David Sim

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Fireman

Place of Residence at HM Factory Gretna U 7 Gretna ScotlandBirthplace Cumbria Kirkandrews EnglandPlace of Death Dumfriesshire Lochmaben Scotland Date of Birth: October 1, 1889 Date of Death: March 4, 1923

Biography

Gretna Fire Brigade 1915 – 1925

Professional fire brigade members

Research Project led by Nigel Compton

Name David Sim DoB October 1889

Place of birth Kirkandrews, Cumberland

Parents David Humphrey and Ann (or Annie) (nee Moscrop)

Parental Home 4 Moat Place, Edinburgh – 10 Polworth Grove, Edinburgh

Siblings George (1888-) William (1891-1979), Mary (1893-1980), Arthur (1895-)
Annie (1897-1990), Violet (1899-1989), Leslie (1900-1901)

Spouse Margaret Atkinson

Date of Wedding February 14th 1918

Location Haltwhistle, Northumberland

Children Leslie Moscrop (22/08/18-00/02/90), David Humphrey (01/07/20-27/06/21)
Violet (19/05/21-15/07/01), Margaret (27/01/1923-30/05/89)

Marital home(s) U 7 West, Gretna – T 5 West, Gretna

Employment At time of marriage Feb 1918 was Fireman at Gretna Fire Station

1911 Census Not found

Date of death 4th March 1923 Location Lochmaben Hospital

Gretna details

Name David Sim Clock No

Date joining Possibly 1917 – Wedding certificate shows fireman FB on 14 February 1918

Date leaving By birth of daughter on 19th May 1921 had apparently left

Station Gretna

Addresses U 7 West, Gretna – T 5 West, Gretna

Rank on start Fireman

Promotion None found

Newspapers Only death notice in The Scotsman

Career after Railway clerk via valuation roll

Address after Gretna None found

Are Pictures available None found Possible relatives Yes

Additional information

Family legend is that David died of respiratory difficulties caused by firefighting although no
confirmed details have been found. This is being investigated but could have been any
incident. No Workman’s Compensation files found as of March 2022.

Daughter Margaret married John Percival Clemetson at Wigton, Cumberland on 8 Feb 1943.
Her wedding certificate shows David as being deceased and his occupation given as
‘fireman’

Need confirmation from 1921 Scottish census

Sources Consulted

Source Item consulted
Ancestry UK 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911
Births, Marriages, Deaths, absent voters
WW1 Medal Rolls
WW1 Medal Cards
Attestation and service records
Burial/ Cemetery records
British Newspaper Archive Nothing of note located
Western Front Association WW1 Pensions records
WW1 Pension cards
Scotlandspeople Births, Marriages, Deaths
Roman Catholic Archives
Valuation Rolls