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.
Ernest Mark Cheetham
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : ERNEST MARK CHEETHAM
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth: 1892. Hackney, London
Date and Place of Death: 2nd October 1971.…
Grace Emily Costin
Research kindly shared by Nigel Crompton, who is conducting a research project on WPS.
Name: Grace Emily Costin
DoB: 29 October 1888
Place of birth: Folkestone, Kent
Parents: Thomas & Annie (nee Dawson) Thomas appears to have died and Annie remarried in 1882. Her new husband was William Parsons
Parental Home: 44 Braybrook Road, Hastings
Siblings: May Alice (1894-1971), Rose Annie (1896-1988) William Victor (1897-1983), Frederick Arthur (1899-1905) Lily Edith (1901-1902)
Spouse: Never married
Date of Wedding: Not applicable
Children : None identified
Marital home(s): Not applicable
Employment: Lady’s Nurse
1911 Census: The Edinburgh Hotel, St Leonards on Sea
Date of death: April 1979
Location: Posbury, Devon House of St Francis, Posbury, nr Crediton, Devon
Gretna details
Name: Grace Emily Costin
Clock No
Date joining: Not known (see notes)
Date leaving: March 1917
Addresses: Not known
Rank on start: PC
Promotion: Not known
Career after: City of Oxford Police, then social work, finally religious house as Mother Superior
1921 Census : Living at 5 Crieff Road, Wandsworth (see copy)
Addresses after Gretna
45 Silverlands Road, St Leonards on Sea
1935 – 5 Oakley Crescent, Islington
1939 to 1942 – House of St Francis, Kemming Road, Whitwell, Isle of Wight
1942 to 1979 – House of St Francis, Posbury, Devon
Additional information
Grace was born to Thomas & Annie Costin in October 1888.…
Phyllis Hawksley
PHYLLIS HAWKSLEY
Date and place of birth : 12 January 1896 Notting Hill, London
Date and place of Death : 5 May 1975 Ashburton, Devon
Nationality: British
Biography:
Phyllis grew up in London with her siblings:
Thomas Edwin Hawksley 1897
Dorothy Sylvia Hawksley 1906
Ronald George Hawksley 1908
Reginald Jack Hawksley 1914
Parents:
Kenneth Phipson Hawksley married Julia Letitia Anderson Green in 1894,
Portsea, Hampshire
Parents occupation : Kenneth was a Civil and Mechanical Engineer
Schools Universities attended and years of attendance – .…
Henry Wanell Luscombe
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Henry [Harry] Wanell [Wennell] Luscombe
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 19th July 1894 Topsham, Devon
Date and Place of Death: Q4 1964, Exeter
Nationality: British
Disability : Yes- withered right leg as a result of a childhood break
Childhood: Eldest of 2 boys
Parents: Leonard John and Eva nee Wanell
Parents occupations: Father an asylum assistant ( medical doctor on Henry’s marriage registration) Mother a grocer
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Tailor ( chargehand/chemist at Gretna)
Place of residence at Gretna: C5 East, Eastriggs
Marital status: Married
Children: Yes
Travels: N/K
Awards/recognitions: failed attempts at channel swim.…
Charles Evelyn Simmons
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Charles Evelyn Simmons
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth:10/03/ 1879 Kingsbridge, Devon (3) (5) (7)
Baptised 9/4/1879 at Kingsbridge, Devon (3)
Date and Place of Death: 31/03/1951 Barnet, Middlesex (3) (9)
Nationality: British
Biography
Childhood: Had three siblings (4) (6) –
Grace Millicent Simmons born 1878, St.…
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.…
