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.
Mr John Williams Adye
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : John William (Jack) Adye
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth: 21st June 1892 Malmesbury Wiltshire
Date and Place of Death: 14th December 1974.…
Ellen Ainslie
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Ellen Ainslie.
Gender: Female.
Date and Place of Birth: 17th December 1890, Paxton, Berwickshire, Scotland.
Date and Place of Death: 17th May 1917, HM Factory Gretna (Munitions), Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland.
Nationality: British.
Biography
Childhood: Her siblings were James (1885-?), Barbara (1886-1944), Jane (1888-1946), George (Wood) (1894-1961) and Mary Ainslie (1897-?).…
Miss Annabella Gordon Aitchison
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Anabella Gordon Aitchison.
Gender: Female.
Date and Place of Birth: 2nd January 1899, Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland.
Date and Place of Death: 1970, Carlisle, Cumberland, England.
Nationality: British.…
Mary Annie Anderson
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Mary Annie Anderson
Gender: Female
Date and Place of Birth: 20 October 1899, Kirkpatrick Fleming, (close to Annan).
Date and Place of Death: 2nd Quarter 1976, Carlisle, Cumbria.…
Agnes Burgess Armstrong
AGNESS BURGESS ARMSTRONG
“Mrs. Agnes Gilmour”
Date and place of birth: 28 September 1879 Dumfries, Scotland
Date and place of death: 15 March 1957 Birkenhead, Cheshire
Nationality: British
Biography: Agnes grew up in Dumfries with her siblings:
Isabella S Armstrong 1879
James H Armstrong 1881
Catherine Armstrong 1883
Thomas A Armstrong 1884
Grace W S Armstrong 1886
and a half-sister from her father’s second marriage: Sarah E M Armstrong 1895
Parents:
Francis Armstrong married Catherine Hyslop 1877 in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland
Parents occupation: Francis was an Architect
Schools Universities attended and years of attendance: Not known
Occupation: Not known
Place of residence at Gretna:
15 U East Eastriggs
Job Title at Gretna: Welfare Supervisor
Marital Status:
Married Feb 18th 1916 to Thomas Gilmour in Roath, Cardiff
Children: Nil known
Travels: Nil known
Awards/Recognitions: Nil known
Trivia/any other information: Nil known
References
Ancestry
FindaGrave
FindMyPast
FreeBMD
British Newspaper Archive
Mossband Farewell Newsletter
Alexander T Armstrong
Name and address appears in the Eastriggs and Gretna Electoral Roll 1918-1919.
Annie Armstrong
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Annie Armstrong
Gender: Female
Date and Place of Birth: 1889 Dornock
Date and Place of Death: November 1968 Dornock
Nationality: Scottish
Biography
Childhood:
Parents: Walter and Maggie Armstrong
Parent’s occupations: Father is a farmer
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Domestic service
Place of residence at Gretna: N/K
Job title at Gretna: “Worked with cordite”
Marital status: Married Charles Graham in 1918 at Dornock
Children: N/K
Travels: N/K
Awards/recognitions: N/K
Trivia / any other information:
Bibliography
Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher): N/K
Books written about the individual or mentioning the individual (Title, year of publication, publisher): N/K
References
Blogs about the individual: N/K
Websites about the individual: N/K
Further links, notes, and comments: N/K
Annie Armstrong
Annie Armstrong was a Dornock-born-and-bred Gretna Girl.…
Jean Armstrong
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Jeanie Armstrong (also know as Jean or Jane).
Gender: Female
Date and Place of Birth: 24th July 1895, Dornock
Date and Place of Death: 19th November 1968, Eastriggs, Annan.
