To search our directory of workers at HM Factory Gretna either enter any name, place of birth or place of death in the search box or if you know what their job was from select from the drop-down menu.
John Guilfoyle Williams
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : John Guilfoyle Williams
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth: 19/10/1896 Nottingham
Date and Place of Death: 30/04/1979 Ealing age 82
Nationality: British
Biography
Childhood:
Parents: Richard Edward and Ida Charlotte Williams
Parent’s occupations: Water Works Inspector
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: London University
Occupation: Chemist BSc ACS
Place of residence at Gretna: Staff Quarters No.1, Eastrigg, Dornock
Job title at Gretna: Chemist at Dornock
Marital status: Married Elsie Annie Fisher 1925 Q4
Children: Richard Guilfoyle Williams (b.1926) and Mary Williams (b.1928)
Travels: Montreal, Canada
Awards/recognitions: ACS
Trivia / any other information:
Bibliography
Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher):
- “Textiles on test.
…
Philip Glasson Williams
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Philip Glasson Williams
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 26th October 1852 Oreston, Plymouth
Date and Place of Death:13th June 1929 Cardew, Dalston, Carlisle
Nationality:English
Childhood: Middle one of 5
Parents: James and Mary nee Glasson
Parents occupations: Breakwater labourer and shopkeeper
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Butcher when very young then prison warder
Place of residence at Gretna:Probably 29 Lorne St, Carlisle
Marital status: Married
Children: 3 girls and 1 boy
Travels: N/K
Awards/recognitions: N/K
Positions held: Chief prison officer Carlisle Jail- closed in 1922 so possibly the last one
Trivia / any other information: https://www.prisonhistory.org/prison/carlisle-county-gaol-and-house-of-correction/
Bibliography
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Carlisle Archives hold records relating to staff at Carlisle Jail in 1899
Philip Glasson Williams 1852-1929
Philip Glasson Williams was born on 26 October 1852 at Oreston, Plymouth to James and Mary nee Glasson
1861 – living at Plymstock, Plymouth.…
Thomas John Williams
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Thomas John Williams.
Gender: Male.
Date and Place of Birth: N/A.
Date and Place of Death: N/A.
Nationality: British.
Biography
Childhood: N/A.…
William Williams
Appeared in Dumfries and Galloway Standard; July. 25, 1917 under heading Smoking at Munition Works.
Percy John Willmott
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Percy John Willmott [Willimott]
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 6th April 1874, Cripplegate, London
Date and Place of Death: 18th June 1951, 25 Peel Street, Newtown, Carlisle, Cumberland
Nationality: British
Disability: Discharged from life of military service aged 45 diue to disability
Childhood: At least 2 siblings
Parents: William and Jane nee Shimmins/Shimmens
Parents occupations: Machine printer
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Military – mobilization storekeeper in 1914
Place of residence at Gretna:Peel Street, Newtown, Carlisle
Marital status: Married
Children: 6 born
Travels: Served in Malta and South Africa during the Boer War
Awards/recognitions: N/K
Positions held: Warrant Officer 3rd Border Regiment
Trivia / any other information:
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Mini Biography
Percy John Willmott 1874- 1951
Percy John Willmott was born on 6th April 1874 at Cripplegate, London Town to William a machine printer and Jane nee Shimmins/Shimmens
1881 – living at Fann Street, Cripplegate – his sister head of household.…
Amelia Charlotte Edith Willson
Information supplied through Research Project led by Nigel Crompton.
AMELIA CHARLOTTE EDITH WILLSON
Date and place of birth : 8 December 1886 at Alnwick, Northumberland
Date and place of Death :
March Quarter of 1969 In Croyden Registation District of London
Nationality: British
Biography: Amelia grew up in Northumberland with her siblings:
James William Kelly Willson 1884
Eileen Cecelia Florence Willson 1887
Daisy Lucy Cordial Willson 1888
John Henry Augustus Willson 1890
Lucan Augustus John Willson 1891
Francis Cecil Cordial Willson 1892
Gladys Beatrice Mary Willson 1894
Parents:
John Willson married Cecelia Elizabeth Cordial 1882 in Mullingar District of Ireland.…
Alexander Wilson
Appeared in Dumfries and Galloway Standard; June. 2, 1917. Fined for riding bike with light.
Alison Davidson Wilson
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) :Alison Davidson Wilson
Gender: Female
Date and place of birth: 25th November 1886, Carlisle
Date and Place of Death: 5th April 1972 ,193 Newtown Rd, Carlisle
Nationality: Scottish parents
Childhood: Eldest of 8, 6 surviving
Parents: Thomas and Agnes nee Jardine
Parents occupations: Railway engine fireman the driver
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Baker and confectioner
Place of residence at Gretna: Not known
Marital status: Unmarried
Children: None known
Travels: N/K
Awards/recognitions: N/K
Positions held: N/K
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Mini Biography
Alison Davidson Wilson 1886-1972
Alison Davidson Wilson was born on 25th November 1886 in Carlisle to Thomas and Agnes nee Jardine.…
Annie Jane Wilson
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): Mrs Annie Jane Wilson (nee Hastings)
Gender: Female
Date and Place of Birth: 1892 St Mungo, Dumfriesshire
Date and Place of Death: 1938 Stoneykirk
Nationality: Scottish
Childhood: N/K
Parents: Robert A and Elizabeth A Hastings
Parent’s occupations: Coachman (father)
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: West of Scotland Agricultural College, Glasgow
Occupation: N/K
Place of residence at Gretna: N/K
Job title at Gretna: N/K
Marital status: John Wilson 1917 in Dalton
Children: N/K
Travels: N/K
Awards/recognitions: N/K
Trivia / any other information:
Annie is remembered on the Mossband Farewell as a member of the operating staff.…
Christopher Wilson
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Christopher Wilson
Gender: Male
Date and place of birth: 26th March 1861 Casterton, Westmorland
Date and Place of Death: 11th November 1943, Norwood, Preston
Nationality: English
Childhood: Eldest of at least 5.
