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. 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 As always we would like to say a huge thank you to all our research volunteers for making this series possible!
This week’s Worker of the Week is Eric De Clemont. Unfortunately this is a bit of a sad one, as Eric died during his time working at H.M. Factory Gretna.
Early Life
- On 1st November 1880 Eric was born in London.
- His parents were Philip Otto de Clermont and Alice Johanna Heilgers.
- Additionally, he had one sister, Helen Mabel de Clermont.
Education
- Following this, in 1899, Eric attended King’s College in Cambridge.
- During his time there he appears to have been interested in sports, as explained below:
“An enthusiastic Rugby football player, he won his cap at Clifton was Captain at King’s College Team, but for an injury sustained while playing, had a very good chance of his Rugger “blue.””
– The Mossband Farewell Magazine. [1]
- Further evidence of Eric’s ongoing education is 1901 census, which lists 20 year old Eric as a student.
- After this, in 1902, Eric graduated from King’s College with a BA. [1]
- However, he appears to have continued in education for another year, as he graduated from Camborne School of Mines in Cornwall in 1903. [1]
- As a result, he was awarded an Honours Grade Second Class in a qualification of Ore Dressing. [1]
Travels
- Although we don’t know exactly when, we do know that Eric went on to work at the mines in South Africa after this qualification.
- Whilst working there “owing to the carelessness of a miner, he was involved in an explosion which resulted in the loss of an eye.”[1]
- Later, his work there led Eric to contract miner’s phthisis (a lung disease).
- On his return to England in 1916, Eric “made every effort to join the army.”[1]
- Ultimately, he was not allowed to on medical grounds.
Time at H.M. Factory Gretna
- However, this didn’t stop him doing his bit for the war effort, as in July 1916 Eric came to work at H.M. Factory Gretna.
- Interestingly, Eric is not the only person who went on to work at H.M. Factory Gretna after being turned down from joining the army on health grounds.
- One example of this is William Haddon. [5]
- The Mossband Farewell Magazine was created by created by those who worked in the Mossband section of the factory to commemorate their time working there and describes Eric as:
“full of enthusiasm for his new task, and was one of the first to take over a shift; soon to become a Range Officer, and finally appointed a Sub-section Officer.”
– The Mossband Farewell Magazine. [1]
- Additionally, Eric is said to have
“worked is Sub-section up to a pitch of highest efficiency, and was always devising schemes for increasing output and reducing costs: this he was enabled to do by real hard work, and the respect and confidence of his subordinates which he won without difficultly.”
– The Mossband Farewell Magazine. [1]
- During his time working at the factory he lived latterly in one of the two townships built for it, in Gretna (the other being Eastriggs of course, with the rural site of the factory stretching from Longtown in England to Dornock in Scotland).
- More specifically, Eric lived in 96 Victory Avenue, Gretna where he could be found in…
“his garden which he would weed on a rainy day sitting on a camp-stool under an umbrella.”
– The Mossband Farewell Magazine. [1]
The Death of Eric De Clemont
- Unfortunately, Eric became unwell.
- As described again in The Mossband Farewell Magazine,
“he caught influenza on 25th November and was only prevented by force from going to work. He was in high spirts when he entered the isolation hospital, but after a few days when pneumonia began to develop, he became quieter, and finally passed away on 5th December 1918.” [1]
- Clearly, Eric seems to have been very well thought of amongst his colleges in the Mossband section of the factory.
- This is due to his Obituary appearing in the Mossband Farewell Magazine, where he is fondly remembered with…
“his old tweed jacket; his beatific smile when one of his many little tricks was found out”[1]
and that…
“He had a schoolboy’s enthusiasm for everything he undertook, and a school’s instinct of playing the game.”[1]
- Lastly, we know Eric was buried on 7th December 1918 at the cemetery in Rigg.
Sources and Further Information
- Page 32 – 33, The Mossband Farewell Magazine from The Devil’s Porridge Museum’s archive.
- The Life and Death of Eric De Clemont Blog – https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/the-life-and-death-of-eric-de-clermont
- The Health of the Munition Worker By Emma Gilliland, Ellie Musgrave and Dr Laura Noakes, 2022. – https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/product/the-health-of-the-munition-worker
- Mossband Farewell: Workers’ Writings and the Mossband Farewell Magazine, online talk given by Professor Kristie Blair on The Devil’s Porridge Museum’s YouTube – https://youtu.be/BR2jhKFb86w?si=xo5t3dCwYgue0JtN&t=1061
- Worker of the Week: William Haddon – https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-the-week-william-haddon
Find Eric De Clemont’s online database entry here>
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 could 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>
