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Photo of Mary Macpherson

Mary Macpherson

Munitions Worker
Place of Residence at HM Factory Gretna D East 5

Biography

Research kindly shared with the museum:

 

1907 William (Labourer) aged 21 married Mary Grant aged 19 (Domestic Servant) at, Inverness, by declaration on a Sheriff’s Warrant, on 28 December,1907 and both residing at Struan House, Kingussie. Both William’s parents were deceased and Mary’s parents were Duncan Grant (Painter) and Jessie m.s Ferguson.

 

1909 William and Mary had a son, William, born 27 March 1909 at Mill Road, Kingussie. William’s occupation was a painter.

 

Census 1911

House (Wooden), Ardbroilach Road, Kingussie (beside Hawthorne Cottage)

1886 William Macpherson Head 21 Mar House Painter born Inv, Inverness

Mary Wife 21 Mar born Inv, Duthil

1909 William Son 2 born Inv, Kingussie

Donald MacKay Boarder 45 Sgl born Inv, Ardesier

 

1915 On 19 February 1915 William travelled to France where he died less than 4 months later 

on 7 June 1915 Died of Wounds. He is buried at Choques Military Cemetery.

 

(Glasgow Herald 15th June 1915) 

Intimation has been received in Kingussie of the death under distressing circumstances in France of another member of the Badenoch Company of the 4th Camerons (Territorials). Private William MacPherson had been bathing where the Battalion was billeted. After getting out of the water he was seized with heart failure, to which he succumbed. He was a painter to trade, and before joining the Camerons resided with his wife and family in Kingussie. He belonged to Inverness.” 

 

1919 On 27 March 1919 Mary (24) remarried at St Andrew’s Church, Gretna to Sydney Addis (30) who was, a bachelor, an Electrical Turbine Driver aged 30 of H East 2, Township, Gretna and Mary is described as a widow, a munitions worker, of D East 5, Township, Gretna.

HM Factory, Gretna was the UK’s largest cordite factory in World War One. Cordite was colloquially known as the “Devil’s Porridge.” Two wooden townships were also built to house the workers.

 

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