Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Frederick Murray Trotter
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 19th April 1897, Gateshead, Durham
Date and Place of Death: 24th July 1968 Awre, Forest of Dean, Gloucestirshire
Nationality: English
Do we have images/photos of this person?: Yes
Disbility?: Lost an eye and part of his skull as  a dispatch rider
Childhood: Eldest of 2 boys
Parents: John and Mary nee Murray
Parents occupations: Foreman iron-steel turner Ordnance
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance:  Armstrong College, Newcastle University. Pre 1916 interrupted by war. Completed in 1921
Occupation: Geologist
Place of residence at Gretna: Unclear
Marital status: Married
Children: None known
Travels
Awards/recognitions: Murchison Medal  1956 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murchison_Medal)
Positions held:  At the end of 1941 he was promoted to District Geologist for the North-West of England and in 1955 he became Assistant Director (Deputy Chief Scientific Officer).

Bibliography

Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher):
Books written about the individual or mentioning the individual (Title, year of publication, publisher):

Woodland, A.W. The Sorby Medal (1967) – Dr. Frederick Murray Trotter. Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society v. 36 (3) 1968.

Rose, W.C.C. Obituary – Frederick Murray Trotter (1897-1968). Proceedings of the Geological Society of London Pt. 1655 1969.

Taylor, B.J. Obituary: F.M. Trotter. (1879 – 24.7.1968). Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society v. 37 (1) 1969.

[Anon.] Obituary – Frederick Murray Trotter. Born in 1897, died 24th July 1968. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Asociation v. 80 (1) 1969.

Frederick Murray Trotter (1897-1968) BGS Geoheritage Blog.
References

Blogs about the individual:
Websites about the individual:

BGS Geoheritage – images from the collections: Frederick Murray Trotter (1897-1968) (britgeoheritage.blogspot.com)

Frederick Murray Trotter Dr. – Earthwise (bgs.ac.uk)
Further links, notes, and comments:

Mini Biography

Frederick Murray Trotter 1897-1968

Frederick Murray Trotter was born at Gateshead, Durham on 19th April 1897 to John and Mary nee Murray.

1901  – living at 59 Matilda Street, Elswick, Durham. Father is a foreman-iron steel turner.

1911- father is foreman  turner ordnance work living at 52 Atkinson Road, Newcastle on Tyne in 4 rooms. Frederick is one of only 2 children , boteh boys. B/B

1916 – studying geology and chemistry at Armstrong College , NewcastleF M Trotter was born at Gateshead on 19 April 1897. In 1916 he was studying geology and chemistry at Armstrong College, Newcastle when, at the age of 18, he joined the Royal Engineers. Trotter was sent to the Western Front as a dispatch Rider. In 1918 while near Vimy he was badly wounded by shrapnel and lost one of his eyes and part of his skull.

Frederick Murray Trotter Dr. – Earthwise (bgs.ac.uk)

It appears that Frederick worked at Gretna following discharge from the Royal Engineers on 15th august 1918.

“After he recovered Trotter was able to resume his studies at Armstrong College and was awarded his BSc in 1920. In 1921 he joined the Geological Survey of Great Britain and was first stationed at their office at Whitehaven, Cumbria. A study of the glacial history of the Vale of Eden and surrounding areas gained him a DSc””.

14th June 1921 initiated into Lodge of Lun Square and Compasses lodge of Freemasons, Whitehaven. Described as a geologist.

1921 census places him in Carlisle immediately prior to his move to Whitehaven. He is listed as an ex Gretna worker.

Oct 1922 married Evaline Carruthers,   Whitehaven

1939 Government Geologist living at 58 George St, Pontardawe Rd, Glamorgan

“In 1933 Trotter moved to the Forest of Dean and at the outbreak of the Second World War he was sent to South Wales to work on the coalfield. At the end of 1941 he was promoted to District Geologist for the North-West of England and in 1955 he became Assistant Director (Deputy Chief Scientific Officer). He retired in 1963 and died on 24 July 1968.”

1956- awarded the Murchison medal for his contribution to Geology .

24th July 1968 – died in Gloucestershire, Awre, Forest of Dean.

He published more than 50 publications now held by the British Geological Society.

“ In an obituary in the Proceedings of the Geologist’s Association his former colleague William Colin Campbell Rose wrote: It was a constant source of wonder and admiration to his colleagues that despite this tremendous handicap  (of which he never complained) he enjoyed his life and work to the full and seemed not to suffer any disadvantage.”