Nationality: Scottish
Childhood:
Parents: Walter and Maggie Armstrong
Parent’s occupations: Father is a farmer
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Domestic service
Place of residence at Gretna: N/K
Job title at Gretna: “Worked with cordite”
Marital status: Married Henry Newenham Scott Harvey on 8th September 1919 at Moorhouse in Dornock, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.…
Stanley Astall
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) :
Stanley Astall
Gender
Male
Date and place of birth
4th May 1890, Horwich, Lancashire
Date and Place of Death:
17th March 1974, Romiley, Cheshire
Nationality:
English
Childhood
Had 3 brothers- lived in Horwich
Parents
Joseph Asall and Hannah Elizabeth nee Scott
Parents occupations
Boiler maker
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance:
Not known
Occupation
Analytical chemist
Place of residence at Gretna:
22 The Rand , Eastriggs – wife also there
Marital status
Married
Children
At least one , born in Eastriggs
Travels
None known
Awards/recognitions:
None known
Positions held
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):
References
- Blogs about the individual:
- Websites about the individual:
Further links, notes, and comments:
Biography
Stanley Astall 1890-1974
Stanley was born on 4th May 1890 at Horwich, Lancashire to Joseph Astall , a boiler maker , and Hannah Elizabeth nee Scott.…
Dr Agnes Barr Auchenschloss
Agnes was born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1886. Her father, James Currie Auchencloss (also spelt Auchenschloss and Auchencloss in some sources) was a starch manufacturer according to her birth record. Agnes was, for a woman of her time period, highly educated — she graduated with a medical degree from the University of Glasgow in 1911, and worked in the Royal Alexandra Infirmary in her hometown.…
James Ferguson Ballantine
JAMES FERGUSON BALLANTINE
Date and place of birth: 1884 Annan, Dumfriesshire, Scotland
Date and place of death: 1969 Annan, Dumriesshire, Scotland
Nationality: British
Biography: James grew up in Annan with 4 sisters:
Janet Mason Ballantine 1877
Jane Hottsun Ballantine 1879
Isabella Ballantine 1880
Christina Ann Ballantine 1882
Parents:
James Ballantine married Isabella Mason on 2 December 1874 at Penicuk, Midlothian
Parents occupation: James was a Coal + Commission Agent
Schools Universities attended and years of attendance: Not known
Occupation: Engineer
Place of residence at Gretna: 35 Port Street, Annan, Dumfriesshire
Job Title at Gretna: Engineer, Dornock
Marital Status: Not known
Children: Nil known
Travels:
Awards/Recognitions: Nil known
Trivia/any other information:
References
Ancestry
FindaGrave
FindMyPast
FreeBMD
British Newspaper Archive
Isabel Gertrude Beattie
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Isabel Gertrude Beattie
Gender: Female
Date and Place of Birth: 17/08/1894 Carlisle, Cumberland (1) (2)
Date and Place of Death: 22/06/1966 , Law Hospital, Carluke (2)
Nationality: British
Biography
Childhood: In 1901 she lived at 40, King Street, Carlisle, with her family.…
Gladys Mary Beausire
Information supplied through Research Project led by Nigel Crompton.
