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Archibald Walter Sharpe
Gretna Fire Brigade 1915 – 1925
Professional fire brigade members
Research Project led by Nigel Compton
Service and Personal details
Name Archibald Walter Sharpe DoB 21 May 1893
Place of birth Willesborough Kent England
Parents Alfred J and Margaret (also shown as Margarita)
Parental Home 23 Royds Road, Willesborough, Kent 1901
30 Herbert Road, Willesborough, Kent 1911
Siblings Alfred, Mabel, Hilda Ellen, Tryphena Nellie, John, Margaret
Spouse Barbara Whitelaw Cairns
Date of Wedding 17 August 1914
Location Leopold Place, Edinburgh
Children Alfred William (1915), John Wilfred, Margaret, Archibald Walter (1920)
Marital home(s) 86 Waverley Road, Epsom
Employment See below in Additional Notes
1911 Census Serving on SS Arracan, Steam Trading Vessel, as a sailor which was
docked at No 25 Coal Tip, No 2 Barry Dock on April 2nd 1911
Date of death 2nd March 1950 Location County Hospital, St Helier, Surrey
Gretna details
Name Alexander Walter Sharpe Clock No
Date joining December 1915 or early January 1916
Date leaving 1917
Station Annan Road
Addresses 27 Annan Road
Rank on start Fireman
Promotion None identified
Newspapers The Scotsman 1932 includes photo
Career after Rejoined Edinburgh City Fire Brigade in 1919
Joined Surbiton Fire Brigade as 2nd Officer 1932
Chief Officer, Surbiton Fire Brigade in 1933 until November 1937
Retired October 1937
Awards Mercantile Marine Medal – Great War Service
Additional information
Employment and career
Mercantile Marine up to 1911,
London Fire Brigade 1912-1913
Edinburgh Fire Brigade 1913-1915
Gretna Fire Brigade 1915-1917
Naval Service with Mercantile Marine 1917-1919
Edinburgh Fire Brigade 1919-1932
Surbiton Fire Brigade 1932-1937
1939 – employed as temporary clerk in War Office
Known addresses in Edinburgh & Surrey
1913-1915 – West Norton Place, Edinburgh – serving at London Road Fire Station
1919-1920 – 78 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh – serving at Edinburgh Fire Brigade HQ station
1921-1932 – 1 West Norton Place, Edinburgh – serving at London Road Fire Station
1932-1937 – Surbiton Fire Station house, Ewell Road, Surbiton
1937-1950 – 86 Waverley Road, Ewell, Surrey
The 1911 census shows that Alfred and Margaret had 7 kids, 4 still alive (this is we believe incorrect and should be 5 alive)
Daisy Sharratt
Information supplied through Research Project led by Nigel Crompton.
Name: Daisy Sharratt
DoB: 25 January 1880
Place of birth: Hemingford Abbots, Huntingdonshire
Parents: William & Eliza (nee Rigby) (William was Police Sergeant)
Parental Home: 1881 – Church Street, Brampton – 1891 – Bell End Police House, Brampton
Siblings: Jane (1866), Rose (1868), Eliza (1870), Mary (1872), Susan (02/01/1875) Annie (1877), Lavina (1882)
Spouse: Never married
Date of Wedding: Not applicable
Children: None found
Marital home(s): Not applicable
Employment: Domestic service
1901 Census: Letchmore Heath, Aldenham, Herts – under parlourmaid
1911 Census: 47 Bedford Gardens, Kensington – employed as parlourmaid by Rev.…
Sydney Lewis Sharville
Appeared in the Annandale Observer April 19th 1918. Married a woman munition worker who married him bigamously.
Eleanor Shaw
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Eleanor Shaw
Gender: Female
Date and place of birth: 12th September 1891 Sunderland, Durham
Date and Place of Death: 23rd September 1947 Sunderland, Durham
Nationality: English
Childhood: No record of a father, only child
Parents: Margaret J McKenzie
Parents occupations: Charwoman- own account
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Not known – munitionette?…
George Robert Shaw
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : George Robert Shaw
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth: c.1886 Devonport
Date and Place of Death: N/K
Nationality: British
Biography
Childhood:
Parents: Florence Susan Howard (formerly Prescott)
Parent’s occupations: N/K
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Clerk
Place of residence at Gretna: N/K
Job title at Gretna: Worked at Dornock
Marital status: Single
Children: None
Travels: South Africa
Awards/recognitions: N/K
Trivia / any other information:
Bibliography
- Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher): N/K
- Books written about the individual or mentioning the individual (Title, year of publication, publisher): N/K
References
- Blogs about the individual: N/K
- Websites about the individual: N/K
Further links, notes, and comments:
George Robert Shaw worked at Dornock during the War.…
Edward Sheehan
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Edward Sheehan
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 1862 Cork , Ireland
Date and Place of Death: 2nd January 1936, Henry Street, Cork , Ireland
Nationality: Irish
Childhood: Not known. No education
Parents: James,
Parents occupations: N/K
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: None
Occupation: Labourer
Place of residence at Gretna: N/K
Marital status: Married
Children: N/K
Travels: N/k
Awards/recognitions: N/K
Positions held: N/K
Trivia / any other information:
Bibliography
Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher):
Books written about the individual or mentioning the individual (Title, year of publication, publisher):
References
Blogs about the individual:
Websites about the individual:
Further links, notes, and comments:
Mini Biography
Edward Sheehan 1862 – 1936
Edward Sheehan was born in 1862 in Cork, Ireland to James.…
William Arthur Shelsher
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): William Arthur Shelsher
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth: 31st May 1885, Essex
Date and Place of Death: April 1971, Essex
Nationality: British
Childhood: Eldest of at least 5, father died when William was young
Parents: John and Alice nee Lambert
Parent’s occupations: Agricultural labourer
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Labourer
Place of residence at Gretna: 5R East
Job title at Gretna: Chargeman
Marital status: Married Esther Cecilia Greengrass in Kensington.…
William Joseph Sherlock
Appeared in the Southern Reporter; Dec. 13, 1917, under the heading At Dumfries Sheriff Court. Charged
with altering sugar coupons.
