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A jar of vegemite with some vegemite on toast.

Worker of the Week: Cyril Callister

By Collections blog

Worker of the Week is a weekly blogpost series which will highlight one of the workers at H.M. Gretna our volunteers have researched for The Miracle Workers Project. This is an exciting project that aims to centralise all of the 30,000 people who worked at Gretna during World War One. If you want to find out more, or if you’d like to get involved in the project, please email laura@devilsporridge.org.uk. This week, Research Assistant Laura Noakes writes up volunteer Daniel’s research into Cyril Callister.

Cyril Callister was born in 1893 in Chute, Australia.  In 2016, Chute had a population of 18, so it was likely a very small place for Cyril to grow up in the late 19th century![1] Cyril’s father, William, was a schoolmaster, and he and his wife, Rosetta, had married in 1888.[2] Rosetta’s father had emigrated to Australia from England, and worked as a wood sawyer.[3] Cyril had nine siblings, eight of whom survived to adulthood.

 

Students of the Ballarat School of Mines, c1900. Courtesy Federation University Historical Collection [Cat. No. 272]. This was probably before Cyril’s time (as he was 7 in 1900), but gives us an idea of the cohorts of students at the time.

Cyril first attended Grenville College in Ballarat, before going to the Ballarat School of Mines. The Ballarat School of Mines was a technical school located in Ballarat, the first of its kind in Australia. Established in 1870, its purpose was to: ‘to impart instruction in the various branches of science relating to mining engineering. it is proposed, as soon as practicable, to extend the operation of the school so as to impact instruction in those branches of technical science which may be considered most likely to exert a beneficial influence on the prosperity of Victoria.’[4]

He then went on to study at the University of Melbourne after he was awarded a generous scholarship. He gained his Bachelor of Science degree in 1914 with double honours in physics and chemistry, a Master of Science degree in 1917 and a PhD in 1931.

Cyril took a job at Lewis and Whitty in early 1915. Lewis and Whitty was a prominent manufacturer of food and other household products—such as soap.[5]

http://search.slv.vic.gov.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay?vid=MAIN&docid=SLV_VOYAGER1810449&context=L&search_scope=Everything

But later that same year he joined the Australian Imperial Force to fight in World War One. However, before he could get to the front, Cyril’s skills and knowledge in chemistry probably brought him to the attention of the Ministry of Munitions. Cyril was diverted into overseas munitions work in England, first in Wales, and then in Scotland, at HM Factory Gretna.[6]

Cyril’s enlisting papers in WW1

We know he was at Gretna because he is recorded as being there when elected as a New Associate of the Institute of Chemistry in 1918.[7] Whilst there, he worked as a shift chemist. He also met a local girl, Katherine Hope Mundell, who he married in 1919 in Annan, Scotland.

The acid mixing stations at HM Factory Gretna. Photo from The Devil’s Porridge Museum’s archive collection

After the war, Cyril and Katherine returned to Australia. In 1923, Cyril was working at Fred Walker and Co. Because of the disruption in trade caused by hostilities, the exportation of Marmite to Australia was severely affected.[8] Cyril was tasked with addressing this issue—he developed a yeast extract named Vegemite, which was first sold to customers in 1924. In 1925, Cyril sent samples of Vegemite to London for testing and discovered that his product had high levels of vitamin B, which solidified Cyril’s belief that Vegemite was rich in nutrients.[9] Vegemite soon became an Australian staple.

Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vegemiteontoast_large.jpg

But Cyril wasn’t done with his food innovations yet! In 1926, he developed Kraft Walker Cheese – a cheese that was more easily preserved for longer. Cyril was appointed chief chemist and production superintendent. He became a director of the Kraft Walker Cheese Co in 1935.[10]

Portrait of Cyril Callister, inventor of Vegemite and Ballarat School of Mines alumnus. Photo credit: Federation University Australia Historical Collection (Geoffrey Blainey Research Centre

During WW2, Cyril worked with Government to provide food rations to serving soldiers and experimented with the dehydration of food. He was also instrumental in securing the Royal Charter for the Royal Australian Chemistry Institute in 1931.[11] He passed away following a heart attack in 1949, leaving behind his widow, two daughters and a son.[12] Unfortunately one of his children pre-deceased him—Ian Hope Callister died whilst fighting in WW2 at the young age of 21.[13]

The Roll of Honour Circular for Ian, Cyril’s son, following his death in WW2.

Cyril’s legacy is plain to see—Vegemite is globally known and his other food manufacturing developments paved the way for future research But his life was also blighted by two global conflicts—he had to divert into munitions in the Great War, and lost his son in World War Two.

[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). “Chute”. 2016 Census QuickStats.

[2] Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950 for William Callister and Rosetta Dixon, 1888. Retrieved from Ancestry.

[3] 1861 England Census for John Dixon, Parliamentary Borough of Lambeth, retrieved from Ancestry.com.

[4] Lines of Succession: The Origins of the University of Ballarat from 1870. University of Ballarat, 2012, referenced: Ballarat School of Mines – Ballarat and District Industrial Heritage Project (federation.edu.au)

[5] Biography – Cyril Percy Callister – Australian Dictionary of Biography (anu.edu.au)

[6]  Biography – Cyril Percy Callister – Australian Dictionary of Biography (anu.edu.au)

[7] INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY 1918 Part 1 The Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain and Ireland. Proceedings, 1918. Part I – Proceedings of the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain and Ireland (RSC Publishing)

[8] Cyril Callister Biography, Achievements, Australian chemist, Food Technologist (aussiedigest.com)

[9] Biography – Cyril Percy Callister – Australian Dictionary of Biography (anu.edu.au)

[10] Biography – Cyril Percy Callister – Australian Dictionary of Biography (anu.edu.au)

[11] Cyril Callister (1893-1949) – Ballarat and District Industrial Heritage Project (federation.edu.au)

[12] Obituary in The Age, 06 October 1949.

