Dorothy Clarice Heaney

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Member of the Women’s Police Service

Date of Birth: June 7, 1900 Date of Death: April 21, 1918

Biography

Information will be supplied through Research Project led by Nigel Crompton.

Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Dorothy Clarice Heaney (orginally born under the surname Jackson).

Gender: Female

Date and Place of Birth: 7 June 1900, Marylebone, London

Date and Place of Death: 21 April 1981, Lea Hurst, Holloway, Derbyshire

Nationality: British

Childhood: She had 3 half siblings – 2 half brothers and 1 half sister.

Parents: Catherine Annie Louisa Jackson. Catherine later married James Hugh Heaney.

Parent’s occupations: James Hugh Heaney was a GP in 1904.

Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K

Place of residence at Gretna: Women’s Police Barracks No1, Gretna

Job title at Gretna: Police Constable in the Women’s Police Force.

Marital status: Never married.

Children: None known.

Travels: N/K

Awards/recognitions: N/K

Trivia / any other information:

Dorothy Clarice was originally born under the surname Jackson but following her mother’s marriage to Dr. James Hugh Heaney, she took that name. Her early years were spent it appears with family friends and relatives.

In 1911, she was a scholar living with her Grand-parents in Belper, Derbyshire.

At what stage she became a member of the WPS has not been found. However, we find her living as a constable in Women’s Police Barracks No1, HM Cordite Factory, Gretna. Whilst she appears on the valuation roll for 1918, her name was not on the petition to Winston Churchill, Minister of Munitions.

Obviously Dorothy must have been well educated, as the 1921 census indicates she was at Charing Cross Hospital as a medical student. No definitive result to her studies has been found.

The family moved into Number 1, Wilmington Square, WC1 in central London. They remained until we next find Dorothy being described as ‘Rest Home Owner’.

She had returned to Derbyshire where the rest home was The Canal House, 72 Ripley Road, Sawmills. Her mother died whilst living there.

Dorothy spent her later years at Lea Hurst Nursing Home, Holloway in Derbyshire. Lea Hurst was the ancestral home of Florence Nightingale although owned by the Royal Surgical Aid Society. It is now in the possession of the University of Nottingham.

Dorothy died on 21 April 1981 at Lea Hurst.

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