Alice Mary Sherwen
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) :
Alice May Sherwen
Gender
Female
Date and place of birth
“High Boonwood” farm, Gosforth, Cumberland 16th January 1887
Date and Place of Death:
Died 15th April 1967 at 3 Elmhurst Villas, Cheltenham Rd London SE 15
Nationality:
English
Childhood
Spent on farm then at Quaker boarding school in Ackworth, West Riding followed by The Mount, York
Parents
Sarah Ann nee Walker and Peter
Parents occupations
Yeoman farmer
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance:
Ackworth and The Mount, both Quaker boarding schools
University College London
Occupation
Teacher
Place of residence at Gretna:
Not known
Marital status
Single
Children
None
Travels
Travelled extensively for pleasure- Portugal, Jerusalem, New York and to teach- Cairo, Cape Town
Awards/recognitions:
Positions held
Trivia / any other information:
She was an amateur novelist – wrote 5 novels unknown if they were published ( Whitehaven Archives catalogue)
Bibliography
Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher):
Books written about the individual or mentioning the individual (Title, year of publication, publisher):
References
Blogs about the individual:
Websites about the individual:
Further links, notes, and comments:
Whitehaven Archives hold 172 folders relating to this family, many solely concerning Alice.…
William Arthur Shrewsbury
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): William Arthur Shrewsbury
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth: 8th September 1881, Maidenhead, Berkshire
Date and Place of Death: 27th May 1963, Croydon, Surrey
Nationality: British
Childhood: 3rd of at least 5
Parents: Edward James and Rhoda nee Biggs
Parent’s occupations: Architect
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Electrical engineer
Place of residence at Gretna: H6 Eastriggs
Job title at Gretna: Engineer.…
Miss Florence Annie Shute
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Florence Annie Shute
Gender: Female
Date and Place of Birth: 18 Mar 1886 Newport
Date and Place of Death: N/K
Nationality: British
Biography
Childhood: One of nine children; Edith Mary Shute (1881-1935), Enos John 1882-1897, William Henry b1883, Harry Charles (1884-1934), Beatrice sarah (1889-1983), Reginald Tom (1891-1891), Percy Clifton (1892-1952), Evelyn Mary b 1894.…
David Sim
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.…
Charles Evelyn Simmons
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Charles Evelyn Simmons
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth:10/03/ 1879 Kingsbridge, Devon (3) (5) (7)
Baptised 9/4/1879 at Kingsbridge, Devon (3)
Date and Place of Death: 31/03/1951 Barnet, Middlesex (3) (9)
Nationality: British
Biography
Childhood: Had three siblings (4) (6) –
Grace Millicent Simmons born 1878, St.…
J Simmons
Info from relative of fellow worker, August 2021: I am attaching the two photos. On the back of one are written the names of the people in the picture. They are as follows:-
Dumfries and Annan
April 1918
Wilfred Edmondson gravitier
(‘My wife’s husband’)
W Falcolner foreman
Tom Harris dips
W D Macrae blower
W Gaunt foreman
C Franks chargehand
Reginald Keen (farmer) fireman
J Simmons shift chemist
J Scully charger
J Maxwell blower
Photographer Frank Holbrook, Alexander’s Studio, Dumfires and Annan
Abraham Simpson
Appeared in Dumfries and Galloway Standard; Nov. 7, 1917 under heading Munitions Tribunal.
Hardy Singleton
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Hardy Singleton
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth: 20/02/1882 Brighouse
Date and Place of Death: 02/01/1978 Leeds
Nationality: British
Biography
Childhood:
Parents: Mark and Emily Singleton
Parent’s occupations: Woollen Cloth Dyer (father)
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Woollen Cloth Dyer
Place of residence at Gretna: 2.…
Henry Percival Singleton
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Henry Percival Singleton
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 4th December 1895, Camperdown, New S Wales
Date and Place of Death: Date not known/ Australia
Nationality: Australian
Childhood : Brisbane
Parents: George Singleton and Maud(e) Evans Slade
Parents occupations : Stone Mason
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: University of Queensland – must have been immediately pre war
Occupation: Analytical Chemist
Place of residence at Gretna: Not known
Marital status: Married to Annie O’Connor In Stockton , England
Children : Trevor James George Singleton
Maurice Edgar Singleton
Russell Percival Singleton
Travels : Only during war to England for Munitions work
Awards/recognitions:
Positions held
Trivia / any other information:
Bibliography
Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher):
Books written about the individual or mentioning the individual (Title, year of publication, publisher):
Mentioned twice in :-
Roy M.…
Arthur Thomas Stanley Sissons
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Arthur Thomas Stanley Sissons.
Gender: Male.
Date and Place of Birth: 22nd April 1888 in Malvern, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Date and Place of Death: 30 June 1975.…
Robert Robert Skeggs
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Robert James Skeggs (James Skeggs)
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth: 2nd August 1879, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire
Date and Place of Death: 1947, Surrey North Western
Nationality: British
Childhood: 1881 with his parents James & Eliza living in Brook Lane, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.…