Name: Gladys Mary Beausire
DoB: 30 March 1885
Place of birth: Great Crosby, Lancashire
Parents: James & Isabella (nee Tyrer)
Parental Home: 18 Brooke Road, Crosby and 10 College Avenue, Crosby, Lancashire
Siblings: Herbert (1878), Isabel (1884), Robert (1886), Alice (1887), Percy (1889)
Spouse: Never married
Date of Wedding: Not applicable
Children : None identified
Marital home(s): Not applicable
Employment: None identified prior to Great War
1911 Census: Not located on 1911 census – see notes
Date of death: 13 August 1985
Location: Hawthorne House, Lower Terrace, Hampstead, NW3Gretna details
Name: Gladys Mary Beausire
Clock No: N/A
Date joining: Not confirmed – but officer in 1916
Date leaving: Not confirmed
Addresses: 109 Central Avenue, Gretna
Rank on start: Was a Sergeant in 1916, prior to moving to Gretna
Promotion: Shown as inspector in 1918
Newspapers: Sunday Pictorial, The Globe etc.…
Robert William Beedie
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) :Robert William Beedie
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 20th September 1859 Montrose, Forfarshire
Date and Place of Death:Buried 30th March 1935, Harrow
Died Gordon St, Harrow
Nationality:Scottish
Childhood: Eldest of at least 5
Parents: Robert and Isabelle nee Smith
Parents occupations: Linen weaver
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: House painter/night watchman/ Gunner ( RGA)
Place of residence at Gretna:Not known but likely to be a hostel
Marital status: Married
Children: Possibly 4
Travels: With RGA – Canada, Bengal, Ireland
Awards/recognitions: N/K
Positions held: Corporal in RGA
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):
References
Blogs about the individual:
Websites about the individual:
Further links, notes, and comments:
Mini Biography
Robert W Beedie 1859-1935
Robert Beedie/Beadie/Beadle was born on 20th September 1859 in Montrose, Forfarshire to Robert and Isabella nee Smith.…
Florence Bell
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Florence Bell
Gender: Female
Date and Place of Birth: 19/05/1897 at 6, Gibbs Lane, Lochee (3) (4)
Date and Place of Death:23/02/1980 at Dundee Royal Infirmary (3)
Nationality: British
Biography
Childhood:
Florence was the eldest of seven children .…
Frederick Arthur Bird
- In the 1881 census, Frederick is 5 years old and living in Harwich, Essex with his father Ebenezer, a widower and draper, and his siblings.
- Frederick married Ellen Alice Rayson.
- Newspaper Article ‘Dumfries & Galloway’, July 27 1918, p. 6.:
- ‘FACTORY FATALITY AT DORNOCK.
…
John Campbell Birkett
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : John Campbell Birkett
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 13th September 1861, Kirklinton/Rockcliffe, Carlisle
Date and Place of Death: July- August, 1940
Nationality: British
Childhood
Parents : John Campbell Birkett and Jane ?
Parents occupations: Farmer
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: Not known
Occupation: Police Constable the Poulterer and fishmonger
Place of residence at Gretna: Police Camp, Eastriggs
Marital status: Married
Children : 6 , 4 sons and 2 daughters
Travels : None known
Awards/recognitions: None known
Positions held: Police Constable
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):
References
Blogs about the individual:
Websites about the individual:
Further links, notes, and comments:
Hatton Garden – Liverpool City Police
Biography
John Campbell Birkett 1861-1940
John Campbell Birkett was born on 13th September 1861 at KIrklinton, Carlisle to John Campbell Birkett Snr , Farmer , and Jane .…
Eliza Blenkinsop
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) :Eliza Blenkinsop (Elizabeth Mitchell)
Gender: Female
Date and Place of Birth: October 1899, Sunderland, Durham
Date and Place of Death: 8 March 1966, 6 Belmont Avenue, Eaglesfield, (Middlebie), Dumfries-shire (Scotland’s people)
Nationality: English
Biography
Childhood: 1911 census at 22 South Railway St, Seaham with 4 sisters
Parents: Death certificate almost impossible to read from Scotland’s people Thought to be John William Blenkinsop b Apr 1871 and Ellen b1872 d July 1925 Sunderland Durham who married in about 1894 (1911 census at 22 South Railway St, Seaham. …
Margaret Blower
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) :Margaret ‘Maggie’ Blower
Gender: Female
Date and place of birth: 8th February 1898, Maxwelltown, Dumfries
Date and Place of Death: Not known
Nationality: Scottish
Childhood: Lived with grandparents aged 3, mother died around the same time. Father died when 14.…
Tom Bonsor
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Tom Bonsor
Do they already have a Wikipedia page? If yes, please paste link: No but son, Brian Bonsor does https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Bonsor
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 1895, Hawick, Roxburghshire
Date and Place of Death: 23rd January 1959, at Buccleuch Mills, Hawick of 8 Drumlanrig Square , Hawick
Nationality: Scottish
Disability : Yes- inflammation of the stomach leading to inability to perform normal military service duties
Childhood: Father an employer.…
