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HM Factory Gretna

Construction of a sub-station at H M Factory Gretna in 1916. This is an archive photo.

The builders of HM Factory Gretna

By Collections blog

One of the most remarkable things about HM Factory Gretna was the speed with which it was built in World War One.  Construction started in 1915 in response to the Shell Crisis.  There was an urgency about the work done here, the Factory was needed to produce RDB Cordite and to help turn the tide of the War.

Constructing the Ether Plant in 1916.

The construction work was done by 10,000 mainly Irish navvies.  Many of them would have worked on other major construction sites such as railway lines and canals.  They worked hard and lived an itinerant lifestyle.  For example, we know of one family who were all in Eastriggs during World War One (several of them got married while they worked here) and were later all in Middlesborough by 1921.

Navvies became associated with anti-social behaviour and crime due. The actions of a few seems to have tarnished the reputation of the many.  This article from the local newspaper is typical of the sorts of crimes which occurred in the early days of the Factory.

Recently, a family history researcher approached the Museum about their family’s connections with the Factory.  They wanted to know more about the role of navvies and to see if we have any documents relating to their family member.  We were unable to find any specific reference to the individuals involved but the researcher found the other information we provided (including photographs of the Factory construction and information about working conditions and newspaper reports very interesting).

They gave us permission to share their family’s connections with HM Factory Gretna here and we are also keeping a copy in our archive of workers.  We are very grateful to them for sharing this information with us.

The marriage certificate of Christopher Maloney and Catherine Maguire in Carlisle Roman Catholic Church (many navvies were RC and two churches were built for those of this faith) in 1916. He gave his address as No 2 Hut, Mill Hill, Kirkandrews, Gretna and his occupation as General Labourer.

After the War, Christopher and Catherine Maloney moved back to Ireland and they both died very young of Tuberculosis in 1924.  They left two children who were brought up by their grandmother in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.

The navvies not only built the Factory but the two townships of Eastriggs and Gretna which were built for the 30,000 workers.

Over a hundred miles of railway track were laid in HM Factory Gretna and 16 railway stations were constructed.

If you enjoyed this article then the following books (available from our online shop) may be of interest to you:

The Devil’s Porridge Museum Guidebook

Gretna’s Secret War

Agnes Barr Auchenloss

National Doctors Day

By Collections blog

12,000 women worked at HM Factory Gretna in World War One and one of the most remarkable must have been Agnes Barr Auchenloss.  National Doctor’s Day seemed like a perfect time to share her story.

Agnes Barr Auchenloss

Agnes was  born on May 30th 1886 in Paisley.  She graduated from the University of Glasgow with a MB_ChB in 1911.  Her name appeared nine times on the prize lists and she achieved first class certificates in Anatomy and Surgery during her time at University.  After graduation, she worked as a doctor then moved to South Africa.  She married Gosta Lundholm in Cape Town and gave birth to their first child in 1915.  

Gosta Lundholm

Gosta was a chemist and his father was an associate of Alfred Nobel.  His family originated from Sweden but had lived in Scotland for many years before the War and both Gosta’s father and mother had British citizenship.  Gosta studied in Edinburgh, London and Zurich before travelling to South Africa to work as a chemist with the British South African Explosive Co. Ltd at Modderfontein in the Transvaal (this factory made explosives for use in the Rand goldmines). 

In June 1916, the family moved to Eastriggs so Gosta could work in HM Factory Gretna (as an explosives expert, his skills were in demand during war time).

The Ridge in Eastriggs where Agnes lived.

This talented and intelligent couple lived at the No. 9, The Ridge Eastriggs with their son and both contributed to the war effort in their own way.  Gosta assisted in the construction of the plant.  He was regarded as one of the leading chemists in the Factory and was appointed Assistant Section Manager of the Nitro Glycerine section in 1917, a position he held until the end of the War.   

Agnes worked as a Medical Officer in the Factory throughout the War.  She was introduced to the King and Queen during their visit to the Factory in 1917 and said to the King, “It’s good to be in the hands of a kent face” which the King is said to have understood and appreciated when the phrase was explained to him. 

After the War, they returned to South Africa and had another son.  In 1929, they returned to Scotland when Gosta took up a position at an ICI detonator factory in Ardeer.  

Gosta was known as a man who was absolutely dependable with an agreeable personality.  He was said to have a lovely singing voice and enjoyed the opera, sailing and tennis.  Agnes was always helping people who were unwell and generously gave her time to the sick and injured throughout her life.  Gosta died aged 82 in 1969.  Agnes died aged 86 in 1972.   

Group of Gretna Girls.

Munition Workers Poems Part 2

By News

This is another of the poems from the book which we have in the Museum’s shop. We are posting poems from this book written by women for Women’s History Month this month. This one was written by Elizabeth Easthaugh about the munitions factory in Gretna and is called “Farewell, Cordite!”.