[13] Record Details for Ian Hope Callister (Royal Australian Air Force) (forces-war-records.co.uk)

 

Reginald Ezra Parry M.Sc., University of Melbourne

Worker of the Week: Reginald Ezra Parry

By Collections blog

Worker of the Week is a weekly blogpost series which will highlight one of the workers at H.M. Gretna our volunteers have researched for The Miracle Workers Project. This is an exciting project that aims to centralise all of the 30,000 people who worked at Gretna during World War One. If you want to find out more, or if you’d like to get involved in the project, please email laura@devilsporridge.org.uk. This week, Research Assistant Laura Noakes writes up volunteer Beth’s research into Reginald Ezra Parry.

Reginald Ezra Parry was born in 1889 in Adelaide, Australia. His parents, Ezra and Florence, had three boys, of who Reginald was the youngest. Ezra worked as a chemist, and perhaps this is what inspired his youngest son to follow in his footsteps and pursue a scientific career. Reginald studied at the University of Melbourne in Australia, where he was a member of the rugby team.

Image credit: University of Melbourne Photographs, reproduced with permission

This postcard shows the reverse of the photo of the rugby team. In this brief letter, Reginald states that he is ‘Very busy, No time to write a letter. Anyway, not much news. Am going to George Taylor’s wedding in a few minutes. How is this for a photo of me? This, as you will probably guess, is the Intervarsity Rugby Football Team. Henley is on Saturday. Went and saw ‘The Chocolate Soldier again last night. Love and kisses from Reg.’ Image credit: University of Melbourne Photographs, reproduced with permission

The Chocolate Soldier was an operatta first adapted for film in 1915, which suggests that this letter was written when Reginald was coming to the end of his university studies. He graduated with an M.Sc in that same year. There are some more great photos of Reginald in the University of Melbourne Archives. In the first, he sits in a deckchair.

 

Image credit: University of Melbourne Photographs, reproduced with permission

In the second, he is stood reading a book in front of the window, alongside three others:

Image credit: University of Melbourne Photographs, reproduced with permission

These fascinating photos give us a tantalising glimpse into Reginald’s life at university; he looks very suave and studious in them! Indeed, in an obituary written after his death, it was stated:

‘his life at the time was an interesting and varied one, including considerable teaching experience in chemistry and mathematics, and later metallurgy.’

Avis, Reginald’s first wife

Reginald also married during his time studying. In 1913, in Victoria, he married Avis Blanche Whittington. Avis had been born in Hampshire, England, the daughter of George, who worked as a gardener according to the 1891 census. In 1903, age 14, Avis arrived in Australia along with two of her siblings, Phyllis and Alice. The girls weren’t accompanied by their parents.

Reginald Ezra Parry M.Sc., University of Melbourne, 1915. Image credit: University of Melbourne Photographs, reproduced with permission

 

However, having graduated with a chemistry degree whilst World War One was raging, Reginald had skills desperately needed by the British Empire. Like many who lived under British rule, Reginald enlisted in the A. I. F. (The Australian Imperial Force). The A. I . F. was formed in 1914 and was the main expeditionary force of the Australian military during the Great War. As was the case with many Empire chemists and engineers, Reginald was posted to work at H. M. Factory Gretna.

The Glycerine Distillery at HM Factory Gretna. Photo from The Devil’s Porridge Museum archives.

It must have been a huge shock to go from Melbourne to Eastriggs, a small township just over the border in Scotland which had been purpose built for factory workers. Reginald lived at 82 The Rand in Eastriggs, and although we don’t know the particulars of his job, he was working as a chemist. There is one newspaper article which sheds light on Reginald’s time at the factory. In late 1917, according to the Dumfries and Galloway Standard, Reginald pled guilty to being in possession of a box containing matches within the factory fence. This may seem pretty trivial to us, but bringing matches–or anything that could be lit, catch fire, or was metallic–into the factory was an explosives risk. In the Regulations for Factory Employees booklet, given to staff at the factory, it is stated:

‘No person shall bring within the Factory, or have in his possession, whilst in the factory, any match or apparatus for producing light, or any lamp, light or fire of any description.’

Reginald’s charges were dismissed with an admonition.

Reginald in uniform, alongside his first wife, Avis.

After the war, Reginald worked as a Research Chemist and Works Manager of a Sandalwood Oil Distillery, before returning to academia in 1925. In 1930, he began working for the Swan Brewery Company Ltd, as a Maltster and Chief Analyst, where he remained until he retired. He was appointed a member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers in 1925, and later elected as a fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry.

After Reginald’s wife, Avis, died in 1949, he remarried Suzette Estelle Deane-Ross in the same year. Interestingly, Suzette was a widow of a man who also worked at HM Factory Gretna during the war. She had first been married to Garnett Skuthorpe. Garnett was an alumni of the University of Sydney, and like Reginald, a chemist. He worked at HM Factory Gretna from 1916-1919. Garnett and Suzette had been married in 1909, and had several children. In World War Two, Garnett was again dispatched to England on munitions work. He died there in 1944, killed accidentally in an explosives factory.

