
Worker of the Week is a series of blog posts which highlights the workers at H.M. Factory Gretna that our volunteers researched for The Miracle Workers Project. This project aimed to centralise all of the 30,000 people who worked at Gretna during World War One and, although it may be over, our amazing research volunteers are continuing to uncover more stories about H.M. Factory Gretna workers to be added to this database. We are always looking to learn more about H.M. Factory Gretna workers so if you know anything about a H.M. Factory Gretna worker please feel free to get in touch with us by contacting info@devilsporridge.org.uk We’ve all eaten potatoes, but this week’s married couple for Worker of the Week, Bertha and George Bradly, were once accused of stealing them!
George Frederick Bradley was born on 25th November 1882 at Gargrave, North Yorkshire. His parents were James and Mary Ann Bradley. His father was described simply as a ‘worker’ when George was baptised in 1883 at Carleton in Craven. Not much more about George has been found until his marriage to Bertha in 1904.
A couple of years after George’s birth, Bertha Thomas was born in 1884 in Nelson, Lancashire. She was the youngest of 7 children to her mother Sarah and her father, also called James. This James worked as a worked cotton weaver.
In 1891, Bertha and family were still living in Nelson, Lancashire. However, sadly Sarah is now a widow.
By 1901, Bertha is working as a draper’s shop assistant.
On 16th January 1904 Bertha married George Frederick Bradley at Burnley Parish Church.
After his marriage, George seems to have been involved in some criminal behaviour. In 1906, George (who was described as a coachman) was tried at Preston Court and imprisoned for 4 months with hard labour. What had George done? Well he’d stolen jewellery and clocks worth more than… £5! Of course, £5 in 1906 could now be worth around £513.76 (as of October 2024) according to an approximate estimate from the Bank of England’s Inflation Calculator.[1]
By the 1911 census, Bertha and George are living in four rooms Nelson in Lancashire and now have 2 children. George is working as a carter.
Although, it’s impossible to place how exactly or if Bertha and George worked at H.M. Factory Gretna, we have found record of them both living at “West 14 Township Gretna” in 1917. It is likely that they might have moved to work at H.M. Factory Gretna, as many people moved to Gretna to do this. Perhaps George continued to work as a carter in some from during his time at Gretna. Unfortunately, we may never know for sure, but what do know about is a potato plot, reported in The Dumfries and Galloway Standard. [2]
So what did the potato plot entail? According to The Dumfries and Galloway standard George and Bertha were accused with pinching:
- Approximately 10 stones of potatoes;
- About 3 stones of carrots;
- Around 3 lbs of beetroot;
- 3 leeks;
- and the small straw bag.
All from the Ministry of Munitions at the central cooking kitchen at Gretna township between the 3rd and 5th May 1906! But what exactly happened?
From what the Dumfries and Galloway Standard newspaper reported that theft seemed to have been happening in the central kitchen for some time. With suspicions running high, attention was drawn towards Bertha and George. What sort of suspicious behaviour had to cast them as a suspect remains a mystery to us (perhaps someone glimpsed George smuggling carrots out of the kitchen, or three leeks in his shoes!), but we do know a keen watch was started to catch the food thief.
Just as all the people in the kitchen were tucking into their breakfast one morning, Bertha and George were alleged to have sprung into action. A bag of around 10 stones potatoes was mysteriously taken from the kitchen. Only for them – as in Bertha and George, not the potatoes – to be suspiciously seen entering the stable shortly after being in the kitchen.
Following this, another carter (and possible accomplice) John Irving found a mysterious bag of around 10 stones of potatoes in a lorry and took it. Apparently, he thought the bag contained carrots, so John put it in the stable. Perhaps, in John’s instance it was simply a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. John was from Cannobie and had served with the Lanarkshire Yeomanny. At the time of the incident he had a wife and six children. Although, the newspaper records John having no intention of taking the potatoes for his own personal use he did indeed move them to the stable…
Either way, from the newspapers account we know that George and John, or “the male accused pleaded guilty to taking ten stones of potatoes, but the female accused pleased not guilty.” “The Fiscal accepted this plea, and deserted the diet against the female accused.”[2]
The final outcome was that those accused “must each pay a fine with the alternative of fourteen days imprisonment.” The fact that the accused “had good character” and “were perfectly well aware that they ought not to help themselves to things without permission” is also mentioned. [2] Perhaps, no knowledge of George’s previous jewellery heist and resulting imprisonment was known.
As printed in The Dumfries and Galloway Standard:
“POTATO STEALERS FINED. George Frederick Bradley, foreman carter, and Bertha Thomas or Bradley, his wife, both residing at West 14, Township, Gretna; and John Irving, carter, Rose Cottage, Gretna Green, were charged with having stolen ten stones or thereby of potatoes, three stones or thereby of carrots, three lbs. thereby of beetroot, three leeks, and a small straw bag, the property of the Ministry of Munitions, between 3d and 5th May, the vegetable store of the central cooking kitchen at Gretna township. Mr John M. Gaining, solicitor, appeared on behalf of the accused. He stated that the male accused pleaded guilty to taking ten stones of potatoes, but the female accused pleaded not guilty. The Fiscal accepted this plea, and deserted the diet against the female accused. The Fiscal stated that for some time past a good deal of pilfering had been going on at the central cooking kitchen, and it was suspected that the two accused had something to do with it. A watch was kept, and on the day in question the accused were seen coming into the stable after having been at the kitchen. Irving took a bag from the lorry, and it was found that it contained about ten stones of potatoes. The employees in the kitchen had been engaged at breakfast, and the accused had seized the opportunity of taking this bag of potatoes. Bradley was earning £2 per week, and Irving was getting 48s. Mr Raining stated that the accused thought it was carrots, and they took for the purpose of it in the stable. Irving was a married man with a wife and six children. He was a native of Canonbie. and had served with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry. The accused had no intention of taking these potatoes for their own use. The Sheriff said that taking it that the accused had had good character far. they were perfectly well aware that they ought not to help themselves to things without permission. They must each pay a fine with the alternative of fourteen days’ imprisonment.”
– The Dumfries and Galloway Standard, Saturday 2nd June 1917
We know that George and Bertha must have emigrated to New Zealand some point after their time at Gretna.
On 22nd June 1944, George died aged 61 at Hawkes Bay in New Zealand.
Bertha lived to 88 and died on 26th October 1971 also in Hawkes Bay in New Zealand.
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[2] The Dumfries and Galloway Standard, Saturday 2nd June 1917
Bertha Bradly’s online database entry>
George Frederick Bradley’s online database entry>
Do you have a relative who worked at H.M. Factory Gretna? We would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact us by emailing info@devilsporridge.org.uk. You never know maybe your relative feature in a future Worker of the Week blog post! You can also have a look at some more H.M. Factory Gretna workers on our online database here>