Gretna Girl – Lily Florence Curle

Lily Florence Curle

Born 31st July 1900 died 1980

Worked at HM Factory Gretna 1916 – 1919

Just after her 16th birthday on 31st July 1916, Lily Florence Curle (later to become Mrs Alexander Ogilvie) heard from her friends that the new munitions factory at Mossband was looking to employ female staff of all ages.

She told her father that she would like to apply for one of these new jobs, but he said she could not as there was enough work for her to do at home, with her mother in a wheelchair.

Going behind her fathers back, which must have taken great courage in those days, she applied and was successful in securing one of these new positions.

Lily had to travel by bicycle to her work at Mossband from her home at Drybeck on the Authuret Road near Longtown, which was seven miles, a round trip of fourteen miles on top of a days work. This she did willingly (as she was glad to have work) morning and night, winter and summer and was never late.

She continued working with munitions at Mossband until she had to leave in the Autumn of 1919 to get married