I wonder if Suzette and Reginald first met at Gretna? Reginald Ezra Parry died aged 76 in 1966. In an obituary it was written:

‘To all who worked with him or for him, Reginald Parry was the same, very helpful and always ready to lend considerable ability and experience to any problems. His mind remained active and interested long after he had retired from business life and his comments on techniques in almost any industry were informed and accurate, and reflected his very wide reading and experience.’

The royal visit to H.M. Factory Gretna during World War One with lots of happy munition workers.

The Miracle Workers Project Update: Mini-Conference

By Events
A chance to hear about the excellent historical research done so far on The Miracle Workers Project in a free online event.

 

 

In March 2021, The Devil’s Porridge Museum launched it’s Miracle Workers Project, which aimed to research the 30,000 people who worked at H. M. Factory Gretna during World War One. Thanks to a generous grant from the D&G Costal Communities Fund, volunteers at the museum have been systematically researching and compiling information on those who worked at Gretna.

This free online event will share what the volunteers have uncovered so far, from women’s football teams at the factory to police to explosives and chemists. We will also be hearing from Dr Chris Brader, who wrote his thesis on the women workers at Gretna, who will be speaking about his research.

10AM – 11AM – short, informal talks by our volunteers, sharing their research.

11AM-11:45AM – talk by Dr Chris Brader, with time for questions.

Booking your free place on eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-miracle-workers-project-update-mini-conference-tickets-162272199517

This event will be held via Zoom and a joining link will be sent on the day.

A collection of board games from the past. These include cards, scrabble, the beetle game, dominos and some card games.

Donation of board games

By Collections blog, News

Jack and Ronan have been volunteering at The Devil’s Porridge Museum for nearly two months as part of their Duke of Edinburgh award.  In that time, they have done a lot of work to help re-organise our object store and they have started to work with recently donated objects.  This blog was written by them about a box of old games and board games they found.  We hope to make use of these games in September when we work with a project involving Gretna Primary School – their Primary 1 class is going to be looking at childhood and toys in the past so this will be perfect for them!

Jack writes…

The first game I researched was a game called “Canasta”. I decided to look into this game because it was one I had not heard of before. I found out a detailed history of the game as well as something interesting about the company that made the version in the museum, John Waddington Ltd.

Canasta (Spanish for “basket”) is a card game of the rummy family of games believed to be a variant of 500 Rum. Although many variations exist for two, three, four, five or six players, it is most commonly played by four in two partnerships with two standard decks of cards. The goal of the game is to make ‘melds’ of seven cards of the same rank and “go out” by playing all cards in their hand. Canasta was originally created by Segundo Santos and Alberto Serrato in Uruguay in 1939. In the 1940s the game spread in different variations to Chile, Peru, Brazil and Argentina, where its rules changed some more before spreading to the United States in 1949, where it was then referred to as the Argentine Rummy game. In 1949/51 the New York Regency Club wrote the Official Canasta Laws, which were published together with game experts from South America by the National Canasta Laws Commissions of the USA and Argentina. Canasta became even more popular in the United States in the 1950s with many card sets, card trays and books being produced. The games popularity started to die out in the 1960s but there are still some Canasta leagues and clubs in some parts of the US and South America.

The Canasta set in the museum was made by games company John Waddington Limited, a company who made some variations of monopoly and Cluedo in the late 1940s. Earlier in the first world war, the company was used by MI9 to make special versions of monopoly that would be sent to German prisons by fake charitable organisations and would contain items such as maps, compasses, real money and other items useful for escaping.

 

Another game I researched was called Lexicon, which I had also never heard of before. I found out some information about how the game came to be and how it first gained popularity.

Lexicon was basically a pack of cards but instead of the usual symbols on the faces there was letters of the alphabet. A writer named Dave Whitelaw came up with the idea and persuaded Waddington’s to make the game. Originally the game came out in 1932 and there wasn’t much success as the game was quite expensive and relatively unheard of. Then the company took the unprecedented decision to package the game nicer and increase the price. This was heavily criticised and did not help with the popularity. An official release of the game came later and this got the attention of several newspapers who brought in more sales and the game became successful.

The lexicon set in the museum contains a full deck but slightly damaged packaging and does not include instructions.

I also researched a game called the Beetle Game, which I had heard of but wasn’t sure about how it worked.

The beetle game is a classic 1960s board game by Chad Valley in England. The game can be played by 2 or more players, and the goal is to construct your own beetle, first to complete it wins. There are 6 parts to the beetle with a corresponding number on the dice. The player must roll the dice and try to get the beetles body firt. Then they must roll the dice and attempt to get every part of the beetle and put it together. The player loses the dice if they fail to throw a number required for a missing part.

The set in the museum includes all parts of the 4 coloured beetles, although one of them falls apart when constructed due to wear. It also includes full packaging and some new and used scorecards.

The final game I researched was called Lotto or Housey Housey, and it turned out we also had a more modern version of the game which was named Bingo.

Lotto is a family game of chance suitable for any age range. It uses 90 wooden numerals and the set in the museum can be played with 2-12 players but some sets can go up to 24 players. You are given a card with 15 numbers on it and the end goal is to mark off all those numbers. One player is selected as the caller, and they pick the wooden numbers from a bag and call them out, and if a number called is on your card, you cross it off. Once they are all crossed off, you shout “Lotto!” and the first person to do so wins the game.
There are 2 sets of this game in the museum, one being a more classic style and another named as Bingo that is more modern and has unopened packaging.
Finally, I tried researching a game called 4-Tell Fortune Telling Cards but I was unable to find anything on that exact set or company. If you know anything about this set feel free to reach out to us.
The other games were researched by Ronan and also thanks to him for the photos.
Ronan writes…

The first game I researched was called the crime club card game and was made in 1935 By peter Cheyney.
He was a famous crime writer known for multiple novels. It is missing quite a lot of cards and the box is in bad condition. It is for 2 to 6 players, and it lasts around 30 mins. The game contains 50 cards – 6 suits of 8 cards (split into 3 detective and 3 crook suits featuring characters – such as Hercules Poirot – objects and locations) and 2 jokers. The game is played in two parts. During the first part of the game players collect a hand that will enable them, during the second part of the game, to take as few tricks as possible.

