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 the factory 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 This week’s Worker of the Week is Lily Florence Curle, who used to cycle 14 miles on top of doing a days work at H.M. Factory Gretna! A huge thank you to our research volunteers and her granddaughter for sharing this information with us.
Early Life
Lily was born on 31st July 1900 in Longtown. She was one of thirteen children born to Annie and David Curle. Her father David was a Head Gamekeeper.
She went to Easton School, near Drybeck, Longtown. This school building has now been fully restored and is Easton Hall Community Centre.
Photo of Easton School, now the Easton Community Centre, kindly shared with the museum by Lily’s granddaughter.
H.M. Factory Gretna
When Lily was 16 she heard about a new munitions factory recruiting workers. She wanted to apply for a job there, but her father, David was not too keen on the idea. Naturally, Lily applied and got a job there anyway!
To get to the factory Lily used to cycle all the the way from Drybeck to H.M. Factory Gretna. That’s a round trip of 14 miles every day, as well as her time working at the factory.
In the words of Lily’s Granddaughter who kindly shared this information and the photos in this blog:
“Just after her 16th birthday on July 31st 1916, Lily Florence Curle (later to become Mrs Alexander Ogilvie) heard from her friends that the new munitions factory at Mossband was looking to employ females of all ages. She told her father that she would like to apply for one of these new jobs, but he said she could not as there was enough work for her to do at home, with her mother in a wheelchair. Going behind her father’s back, which must have taken great courage in those days, she applied and was successful in securing one of these new positions. Lily had to travel by bicycle to her work at Mossband from her home at Drybeck on the Arthuret Road near Longtown, which was seven miles, a round trip of fourteen miles on top of a days work. This she did willingly (as she was glad to have work) morning and night, winter and summer, and was never late. She continued working with munitions at Mossband until she had to leave in the autumn of 1919 to get married”
– Information kindly shared by Lily’s Granddaughter.
Life After H.M. Factory Gretna
In 1919 Lily married Alexander Ogilvie in Longtown.
We know Lily and Alexander had six children.
Lily’s six children, shared kindly by her Granddaughter.
Lily died on 5th January 1980.
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Another huge thank you to Lily’s granddaughter and our research volunteers.
Find Lily Florence Curle’s H.M. Factory Gretna’s Workers Database 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 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>
