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 blog has once again been created thanks to a relative who kindly took the time to get in touch with us! A huge thank you to them Margaret Orman is this Week’s Worker of the Week and you can read more about her life below.
Early Life
- Firstly, Margaret Orman was born on 17th September 1896 in Edinburgh.
- Her parents were George and Margaret Orman (nee Moffat).
- From what her relatives have kindly shared with us, we know Margaret had three siblings all born in Edinburgh.
- They also shared that her father worked as a picture frame maker.
- Margaret’s relatives have also kindly taken the time to share with us that the children’s…
“mother died in 1906, aged just 34 years and the children were removed to Industrial Schools in Edinburgh in 1908 (boys to one and girls to another) to stay until they reached 16 years. Both girls then went into service.”
- Therefore, Margaret’s first job would have been in domestic service.
- Next, we find Margaret Orman, or Maggie as she was known in 1917…
Life at H.M. Factory Gretna
- During World War One Maggie worked at H.M. Factory Gretna.
- Kindly her relative shared that:
“In 1917 Margaret (known as Maggie) was working as a Munitions Worker at the factory at Gretna. She gave birth to a daughter, also Margaret, on 27th May, 1917 at 0 East 7 Township, Gretna. The birth was registered by Margaret Snr on 28th June, 1917, when the child’s name was given as Margaret Sweeny Orman. No details of the father. When Margaret Jnr grew up her mother told her the name “Sweeny” was in tribute to the midwife who delivered her but the family suspect it may have been the name of the father. However, Margaret Jnr was told that her father had died during the First World War.”
Margaret Orman Jnr or Peggy. Thanks to her relatives for kindly sharing the photos in this blog.
- We know Gretna was one of the two townships (the other being Eastriggs) built to serve the factory and those who worked there.
- Unlike what the name suggests, the rural site of the factory stretched from Dornock in Scotland to Longtown in England.
- According to the factory manual, the township where Margaret lived, “Gretna has been laid out immediately to the South of the old village of Gretna Green.” [4]
- It also describes “the Central Administrative Offices for the whole Factory, consisting of timber buildings of a temporary nature,” which were also in Gretna. [4]
After World War One
- After her time at H.M. Factory Gretna we know, Maggie returned to Edinburgh with her daughter.
- Although, we don’t know exactly when she returned we do know it must have been before 1921.
- This again, is thanks to her relatives who kindly shared with us that:
“At some point after that both mother and child returned to Edinburgh where Margaret Snr married George Cowan on 2nd April 1921. Her occupation then was listed as “Restaurant Cook”. Presumably it was this wedding which prompted the request for a birth certificate for Margaret Jnr (who was known as Peggy) which was issued on 24th January 1922. Apparently, the original certificate was lost.
George took Margaret Jnr on as one of his own and he and Margaret Snr went on to have three more daughters. They stayed together until George’s death in 1959.”
Sources and Further Reading
Most of the information in this blog post has kindly been provided by the family of Margaret Orman. A huge thank you to them for sharing this and the lovely photographs with us.
- The Factory Manual for H.M. Factory Gretna.
Find Margaret Orman’s online database entry by clicking 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>