Nora Morphet being given the British Empire Medal by Lord Lonsdale.

Worker of the Week: Nora Morphet

By Collections blog, News

Worker of the Week is a weekly blogpost series which will highlight one of the workers at H.M. Gretna our volunteers have researched for The Miracle Workers Project. This is an exciting project that aims to centralise all of the 30,000 people who worked at Gretna during World War One. If you want to find out more, or if you’d like to get involved in the project, please email laura@devilsporridge.org.uk. This week, volunteer Marilyn tells us all about Nora Morphet.

Nora Morphet was born on 18th April 1898 at Staveley , Nr Kendal , Westmorland to James and Sarah nee Irwin. James was the son of an agricultural labourer ( 1871 census) and at 17 in 1881 James is a Railway Porter.  James and Sarah were married in Brampton in 1891 according to Marriage registers. They lived in and they lived at 15, Dalston St, Carlisle

The 1901 census places the family at Railway Cottage, Staveley, James being a Railway Signalman age 35 and born at nearby Barbon, Westmoreland. Sarah was born in Brampton, Cumberland , now aged 36. They already had 4 children – Mary Alice , 8 and Ethel, 3 born in Brampton , Nora 2 and James 1 born in Staveley. A 5th child , Esther Annie  was born on 2nd July 1901 but tragically Sarah the mother died on 13th December according to the Register of deaths. The parent’s ages indicated in the 1901 census are questionable when tallied with other sources of evidence.

By 1911 , James now  a widower for almost 10 years, lived in Back Street , Yanwath ,near Penrith with his young family. He is now 47, still a Railway Signalman. Mary Alice , 18 , described as single and now indicated as being born in Carlisle which links with other sources – the young couple had lived at  15 Dalston St  when they first married. Nora, 12, James 11 and Esther 9 all scholars.

Ethel is to be found on a separate census return as a 15 year old servant for a miller and his wife at Morland ,Penrith.

The Cumberland and Westmoreland Herald- Saturday 30th December 1911 report in full the Christmas performance by the whole village school at Yanwath. Nora , James and Esther all performed. Nora played the part of a Christmas  fairy.

Here we turn to the plight of James junior. The Forces war record tells us that in July 1915, James , a private in the Coldstream Guards having previously been reported missing was now being reported by the German Authorities as being in a POW camp. Having been born in 1899 he clearly lied about his age in order to join up. One can only imagine what Nora and the rest of the family suffered at this time.

Coldstream Guards Log for James Morphet

The Coldstream Guard log tells us that he was dismissed on 12/11/1919 “ Surplus having suffered. “

He must have joined the Royal Irish Constabulary rather than go back home to Carlisle where the family were now living at 6 Millholme Avenue. The Royal Irish Constabulary pension ledger clearly shows James as being pensioned off in February 1922 ( now aged 22/3) , £46.16.7d to be paid annually and all correspondence to be sent to 6 Millholme Avenue, Carlisle. He was clearly going back to live with his father.

Meanwhile, Nora we can assume responded to a call to work at HM Factory Gretna in 1916 and more than likely travelled on a daily basis from Carlisle. Throughout her whole time at Gretna she must have worked with the knowledge that her younger brother was a prisoner , that he had joined up when he was too young and that he may not come home again.

Nora must have worked as a munitionette at Gretna because the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer of Thursday 2nd May 1918  reported “. Miss Nora Morphet, 6, Millholme Avenue, Carlisle, for courage and high example in continuously working long hours in poisonous atmosphere which habitually affected her health;”

Nora pictured in The Daily Mirror, May 3rd 1918

For this she was one of 3 young women Presented with British Empire Medal by Lord Lonsdale in Carlisle “MEDALS FOR BRAVE CARLISLE WOMEN WORKERS. By command of the King, Lord Lonsdale, the Lieutenant Cumberland, at the Town Hall.”

Chris Brader in Timbertown Girls refers to the three girls but there are no specifics of why exactly they had been awarded over and above many others and what particular effect it had on their health.

Not only was this reported but it was photographed and Nora appeared proudly on the front page of the Daily Mirror , Friday 3rd May 1918.

We lose track of Nora at this point until April 1926 when she is listed in the Marriage registers for St Pancras, London as marrying an M H Lyons. Was she in service in London? How had their paths crossed?

Mark Horatio Lyons , a young widower, described variously as Diamond dealer/salesman/jeweller in Passenger lists for trans Atlantic crossings. He was from Edgbaston , King’s Norton, Birmingham. Passenger lists show his as travelling to New York via Ellis Island on 6th January 1916 aged 19 on board the  SS Paul, with the intention of becoming a  permanent citizen. On the same passage is a Florrie Hazel Myra Price, his future bride, also of Edgbaston.

A US Army draft card appears in the records for Mark H Lyons, born in Birmingham , England and stating that he had been deemed “ medically unfit for the British Army and he is the sole supporter of his wife and child” Subsequent events date this at autumn 1918. He is described as tall, slender with brown hair and blue eyes. We can assume that he married Florrie in Baltimore, Maryland and they had a daughter.

