumfries and Galloway Life magazine.  The article features in an interview with Judith Hewitt, Museum Manager and curator of the exhibition and features a look at some of the stories and accounts involved in the exhibition.

Love in Wartime opens on January 21st.

Devils Porridge Cafe in 2019

Enjoy our cafe

By Cafe
Due to current Covid-19 restrictions please note that our Cafe numbers are restricted to a total of 24

Enjoy our cafe serving freshly cooked food, teas, coffee and cakes.  Group bookings and discounts available on request.
We strive to use fresh Scottish produce.
Tea and Coffee Served until 4.15pm
Main Menu served 11am-2.30pm

FOOD
Homemade Soup of the Day served with Crusty Roll / Bread £3.95
Homemade Soup & Sandwich Combo £7.10
Homemade Soup & Toastie £7.50

Freshly Made Sandwich with side salad £3.95

Wrap with choice of filling and salad £3.95

Baked Potato & filling with side salad £5.95

Filled Baguette with side salad £5.95

Toastie and side salad or crisps £4.45

Toasted Panini with side salad or crisps £4.95

Scottish Beefburger in Brioche Bun with side salad  £3.95 

Scottish Cheeseburger  with side salad £4.45

Homemade Scottish Mac & Cheese with Garlic Bread £5.95

Haggis and cheese panini with side salad or crisps £4.95

Devils Porridge homemade hot pot and bread £6.50

Hearty ploughman’s lunch £5.95

Homemade Quiche of the day & side salad £5.95

Pasta in homemade tomato sauce £5.50

Toasted Teacake £1.90
Scone (with butter and jam) £2.25 or cream scone  £2.60

Large DP cake wedge £2.60
Traybake £2.20

Homemade biscuit £2.00

Pack of 2 biscuits £1.00

Daily Specials on Board

Wee Devils menu available please ask

Please make any dietary requirements known to staff before ordering.

DRINKS
Macchiato £2.50
Cappuccino £2.50
Latte £2.40
Americano £2.25
De-Caf Coffee £2.50

Tea for One £1.60
Tea for Two £3.00
Special Teas £2.25
De-caf Tea £2.10

Hot Chocolate (with cream and marshmallows) £2.50

Fizzy cans £1.60  Original Coke  £1.75
Fruit Shoots £1.30
Glass of Milk £1.30
Bottled Water / Flavoured Water £1.10

Gretna Cinema. This is an archive photo.

Cinemas at HM Factory Gretna Friday, 1 February 2019 from 19:00-20:30

By Events

Talk on Cinemas at HM Factory Gretna

Friday, 1 February 2019 from 19:00-20:30

‘A World on Wings: Women Munitions Workers and Movies in World War 1’

A talk at the Devil’s Porridge Museum on February 1st at 7pm

£3 per person – no need to book, just pay on the evening.

The talk will focus on the provision of cinema for female workers and the controversies surrounding leisure and work at HM Factory, Gretna. It will be delivered by Dr Chris Brader and has been organised as part of the Museum’s Love in Wartime Season. The cinema has long been a place for couples to go on dates and the cinemas in the townships built for the workers at the Factory were patrolled by the women’s police force. This talk will also mark the return of cinema to Eastriggs as we will be showing films at the Devil’s Porridge in 2019.

Dr. Chris Brader is the author of ‘Timbertown Girls: Borders Women and the First World War. He holds a doctorate from the University of Warwick. He previously taught history at Lancaster University and worked for Cumbria Archives.

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