To search our directory of workers at HM Factory Gretna either enter any name, place of birth or place of death in the search box or if you know what their job was from select from the drop-down menu.
Joan Wickham
Alice Joan Wickham
Known as ‘Joan’
Date and place of birth: 1 December 1888 in London
Date and place of Death: 8 December 1966 at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.
Nationality: British
..
Biography:
Joan had a very privileged upbringing along with her sister Mary Ethel Wickham.
Parents: Major Henry Wickham and Lady Ethelreda Caroline Gordon married 16 September 1884 in Peterborough District, Northamptonshire
Major Henry Wickham
.…
Reginald Earnshaw Wild
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Reginald Earnshaw Wild.
Gender: Male.
Date and Place of Birth: 11 May 1889, Milnrow, Lancashire, England.
Date and Place of Death: December 1969, Hendon, Greater London, England.
Nationality: British.
Biography
Childhood: His siblings were Lilian Earnshaw Earnshaw (1889–?), Florence Earnshaw Wild (1894–?) and Vernon Earnshaw Wild
(1897–1969).…
Edward Thomas Williams
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Edward Thomas Williams
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 5th February 1892, Sutton, St Helen’s , Lancashire
Date and Place of Death: Quarter 1 , 1971, Bebington, Wirral
Nationality: English of Welsh parents
Childhood: Impoverished and humble , one of 7
Parents: John Williams and Mary Wellen nee Naylor
Parents occupations: Coal miner- hewer
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: Not known
Occupation: Chemist- soap industry
Place of residence at Gretna: 17-19 The Ridge, Eastriggs
Marital status: Married
Children: Not known possibly one
Travels: None known
Awards/recognitions: None known
Positions held: None known
Trivia / any other information: Yes
Bibliography
Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher):
Books written about the individual or mentioning the individual (Title, year of publication, publisher):
N/K
References
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Websites about the individual:
N/K
Further links, notes, and comments:
N/A
Biography
Edward Thomas Williams 1892-1971
Edward Thomas Williams was born on 5th February 1892 at Sutton, St Helen’s, Lancashire where his parents lived most of their married lives.…
John Guilfoyle Williams
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : John Guilfoyle Williams
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth: 19/10/1896 Nottingham
Date and Place of Death: 30/04/1979 Ealing age 82
Nationality: British
Biography
Childhood:
Parents: Richard Edward and Ida Charlotte Williams
Parent’s occupations: Water Works Inspector
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: London University
Occupation: Chemist BSc ACS
Place of residence at Gretna: Staff Quarters No.1, Eastrigg, Dornock
Job title at Gretna: Chemist at Dornock
Marital status: Married Elsie Annie Fisher 1925 Q4
Children: Richard Guilfoyle Williams (b.1926) and Mary Williams (b.1928)
Travels: Montreal, Canada
Awards/recognitions: ACS
Trivia / any other information:
Bibliography
Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher):
- “Textiles on test.
…
Kenneth Alfred Wolfe Barry, OBE
Introduction
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Kenneth Alfred Wolfe Barry OBE.
Do they already have a Wikipedia page? If yes, please paste link: No.
Gender: Male.
Date and Place of Birth: 16th March 1879, Delahay St, Westminster, London.…
Mr Herbert Womersley
Herbert was born in Warrington, Lancashire in April 1899. He trained as a chemist in soap manufacturing, but from a young age his passion was entomology. Entomology is the study of insects, and Herbert wasn’t the first person in his family to be interested in the subject, his father, Fred, was an amateur lepidopterist.…
Mrs Ellen Woof
MRS ELLEN ELIZABETH WOOF
(nee ANDERSON born Beattie)
Gender: Female
Date and Place of Birth:
14 November 1876 at Egremont
Date and Place of Death:
Death registered at Cockermouth 1950 aged 73 years
Nationality: British
Biography
Childhood: Ellen was fostered by the Anderson Family and as an adult she assumed the surname Anderson.
Ellen’s Foster Siblings were:
Joseph 1873 Frederick Junior 1879
John James 1881 Mary Jane 1887
Isabella 1889
Parents:
Ellen’s Birth Parents not known as she was born of a single parent.…
Douglas Herbert Blake Wride
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Douglas Herbert Blake Wride
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 28th June 1892 Shirley, Hampshire
Date and Place of Death: 14th January 1981 Oak Tree Road, Milford, Surrey
Nationality: English
Childhood: One of 4 children
Parents : William Blake Wride and Emily nee Dunford
Parents occupations: Pharmacist
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: University College London. …
Alfred Wright
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Alfred Wright.