Mark Lyon’s (Nora’s first husband) US Army Draft Card

On April 12th 1919 he arrives in Liverpool aboard the “Aquitania” , described as single and a diamond dealer . Florrie had died in February in Baltimore , Maryland and findagrave.com shows that both Florrie and the baby daughter were interred at the Price family grave in Brackenwood Cemetery Birmingham on 17th April 1919. Florrie had died before they left America.  Baby Valerie Rena Lyons baby daughter of Mark and Florrie Lyons  was 4 and  a half months old.  His address is 8 Wellington Road, Edgebaston. Probate records show that Florence left £135 6s 3d in effects to Mark Lyons of 8 Wellington Road.

Nora’s marriage to this first widower did not last long. Mark died in 1933 in St Mary’s Hospital , Paddington ,London  on 14th January 1933 . Probate was to Nora Lyons , 8 Wellington Road , Edgebaston £ 28,902 17s 10d. This same year we know from the nursing registers that Nora began her 3 year training in Leicester to become a nurse.

Her brother James was living with father James in 1924 according to the Electoral register and is working as a Railway Porter, dad still being a signalman. They are listed as James and James Jnr.

Marriage registers tell us that James Jnr married Betsy( Bessie) Jane Heslop in 1925, She had been born in Yanwath where the Morphet family had lived. Her father was also a Railway Signalman.

We learn later that they had a daughter, Dorothy in 1926 and a son, James in 1928.

Tragedy hit Nora and her family in 1930 when her brother James , aged 30, committed suicide by gassing himself and the 2 children, Dorothy 4 and James 2, in bed. His wife had gone out for the evening to visit her sister in law. It was reported nationally and regionally that she had come home to discover this scene in the bedroom of  their home at 31 Prescott Road , Carlisle – described in one newspaper as the new Corporation Housing.

James’ death reported in The Scotsman – Monday 06 January 1930

Reports mentioned that they seemed such a happy family, that he had suffered ill health for some time. The Sheffield Telegraph and the Londonderry Times reported the inquest and mention depression and bad headaches.

James ( father ) appears to have moved along Millholme Avenue at this point to number 12 to stay with his daughter Ethel Annie now Armstrong and her husband .

By the 1939 register now aged 65 he has moved again to 28 , is a retired Railway signalman and is living with Emma Bell , 62 a widow.

In 1933 Nora appears on the Nursing Registers for the first time , training at Leicester Royal Infirmary and Children’s Hospital between 1933 and 1936. Her registration number was 85004. She appears on the Nursing Registers  for 1937, 1940, 1943 and 1946. They are revised every 3 years.

The  1937 Nursing register shows that Nora is back in Cumberland, living at 5 North Street, Maryport No trace of her can be found on the 1939 national register.

The 1940 register of nurses shows that she has moved to Brackenlands, Wigton, Cumberland and it is from there that she marries a second widower, Wilfred Isaac Witts Lomas.

The 1939 National register shows Wilfred as being 33 , a Commercial Traveller selling Tubes, of “ The Rowans” , 66 Lutterworth Road, Blaby Leicester. His wife Susan is listed on a  separate page as a patient at Leicester hospital, Regent’s Lane and death registration shows that she died in September 1939.

10 months later Wilfred married Nora, 9 years his senior in Wigton, Cumberland. Coincidentally, his father was also a Railway Signalman. Could Nora have nursed his wife whilst in Leicester and some kind of bond struck? This was the second widower that she  married.

At aged 42 it seems that Nora had a son, John Wilfred A Lomas born in Leicester. Electoral registers subsequently place him in Edinburgh in 1964 aged 21  living in Marchhall Crescent in the vicinity of the Pollocks Buildings of the University. He married Irene Kemlo in Abernethy, Perthshire in 1966.

Nora and Wilfred appear on the Midland, England, Electoral Register for 1962 living at 60 Swancote, Road Birmingham. It is not clear why Wilfred’s Probate listing mentions the Leicester address.

There is an indication that Nora  died in Birmingham in 1984 aged 86 having outlived Wilfred by 10 years. The last official mention of her that can be found is the  Nursing register where she is still listed as living at 66 Lutterworth Road , Blaby, Leicester.  Death registers tell us that Wilfred died in 1974 in Leicester.

 

A photo album with a collection of photos of a lightning storm, swimming and a dessert.

Sandstorms, Swimming and Stories: Creative Writing Workshop.

By Events
Draw inspiration from mystery photographs in the museum’s collection to create your own short story.

Can you imagine what it would be like to get stuck in a desert sandstorm, fly an aeroplane, or swim in the Dead Sea?

 

The Devil’s Porridge Museum contains countless old photographs from all around the world. The only thing is we don’t know much about them … but we can imagine what stories the images could contain!

 

Join us at our creative writing workshop run by local writer Kerrie McKinnel, and create your own short story using these images and more as inspiration.

 

Suitable for young people with big imaginations.

 

Kerrie McKinnel is a writer, graduate from the University of Glasgow’s MLitt Creative Writing, and Events Manager for Lockerbie Writers group. She has run a number of successful writing workshops and events. You can find out more about her on her website: www.kerriemckinnel.com

 

Due to Covid restrictions booking your place via Eventbrite is essential.

Book your place here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sandstorms-swimming-and-stories-creative-writing-workshop-tickets-161640243319

Madeline Ida Bedford.