 

You can see the poem below:

 

If you would like to purchase the full book you can see it here:

Munition Workers’ Poems

Two Gretna Girls including Alexina Ross Dickson.

Photo of Gretna Girl: new donation

By Collections blog

 This photograph shows two young women who worked at HM Factory in World War One.   Women were employed in all sorts of roles within the Factory (the greatest one on earth at that time) including working in the bakery, laundry, in the hostels, with chemicals, as nurses, as women police officers and so much more.

Gretna Girl Alexina Ross Dickson

The lady who is standing is Alexina Ross Dickson, who was born in 1897.  The photograph has the following written on it, “Wishing you a Merry Xmas, 1917” so she was probably 20 years old at the time.

We are very grateful to the people who recently donated this photograph to us.  We do not currently have a complete list of all the workers at HM Factory Gretna (one may exist somewhere but it has not yet come to light) and so we are largely reliant on people who donate photographs and tells us the names of their family members and share their involvement.

We have an archive of this material and add any new accounts to a book called ‘Gretna Girls Memories’ on display within the Museum.  It is also good to know the name of one more young women who did their war work and made their contribution here.

If you would like to know more about the Gretna Girls and their experiences, this booklet might interest you:

Lives of Ten Gretna Girls booklet

 

Women’s work in World War One

By Collections blog

“Surely, never before in modern history can women have lived a life so completely parallel to that of the regular army.  The girls who take up this work sacrifice almost as much as the men who enlist…it is a barrack life.” 

From ‘The Cordite Makers’ by Rebecca West, an article written in 1916 after her visit to HM Factory Gretna.

Today is International Women’s Day and to commemorate that, we thought we would share some photographs of women working during World War One.  12,000 women worked at HM Factory Gretna (The Devil’s Porridge Museum has this Factory as its main focus) and they did various tasks to make this Factory operational.

If you would like to know more about women’s experiences of life and work at HM Factory Gretna, you might be interested in this booklet (available from the Museum’s online shop):

Lives of Ten Gretna Girls booklet

 

Working in the bakery, thousands of loaves of bread were baked every day.

 

Working in one of the Factory canteens.

 

Issuing items in the Central Stores.

 

Working on electric trains to transport explosive material throughout the Factory site (which was nine miles long and two miles wide).

Working with chemicals within the Factory to produce cordite (for munitions).

Transporting gun cotton within the Factory.

 

Laundry workers. Women also worked in the Factory hostels as domestic servants and matrons.

The largest Women’s Police Force in Britain at that time existed at the Factory.

Machine working.

Working in the Factory Power Station.

Woodworking – making boxes to store and transport the cordite (to shell filling factories).

Above: sorting and drying cordite.

Above: mixing acids within the Factory.

Nurses. The Factory had several different medical facilities for its workers. There was at least one female doctor.

Kenneth Bingham Quinan Part 4

By Collections blog

Quinan’s later life

At the end of the War, Quinan was 40 years old. He was offered a knighthood which he turned down (as an American, he didn’t think it was appropriate). He was made a Companion of Honour on the same day as General Smuts. He also received official thanks from the House of Commons and a gift of £10,000. In 1919, he returned to South Africa. His work was clearly held in the highest estimation and praise was showered upon him as can be seen below. Photograph below shows Quinan in later life.

“The unique professional knowledge derived from many years of technical experience, the unremitting work of a powerful and vigorous mind, and the irradiating influence of a great, genial and unselfish personality were unreservedly put at the disposal of the British Empire. An atmosphere of good fellowship and of equal comradeship in work pervaded every branch. Everyone who came under the influence of Mr Quinan was stimulated to put forth his best in the general cause.” – Article in Nature Journal, 1920

 

“It would be hard to point to anyone who did more to win the war than Kenneth Bingham Quinan.” – David Lloyd George

 

Below: Quinan was given a solid gold brick on retiring along with the words “from one old brick to another”.

KBQ’s timeline after the war

In 1917 Quinan was appointed to the Commission of Chemical Trades after the War. Churchill offered him a position in the Ministry of Munitions but he declined this offer and many others.

 

In 1919 he returned to his old farm in South Africa as a consultant

 

In 1922 he helped found and became the first Vice President of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (now the Royal Institute of Chemical Engineers). The main aim for this was to disseminate the information gathered during the War.

 

31st December 1923 married Jean Pargiter. They had two sons

 

In 1924 KBQ retired to his fruit farm ‘Bizweni’ in Somerset West where he built a laboratory and dedicated himself to grape production. He also enjoyed big game hunting (especially lions).

 

In 1942 KBQ was invited by the British Government be Senior Representative in South Africa for Chemical Defence Matters. He worked tirelessly in munitions manufacture again.

