Victoria May McIver

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Munitions Worker, Cordite Section

Birthplace Cumberland Longtown England Date of Birth: May 24, 1899 Date of Death: March 1, 1973

Biography

Introduction
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) :
Victoria May McIver (also spelt – Victoria Mae McIver)

Gender:
Female
Date and Place of Birth:
24 May 1899 [3, 5] Longtown [1]

DOB differs between documents, but as she was baptised [5] in June at Arthuret Church Longtown, 1899 seems to be the right year
Date and Place of Death:
Feb 1973, Carlisle [5]
Nationality:
English / British [1]

Disability: at 17-years-old Victoria’s arm was amputated following an accident at the Factory.

Biography
Childhood:
Born and brought up in Longtown [1, 2, 3]
Parents:
Father -Henry McIver born 1854 in Hampshire [1]

Mother – Mary Openshaw McIver nee Makin born 1866 in Pendleton Lancashire [1, 2, 5]
Parent’s occupations:
Father Naval Pensioner. Labourer in a sawmill [1]
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance:
Longtown School [2]
Occupation:
Not found, it is noted that she was injured at the Gretna Factory [9,10] presumably she didn’t work after that, the 1939 census [3] notes her occupation as unpaid domestic duties, which is the most common occupation!
Place of residence at Gretna:
10 Bank Street, Longtown [1]

47 Esk Street, Longtown [2]

8 Albert Street [3]
Job title at Gretna:
Not found
Marital status:
Married 15 Jan 1928 in Longtown – William Balmer Gray [4, 5]

William B Gray Born 17 May 1897 – Ganger on the Railway [3]

William Gray Died 1970 [6]
Children:
1 son Iver Gray born 1938 Longtown, died 2020 [5, 10]
Travels:
No evidence found
Awards/recognitions:
None found
Trivia / any other information:
Siblings

Sister Jessie McIver born 1892 in Lincolnshire [1]

Brother John Henry McIver born 1894 Grimbsy, Lincolnshire [1, 2]

Brother Arthur McIver born 1896 Longtown [1]

Father – Henry McIver died Oct 1909 [5, 7]

Mother – Mary Openshaw McIver nee Makin died 15 Aug 1928 [5, 8]

Injured at the factory in 1917 [10]
Bibliography
Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher):

Books written about the individual or mentioning the individual (Title, year of publication, publisher):
Gretna’s Secret War (secondary info folder)
References
Blogs about the individual:
Worker of the Week: Victoria May McIver – Devils Porridge Museum
Websites about the individual:
None found
Further links, notes, and comments: Historical Sources
1901 Census
1911 Census
1939 Census
Marriage Index
Victoria May Ancestry Timeline
William Gray Death Index
Henry McIver Death Index
Mary Openshaw McIver death index
Gretna’s Secret War pg 17