Worker of the Week: Madeline Ida Bedford

By Collections blog, News

Worker of the Week is a weekly blogpost series which will highlight one of the workers at H.M. Gretna our volunteers have researched for The Miracle Workers Project. This is an exciting project that aims to centralise all of the 30,000 people who worked at Gretna during World War One. If you want to find out more, or if you’d like to get involved in the project, please email laura@devilsporridge.org.uk. This week, Research Assistant Laura Noakes writes up volunteer Beth’s fascinating research into Madeline Ida Bedford.

Poetry was big in World War One. Soldier poets like Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfrid Owen are famous even today. The wonderful Imperial War Museum have compiled a list of nine Great War poets--all of them men. However, women also wrote poetry during and about the conflict. One of these women, Madeline Ida Bedford, was connected to Gretna, and her most famous work is all about munition workers.

Madeline Ida Bedford was born in London in 1884.[1] Her father, Edward, worked as a civil engineer[2], and her parents had married in 1876 in India. Madeline grew up in London with her siblings, Ellen, Alice Mildred, Grace Doris (who unfortunately passed away before her first birthday) and Edward Terence. It appears that Madeline grew up comfortably in a middle-class household—the 1891 census records the family as living at 60 Wood Street in Woolwich and having two servants.[3] By 1911, Madeline, aged 26, was living with her single sister with two servants and is recorded as living off private means.[4]

We don’t know exactly what Madeline’s connection was with Gretna. However, a poem of hers apparently appeared in one of the Farewell magazines produced by staff at the factory. This led the folks over at the Female Poets of the First World War to speculate that she worked at HM Factory Gretna during World War One.[5] However, I couldn’t find the poem mentioned in either of the farewell magazines! I did, however, find one attributed to a ‘M B I’–it might be a stretch of the imagination, but maybe this is a typo and author of the poem is indeed Madeline.

Whether or not she actually did work at HM Factory Gretna, Madeline produced a very popular wartime poem about munition’s workers and their wages:

 

Munition Wages

Earning high wages?

Yus, Five quid a week.
A woman, too, mind you,
I calls it dim sweet.

Ye’are asking some questions –
But bless yer, here goes:
I spends the whole racket
On good times and clothes.

Me saving? Elijah!
Yer do think I’m mad.
I’m acting the lady,
But – I ain’t living bad.

I’m having life’s good times.
See ‘ere, it’s like this:
The ‘oof come o’ danger,
A touch-and-go bizz.

We’re all here today, mate,
Tomorrow – perhaps dead,
If Fate tumbles on us
And blows up our shed.

Afraid! Are yer kidding?
With money to spend!
Years back I wore tatters,
Now – silk stockings, mi friend!

I’ve bracelets and jewellery,
Rings envied by friends;
A sergeant to swank with,
And something to lend.

I drive out in taxis,
Do theatres in style.
And this is mi verdict –
It is jolly worth while.

Worth while, for tomorrow
If I’m blown to the sky,
I’ll have repaid mi wages
In death – and pass by.

Sadly, Madeline’s brother, Edward, died in France during the war. [6]After the war, Madeline married in 1919 to Ernest Bolton Morris, who was a Major in the army.[7]  Together they had a daughter, also called Madeline, in 1922. Madeline passed away in 1956.[8]

[1] Church of England Births and Baptisms 1813-1920 for Madeline Ida Bedford, accessed via ancestry.

[2] Info gathered from the 1901 Census for Madeline Bedford, accessed from Ancestry

[3] 1891 Census for Madeline Ida Bedford, retrieved from Ancestry.

[4] 1911 Census for Madeline Bedford, accessed from Ancestry

[5] Female Poets of The First World War: Madeline Ida Bedford (1885 – 1956) – British (femalewarpoets.blogspot.com)

[6] England Andrews Newspaper Index Cards, 1790 – 1976, for Edward Terence Bedford. Accessed from Ancestry

[7] Westminster, London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935 for Madeline Ida Bedford. Accessed from Ancestry.

[8] England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915 for Madeline Ida Bedford. Accessed from Ancestry

 

George E Syms and his family.

Worker of the Week: George Ernest Syms

By Collections blog, News

Worker of the Week is a weekly blogpost series which will highlight one of the workers at H.M. Gretna our volunteers have researched for The Miracle Workers Project. This is an exciting project that aims to centralise all of the 30,000 people who worked at Gretna during World War One. If you want to find out more, or if you’d like to get involved in the project, please email laura@devilsporridge.org.uk. This week, volunteer Marilyn shares her research on George Ernest Syms.

George Ernest Syms was born on 29th July 1890 in Colombo, Ceylon ( 1911 Census ).The Civil Engineer records tell us that he was of Anglo-Dutch- Burgher nationality. According to Wikipedia,” the Burgher people are a small Eurasion ethnic group descended from Portuguese, Dutch, British and other European men who settled and developed relationships with Sri Lankan women.”

George was the second child of 5 , only 3 of whom survived beyond infancy. His sister Vida was born in 1888, his brother named after their father as Samuel Henry Syms (3rd) and twin boys. One twin died at birth and one died aged 2 ( Public member tree )

They were the children of Stephen Henry Syms ( Jnr) and Adolphina Henrietta Fiescher. Stephen  had emigrated from Berry Pomery , Devon in 1883 aged 19 following the death of his mother Caroline nee Crispin. Samuel is described as a farmer. He was the son of a butcher and his mother had spent time in the Workhouse from the age of 5. There is very little information concerning Adolphina. Stephen and daughter Vida certainly sailed 1st class to Colombo in 1907 aboard the “ Oraya” when he was 44 and was described as a farmer. ( Ships passenger list)

George appears in the 1911 census as a visitor. He is a civil engineering apprentice.