 

11am 26th January 1948 KBQ collapsed and died at his desk in his office at the age of 69.

 

You can read the first three parts here:

Part 1: https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/kenneth-bingham-quinan-the-great-kbq

Part 2: https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/kenneth-bingham-quinan-part-2

Part 3: https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/kenneth-bingham-quinan-part-3

Planning Maps for HM Factory Gretna

By Collections blog

A local gentleman visited the Museum the other day to share some wonderful items with us. He has a map of the local area (stretching from Dornock to Longtown). It appears to be an ordnance survey map from 1898 and on it someone has drawn plans for HM Factory Gretna (the greatest munitions factory on earth during World War One, The Devils Porridge tells it story and the story of the 30,000 workers, 12,000 of whom were women). You can clearly see the Factory sites 1-4 labelled on the map and contours have been drawn on the main intended Factory locations as an aid for planning. Two townships were built for the Factory (Gretna and Eastriggs) and neither appears on the map – there are just open fields and farms – as they weren’t constructed until after 1915. It is quite strange to see a map without these two significant local towns on it.  The map also shows plans for a temporary pumping station and the pipelines that would be built for the movement of millions of gallons of water used by the Factory each day. Fascinating stuff and amazing to see a glimpse into the planning of the construction of the Factory.

Our visitor also brought in an auction catalogue from 1924. At the end of the war, the Factory plant, site and the houses in the townships were auctioned off and this catalogue was produced (we have one on display in the Museum). What was particularly interesting about this gentleman’s copy of the Auction Book was that it had all five maps inside it (and they were in excellent condition). We have some of the maps but not all of them so it was really interesting to see all the maps together.

We are very grateful to this gentleman for sharing these documents with us and for letting us take photographs of the items in question for our records.

The front cover of H.M. Factory Gretna Regulations Governing Employment.

Recent Donation to the Museum

By Collections blog

We had a very interesting recent donation to the Museum which was donated by someone with family connections to HM Factory Gretna (The Devils Porridge Museum tells the story of this Factory and the 30,000 workers who were employed there during World War One). The objects in question date back to World War One and are: a Factory pass and a booklet with the title “Regulations Governing Employment. The Factory pass it particularly interesting as we have not seen one before. It looks like it could be attached around the neck via a cord and it would hold something inside it (some paperwork). This pocket is empty but we believe we have an example of the sort of thing that would go inside on display in the Museum.

The text is quite difficult to read but it says: Department of Explosives Supply, H. M. Factory, Gretna, Workers Pass, Not Transferable

 

We have scanned all of the pages of the booklet for you to read – hope you find it interesting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Hunter in her munitions uniform.

Elizabeth Hunter – Gretna Girl

By Collections blog

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Hunter

Born 28 November 1893 died 20th October 1969

Worked at HM Factory Gretna 1916 – 1919

Badge No. B201047

 

Elizabeth originally trained as a dress maker in Carlisle, then began work at the factory. She commuted from Carlisle to work.

 

She had a souvenir autograph book, which was addressed to the girls in the stove room so she could have potentially worked there. Included in this autograph book was a poem written by one of the other girls.

 

Once she had finished working at the Factory, she worked at Carrs Biscuit Works in Carlisle before marrying a Presbyterian Minister in 1927 and moving around the country.

 

She had three brothers who served during WW1; two were part of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders with one killed in 1918 and the other wounded four times. Her third brother was part of the Royal Garrison Artillery and was awarded the Military Cross; he had been a prisoner of war, where he had a Bible and wrote in code with a pin details of the awful living conditions he faced in the camp. Unfortunately he died a month after the Armistice; the Bible was returned to his father but upon reading of his experience burned the copy so no-one else could read it.

 

 

Susan Summers

Gretna Girl – Susan Summers

By Collections blog

These are the accounts of Susan Summers when she worked in HM Factory Gretna during World War One. The article is written by her and about what her roles were at the Factory and what life was like working there.

 

When war was declared I decided to help the war effort and get a job at HM Factory Gretna. We were met at the station and taken to a large hut which was to be our home from home during our stay.

 

Our first job was stocking furnaces with sulphur. One day, a week later, we were hurried outside. I understand there was a leak of some kind and we were never sent back.

 

I was then sent to take charge of the Drying Shed. The gun-cotton was in blocks, packed in bags to be put into the drying machines. They were loaded onto a conveyor belt upstairs to the screening shed where it was ground to a powder.

 

I can remember the shed was bitterly cold and one night we had an alert. The lights in the shed went out and we were plunged into darkness. We heard afterwards that a Zeppelin had got through to Annan.

 

Then I went on a more dangerous job which was underground and there too we had an alert. Our chemist dashed in shouting, “Run girls! Run for your lives!” we did and I know I only stopped when my breath gave out.

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