We’re very happy to have a Dickin Medal on display in the Museum for the next 6 months. This is one of only 3 on display in the country and one of only 71 Dickin Medals in existence. This particular medal was awarded to a pigeon called Dutch Coast, he was on board a Lancaster Bomber which went down in the North Sea in 1942. He flew 288 miles over 7 hours in terrible weather. He delivered his message and the lives of all the crew were saved as a result of is actions.
In 1943, Maria Dickin, the Founder of the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (a charity known as the PDSA) created the Dickin Medal to honour the work done by animals in World War Two and to recognise their conspicuous gallantry or devotion to duty. Since its introduction in 1943, the Dickin Medal has been awarded just 71 times: 31 dogs, 32 World War Two messenger pigeons, three horses and one cat have been awarded. We are very honoured to have the Dickin Medal here on loan to The Devils Porridge Museum from the Royal Pigeon Racing Association.
Animals have been used in war for thousands of years. Over 16 million animals served in the First World War. Cats and dogs were trained to hunt the giant rats that infested the trenches. By 1918, 8 million horses would lie dead in the mud, many next to soldiers they served with. The use of cavalry in war declined after World War One but animals remain an important part of the Armed Forces.
The War Memorial which we have outside the Museum was gifted to us by the Animals in War Group, Carlisle in 2015, as a lasting permanent reminder of the enormous sacrifice made by animals in war.
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.
This part of the Devil’s Porridge Museum is the place I find most interesting.
This part of the Museum tells us about the children who came from Barnardo’s orphanages to escape the war. Some came inner city slums and found this as an adventure and a glimpse of a better life. Some had never seen hills or cows and enjoyed the fresh country air.
Barnardo’s was founded by Thomas Barnardo in 1866, to care for vulnerable children. As of 2013 it has raised and spent around £200 million each year running around 900 local services, aimed at helping these same groups. It is the UKs largest children’s charity in terms of charitable expenditure. Its headquarters are in Barkingside in the London Borough of Redbridge.
This part of the museum tells us the story of how some of these children came to Eastriggs, Gretna and the surrounding areas. If you visit the museum you can hear audio accounts from some of the children who have recalled their memories and shared them with us as adults.
Of all the historical events that I can learn about at the Museum I find this section the most interesting.
By Andrew Dill (Devil’s porridge Museum volunteer)
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.
This display is the start of the timeline of the Second World War which is located on the top floor. This display follows on from a timeline of pre Second World War which explains the build up to the conflict.
The display includes a voice extract from Neville Chamberlin (who was Prime Minister at the time) when he took to the airwaves to announce to the country that Britain was at war with Germany. It also includes a quote from a local woman named Margaret Clark recalling the moment the announcement was made, “I was sitting at our kitchen table doing my homework and all of a sudden Big Ben struck and then Neville Chamberlin started to speak – our country was now at war. It was a very funny feeling, it was quite frightening really.”
Rumours of a new munitions factory at Gretna had been circulating since 1937. In a strategic move the government decided to spread the risk by building a number of smaller factories. Three months after the war was announced, His Majesty’s Inspector of Explosives gave the go ahead to build Powfoot Munitions Factory on the Solway Firth, just 8 miles (12km) away from where the Museum is now.
The map below shows some of the key points which were used during the Second World War in the local area such as RAF Annan, ICI Powfoot and many of the homes used for evacuation of children.
These types of gas lamps would have been typically used by people inside their houses from around 1928 to 1935 and were sold in America, the UK, France, Australia and Argentina. This lamp is a table lamp but there were also one which would be hung from the ceiling. Aladdin Industries (the maker of the model 12 gas lamp) also made vase lamps which would be used as a more decorative item than the traditional table lamp.
This is a gas lamp which was made from 1928 to 1939 in the UK and is a model 12 Aladdin gas lamp. The model 12 was a completely new model from the ground up. The model 12 lamp was the first to have optional paper shades as well as glass shades. The model 12 brought decorative glass shades into common usage.
The model 12 burner stayed in production until the early 1950’s to repair model 7 through 12 lamps for sale overseas. Aladdin Lamps were established in 1908 and are still making lamps today, now based in New Braunfels Texas
Annie Corrin left Port S. Mary in the Isle of Man, and went to work at the Gretna plant when she was 19. She remained there from August 1917 until early 1919. She received roughly 15/- per week, after board and lodging had been deducted. Despite the fact that these wages were considered to be high for the period after she had sent money to her home she couldn’t afford to go to the cinema or dances in Carlisle or Dornock.
Eventually she was billeted in the Central Hotel, near Carlisle station, which had been commandeered for the munition workers. However, about six months later the hotel became a hospital for the war wounded and the girls were sent to the hostels in the Gretna township. These hostels were usually newly erected wooden huts, and the one she was sent to was called “Florence Nightingale Hostel”.
Work at the plant as based on a three shift system 7.00am – 2.00pm, 2.00pm – 10.00pm and 10.00pm – 7.00am.
Annie had initially been sent to work in the Cordite Section, and was provided with a mop cap, tunic and trousers. Her job was to separate large trays of Cordite, by taking a small handful and smashing the end, to separate the strands. The strands were then put into boxes, similar to fish boxes and weighed. After this procedure had been completed, the boxes were provided with lids which were then nailed down.
After six months, she was transferred to outside work in the Loading Sheds. She was provided with an oilskin coat, and sou’wester hat, for this work. She was instructed by a man called ‘Geordie’ into the best methods of lifting and loading the boxes of cordite sticks on to the trucks. The girls then pushed these trucks outside on rail tracks, for about a mile to another shed. Although she never found out what happened in these sheds she does remember that there were usually a couple of girls lying outside in what appeared to be a drunk state, cause by exposure to cordite.
Early in 1919 Annie left the Gretna Plant and returned to the Isle of Man.
A new object was put on display at the Museum over the Christmas break, it is a Caledonian Railway Type CRS4 from Quintinshill signal box. It was on display there for many years and can be seen below.
The Signal box (below) was opened in 1903 and had 45 levers. This object became the last operational CRS4 type box working the West Coast mainline between Gretna and Glasgow. The signal box closed in 1973 and control went to the Carlisle Signalling Centre.
The Devils Porridge are holding many events each month at the Museum this year. If you would like to know more information about these events you can see an overview below (more information will be on our Facebook page):
The Devils Porridge has a fantastic new item on loan – a Dickin Medal. The Dickin Medal was created by Maria Dickin, founder of the PDSA in 1943 to recognise the brave contributions made by Animals in War. It has been awarded just 71 times – 31 dogs, 32 World War Two messenger pigeons, three horses and one cat have been awarded. The medal is on loan from the Royal Pigeon Racing Association (the RPRA) and is one of only three medals they have loaned from their collection across the UK. The medal commemorates ‘Dutch Coast’ a pigeon who delivered an SOS from a ditched air crew in 1942. The pigeon covered 288 miles in 7.5 hours. The entire crew were rescued as a result of this action.
“The Museum has a memorial outside to commemorate Animals In War” said Judith Hewitt, Museum Manager, “and last year members of our Young Historians Club worked with the RPRA and the Carlisle Animals In War group to curate an exhibition about all the animals who also served. We are delighted to be able to bring this rare object to our region and to share it with our visitors. It will go on display within the next few weeks and will offer something different for everyone (especially animal lovers) to see.”
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