The 1911 census for England and Wales shows George Ernest as a visitor at 65 Vicarage Road, Willesdon, London aged 19. He is shown as an apprentice associated with civil engineering, born in Ceylon and a British Citizen. This is all written in his own hand. The head of household was Robert Monk , 40 , a railway signalman, Mrs Annie Crispin Monk, 43. Daughters Ethel Rosa, 14 a milliners apprentice and Lily. These seemingly were his aunt , uncle and cousins – Annie was his father Stephen’s sister. It is unclear why the relationship is not stated where appropriate on the census form rather than merely visitor.

In 1911, the girl he was to marry in the summer of 1918 , Otellie Sybil Corteling, was living at 4 Frances Cottages, Forge Lane, Mid Higham, Kent . The census shows that it had 4 rooms and 7 occupants. Albert Thomas Wilson, 45, widower, Railway pensioner and insurance agent born in Higham, Kent, Francis Laurie Ambrose Corteling, 21, stepson, Uralite labourer, born Haputate, Ceylon, naturalized in 1909 .Otellie Sybil Corteling, 19, stepdaughter born in Kandy, Ceylon. Albert Denis Wilson 11, Francis Ethel 9, Doris Blanche 6, Phyllis Doreen 3 and a half all born in Colombo. Otellie’s late father Laurie Stephen Corteling was a medical practitioner. Little background information can be found about him. Her mother , Frances Winifred Ambrose  as a widow with 2 children married for a second time . It is possible that Albert Wilson being a railway signalman, and George’s father Samuel Syms being a railway guard knew each other in Ceylon.  George’s uncle  Robert Monk in London worked as a Railway signalman also. It is unclear when this family moved back to England but it must have been between 1907 and 1909 as the youngest child was born in 1907 and Otellie’s brother became naturalized in 1909.

By March 1912 George is listed as a student in the UK, Civil Engineer lists him as living at Mrs Appleby, 13 Great George Street, Hillhead, Glasgow. The Aberdeen Press and Journal reported on Saturday 6th April 1912 :- “ INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS. At the ordinary meeting the Institution of Civil Engineers following Scottish candidates were admitted students: George Ernest Syms…” 

The Dumfries and Galloway Standard Wednesday 19th April 1916 reported that George had been sent to the UK by his parents from Ceylon to obtain training as a civil engineer. We know that he was in London in 1911 – Census evidence.

George’s military record shows that  ”WR509860 Syms G E attested” ( enrolled as ready for military service) “on 8-3-16” 

We know from the Dumfries and Galloway Standard dated as above that he was living at 1 English Street , Annan in April 1916 and was employed by Messrs P & W Anderson , H M contractors at Gretna. That “he belonged to Ceylon and was here to study. He had completed 2 years of his course but owing to the outbreak of war had been unable to complete his training or get back home. ( H M Factory Gretna construction began November 1915 and production started April 1916 ) This latter date coincides with George attesting and then appealing to a court as reported in the D and G Standard. “He was prepared to follow  the same course taken by other tribunals towards native students of the British Empire. The local tribunal pointed out that the appellant had stated to them that he had completed his training , and had acted two years as an assistant engineer… Mr ‘Bainic, clerk tribunal; would have been exempt had re- mained at university. That is exemption under the Aet. The Chairman (to appellant): Supposing you did off the war ,just now, you can go back to that employment without any difficulty, I suppose. Temporary exemption was granted until 17th October. “

An image of George’s war record, regarding his marriage in 1918.

By  November 1916, George had moved back to London and was living at 73 Landsdowne Grove, Neasdon with his Aunt, Annie Monk according to his Military record. His civil engineer record shows an application for associate membership signed on 23rd November 1916 and stating that “since completing his training he had worked as a civil engineer for 5 years and is at present preparing for associate exams”. This makes the dates recorded from his appeal even more woolly, the years simply do not equate unless he was working whilst studying and he was referring to his first qualification. 

We know that on 7th December 1916, George’s father, Samuel, aged 53, now described as a railway guard, travelled alone, 1st Class aboard  “ City Of Exeter” of the City Shipping line from Liverpool to Colombo. Perhaps we can assume that he had been to visit and/or support his son following his tribunal and before he signed up. It is not clear when Samuel sailed inbound to England.

By 6th January  1917, George Ernest enlisted at Mill Hill, London. His Military record/medical record shows that he was 26 years and 150 days old, weighed 129 pounds ( just over 9 stone ), was vaccinated in infancy, his vision was 6/6 in both eyes. It also states that “ he has had asthma and has double hydrocele “–( fluid round the testicles). Under “ slight defects but not sufficient to cause rejection DAH “- disordered action of the heart. 

Also in his Military record dated 24th February 1917– passed as C1 – fit for home service only and assigned to Labour Corps RE ( Royal Engineers) transportation branch . The Labour Corps were only formed on  22nd February 1917 according to the Great War Forum. George was probably one of their first recruits. He is recorded as having transferred to 138th Labour Corps between 8th and 15th March 1917. Meanwhile, the Institute of Civil Engineers lists George as having been elected an associate member of the institute.

Some 9 months later he transferred to Royal Engineers-Docks on RE rate of pay. On his Posted trade and special qualifications form he is a draughtsman(Arch) Classification Superior. Rating 1 shilling and 8 pence per deum.