Gender: Male.
Date and Place of Birth: ABT 1876. Nelson, Lancashire.
Date and Place of Death: 1939, Nelson, Lancashire (death registered between January and March of that year).
Nationality: British.…
Charles Wright
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Charles Wright.
Gender: Male.
Date and Place of Birth: 21 March 1891, Wakefield, Yorkshire West Riding.
Date and Place of Death: 2 September 1955.
Nationality: British.
Biography
Childhood: He had a half-brother called Francis Appleton (1867-).…
Lieutenant Frederick Howard Wright
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Frederick Howard Wright
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 28th September 1894 Stockton-on-Tees
Date and Place of Death: 16th December 1989 Folkestone
Nationality: English
Childhood: Privileged , one of two children
Parents: Hugh Francis Wright and Alice Harrison nee Sharp
Parents occupations: Mechanical engineer ( Also at Gretna)
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: Not known
Occupation: At Gretna, Lieutenant Royal Garrison Artillery Followed by Chartered accountant and managing director of cigarette manufacturing company
Place of residence at Gretna: 15 Canberra Road, Gretna
Marital status: Married
Children: None
Travels: Multiple , possibly annual, trans-Atlantic crossing to American Tobacco Company in New York City between1932 -1961
Awards/recognitions: None known
Positions held: Managing Director cigarette company
Trivia / any other information: Yes
Bibliography
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J.…
Hugh Francis Wright
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Hugh Francis Wright
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 12th March 1864 Dudley
Date and Place of Death: 15th March 1947 East Barnet Hertfordshire, Three Counties Hospital.
Nationality: British
Childhood
One of 6 surviving children
Parents: James and Jane nee Potts
Parents occupations : Mechanical engineer
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: Not known
Occupation: Mechanical engineer
Place of residence at Gretna: 16 Canberra Rd , Gretna with wife Alice
Marital status: married
Children: 2.…
Harry Yates
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Harry Yates.
Gender: Male.
Date and Place of Birth: August 24th 1890, New Mills, Derbyshire, England.
Date and Place of Death: June 1975, High Peak, Derbyshire.…
James Yates
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : James ‘Hallam’ Yates
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 11th September 1872, Middleton, Lancashire
Date and Place of Death: Not known
Nationality: English
Childhood: Impoverished- no schooling mentioned on census returns
Parents : Peter Hallam and Ellen nee Lees
Parents occupations : Cotton dyer
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: None known
Occupation: Chief superintendent of police, Gretna- Police superintendent Lancashire County constabulary
Place of residence at Gretna: 14 P West
Marital status: Married
Children: One son
Travels : None known
Awards/recognitions: MBE , 1920
Positions held : Superintendent of various divisions of Lancashire County Constabulary
Trivia / any other information:
Yes
Bibliography
Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher):
Books written about the individual or mentioning the individual (Title, year of publication, publisher):
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Websites about the individual:
Further links, notes, and comments:
Biography
James Hallam Yates ( Yeates/Yeats) MBE 1872-
James Yates is listed on the Electoral register for Gretna 1918-19 as the deputy superintendent of Police residing at 14 P West..…
Sir Alec Thomas Sharland Zealley
SIR ALEC THOMAS SHARLAND ZEALLEY
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth: 28th January 1893 at Colyton, Devon
Date and Place of Death: 20 April 1970 at Colyton, Devon
Nationality: British
Do we have images/photos of this person?:
National Portrait Gallery
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp140726/sir-alec-thomas-sharland-zealley
Biography
Childhood: Alec grew up in Colyton, Devon with his two brothers:
Dennis Jarman Sharland (1901-1982)
Parents: John Zealley (c1853-1934) and Mary Ann Jarman Sharland (1857-1936)
Parent’s occupations: John Zealley was a Flour Miller
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance:
Wellington School in Wellington Somerset (1911 Census)
University of London (Chemistry)
https://archives.libraries.london.ac.uk/resources/UoL_Historical_Record_1836-1926.pdf
Occupational history (previous jobs in their career): Went from University of London to HM Factory and then back to University to complete his Masters degree in Chemistry.…