Parents: Henry Wilson and Jane nee Stephenson
Parents occupations: Agricultural labourer
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Police Sergeant
Place of residence at Gretna: Longtown
Marital status: Married
Children
9 , 7 living
Travels: N/K
Awards/recognitions: N/K
Positions held: N/K
Trivia / any other information:
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Mini biography
Christopher Wilson 1861-1943
Christopher Wilson was born in Casterton, near Kendal, Westmorland, on 26th March 1861 to Henry Wilson and Jane nee Stephenson.…
Isabella Wilson
Appeared in Dumfries and Galloway Standard; Nov. 7, 1917, under the heading Munitions Tribunal.
Janet Jardine Wilson
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Janet Jardine Wilson
Gender: Female
Date and place of birth: 27th May 1898, Glasgow
Date and Place of Death: October 1992 , Derby
Nationality: British
Childhood: One of 8, 6 surviving
Parents: Thomas and Agnes nee Jardine
Parents occupations: Railway engine driver
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Not known
Place of residence at Gretna:N/K
Marital status: Married
Children: Not known
Travels: N/K
Awards/recognitions: N/K
Positions held: N/K
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Mini Biography
Janet Jardine Wilson 1898-1992
Janet Jardine Wilson was born on 27th May 1898 in Glasgow to Thomas and Agnes nee Jardine.…
John Thomas Wilson
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : John Thomas Wilson
Gender: Male
Date and Place of Birth: 8th November 1899, Heapey, Lancashire
Date and Place of Death: October 1975, Preston, Lancashire
Nationality: British
Childhood: The 6th of 7 surviving children of 9 born.…
Lizzie Cook Wilson
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Lizzie Cook Wilson
Gender: Female
Date and place of birth: 11th May 1892, Apple Tree Inn, Brigham, Cockermouth
Date and Place of Death: 5th October 1988, Penrith Hospital of 2, Sharrow Cottage, Howtown
Nationality: English
Childhood: 5th of 6 , mainly girls
Parents: William and Susan[na] nee Park
Parents occupations: Lime stone quarryman
Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K
Occupation: Checked the dials up a ladder where the cordite was mixed
Place of residence at Gretna:N/K
Marital status: Married
Children: At least 3 daughters
Travels: N/K
Awards/recognitions: N/K
Positions held: N/K
Trivia / any other information:
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Mini Biography
Lizzie Cook Wilson 1892-1988
Lizzie Cook Wilson was born at Apple Tree Inn, Brigham near Cockermouth, Cumberland on 11th May 1892 to William and Susan[na]nee Park.…
Mary Wilson
MARY WILSON
“MISS WILSON”
Date and place of birth: 20 August 1889 Wigton, Cumberland, England
Date and place of death: 1957 Carlisle, Cumberland, England
Nationality: British
Biography: Mary grew up in Carlisle as part of a large family. Her siblings were –
Sarah Ann Wilson 1874
John Wilson 1876-1891
Ruth Wilson 1880
William Wilson 1882-1882
William Alfred Wilson 1883
David Wilson 1884-1908
Richard Wilson 1885
Joseph Wilson 1888
Robert Allison Wilson 1892-1910
Parents:
John Wilson married Mary Jane Wills 1873 in Wigton, Cumberland
Parents occupation: John was a Tailor
Schools Universities attended and years of attendance: Not known
Occupation: Not known
Place of residence at Gretna: Not Known
Forwarding address after the war: Miss Wilson, Port Carlisle
Job Title at Gretna: Welfare Supervisor
Marital Status: Mary married William R Scott 1933 in Wigton, Cumberland
Children: Nil known
Travels: Not known
Awards/Recognitions: Not known
Trivia/any other information:
References
Ancestry
FindaGrave
FindMyPast
FreeBMD
British Newspaper Archive
Mossband Farewell Newsletter
Thomas Wilson
The Annandale Observer is not currently digitized, however a volunteer on this project is manually searching the physically copies of this paper stored at The Devil’s Porridge Museum. Wilson was mentioned in the AO on 01/02/1918 at p. 7 and column 4. He was described as a labourer living in No.6 Butterdale Huts, Eastriggs.and the details of the entry were ‘Matches in Factory.’
Florence Windross
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Mrs. Florence Windross M/s Little
Do they already have a Wikipedia page? If yes, please paste link: no
Gender: Female
Date and Place of Birth: Baptism: 22nd August 1897. St Mary’s Carlisle
Date and Place of Death: N/K
Nationality: British
Biography
Childhood: She had 1 brother and 3 sisters, who where all born in Cumberland.…
Sophia Winn
Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by) : Sophia Wynn or Winn. Later: Sophia Easton
Gender: Female
Date and Place of Birth: Houghton-Le-Spring. 1902.
Date and Place of Death: 31st October 1970. 70 Ross Lea Row, Houghton-Le-Spring.
Nationality: British
Childhood: Sophia was born to a mining family.…