On the strength of this George married Otellie Sybil Corteling at Gravesend Ebenezer Wesleyan Chapel, Milton Road on 10th July 1918. Her address at the time was given as 88 Darnley Road Gravesend. More details regarding George emerge on this page of his Military record. We now know that he was 5ft 7 ins tall, his girth when fully expanded was 34” with a range of expansion of 2 “.Not a particularly large chap.

Their wedding Banns show that Otellie’s stepfather Albert Thomas Wilson and her brother Francis acted as witnesses and George’s address is Rosebank, Shorne, Kent  His father is shown as a Rail Guard and Otellie’s father as Medical Practitioner , deceased. We can only assume that Otellie’s family and George’s family were acquainted in Ceylon prior to moving to Kent.

A handwritten “ Memo” records the amendment detail of the marriage to his military record dated 30th July. The newly weds are living at 88 Darnley Road, Gravesend.

Within a month, on 11th August 1918, Form B122 in the Army record records that George W.O.A.S ( while on  active service) at the Boulogne Base , France was held in open arrest and disciplined by losing  day’s pay for failing to screen a light.

According to a Public member tree on Ancestry.co.uk a baby daughter was born and died in 1918- there is no documented evidence for this nor any dates.

Some 5 months later, George signed to become an associate member of the Institution of Civil Engineers according to the Civil Engineer Records.

This higher qualification is  what possibly led him to a promotion on 1st May 1919. Appointed as an acting corporal at the Directorate of Docks, RE. Promoted from superior to Very superior standard with a pay per deum of 2 shillings, an increase of tuppence per day.

We know that George  was granted 14 days leave to the UK from 28th November 1919 before being promoted to A/Sgt on 1st March 1920.His military record shows that he spent sometime in the Rhine .

He was issued at Purfleet with a protection certificate and certificate of identity on 2nd May 1920. “Rank – sergeant. Advance of £2. Furloughed for 28 days. Certificate to be produced when applying for unemployment benefit.”

One of the final entries in George’s army record is  on 29th May , discharged on demobilization from the Royal Engineers Labour Corps. His address was given as Rosebank, Shorne , Kent his home at the time of his marriage.

By August 17th 1920 George sailed outbound on Bibby Line “ Lancashire” from Liverpool via Marseilles, Port Said, Colombo and Rangoon. He appears to be travelling alone. 

There are multiple gaps in the passenger listings for this family’s crossings between Ceylon, India and the UK which makes this jigsaw tricky. Otellie and George’s first child, Phyllis Joan was born some time during 1921 according to her age on the incoming passenger list of the Nellore, June 1926. Pregnancy would explain why Otellie did not travel out to Colombo with George.

The final entry in his Army Record is a certificate of disposal  of a decoration dated 30th June 1922 and being posted to Irrigation Engineer Kanukhein, Mulliatavic, Ceylon. This gives us something of an insight into what he was occupied with at the time. Otellie and baby Phyllis must have joined him at some time because a second child, Dennis George was born in 1923 ( age indicated in 1926 passenger list)

George’s father, Samuel Henry died in 1924 aged 60 and both he and his wife who died in 1944, are buried in Kanatte Cemetery, Colombo

He was definitely involved with Giant’s Tank, Murankan, Ceylon, a huge project according to Wikipedia. The January 1926 Civil Engineers list show George as a former student working on this project.

By June 1926, the family sailed back second class to London from Colombo aboard the “ Nellore”. George’s parents were still living in Ceylon and Otellie’s stepfather and brother and half siblings were in Kent.

This is where there is more confusion, a third child Bertram Ernest was born in 1930 – place of birth Calcutta according to a Public Member tree but there is no evidence of a passenger list for them travelling to India between 1926 and 1930. The incoming passenger listing for 24th April 1931 does show that the last place of residence was India and that their next place of permanent residence would be Albany Cottage, Shorne, Kent. This was as first class sailing to London.

George and his wife in later years.

George Ernest Syms died aged 74 on 1st January 1964 aged 74 and Otellie died in 1977. I have included  a photograph of them holding what looks like a grandchild in the folder courtesy of a Public member’s tree. Year unknown. It is definitely not their daughter Phyliis Joan’s child as he was born in 1945 and died in 1970. The photograph looks as if it could be late fifties/ early sixties. There is no evidence that either of the sons married and /or had children but a change of name spelling  to Sims/Symms/Symmes has added a complication to the search for them.

A Duke of Edinburgh student looking at a new donation.

New donation explored by Duke of Edinburgh student

By Collections blog, News

We recently received an interesting donation from a local family.  There were lots of certificates and badges relating to one lady’s involvement in World War Two.  Before we accessioned the objects to add them to our Museum Object Collection, Finlay, a Duke of Edinburgh student who volunteers with us each weekend , did a little research to see what he could find out about the objects.  The following was written by Finlay and is based on his research.

Photo above shows WVS: Civil Defence Badge

The first object donated was a membership badge for the WVS dating back to 1939. The original role of the WVS was to encourage women to join ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Service as wardens, ambulance drivers or in hospitals.

Photo above shows Civil Defense Corps Badge

The second badge donated to us is a Queens Crown Civil defense badge. This was a civilian volunteer organisation established in 1949. It would take controll in the aftermath of a nuclear attack. It was disbanded in 1968.

Photo above shows National Savings Badge

The third badge donated to us was a blue, national saving badge. It is part of the National Savings Campeign to encourage the lending of people’s personal savings to the government to finance the Second World War. This badge served to duistinguish saving committee members and local volunteer collectors.

 

 

Photo above shows Canadian Mystery Badge

There was another badge that was donated to us, but we couldn’t work out what it was. On the sheild there is the flags for some Canadian provinces.

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