Worker of the Week blog posts are back! You might remember 2021 we had regular Worker of the Week blog posts which highlighted 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 H.M. Factory Gretna during World War One and although it may have finished, our amazing research volunteers are continuing to research munitions workers and there’s still a lot more to add to our online database! To celebrate this, we’re bring Worker of the Week blog posts back, starting with Tom Bonsor! A huge thank you to volunteer researcher Marylin and Tom Bonsor’s daughter in law.
Early Life
Tom Bonsor was born in 1895 in Hawick in Roxburghshire to James and Margret. His father, James, worked as a hosiery manufacture.
Tom Bonsor’s parents. His mother is in middle door and his father is second from right. A huge thank you to Tom’s daughter in law for kindly sharing this photo.
We know Tom must have had siblings, as seen in the photo below, which has been kindly shared with us by Tom’s daughter in law.
Tom Bonsor between his father and mother with his siblings. Thank you to Tom’s Daughter in law for kindly sharing this photo with us.
Military Service
In 1911, Tom joined he had a attestation to territorials. However, in 1916 he was discharged from his military service, “as medically unfit due to long standing inflammation of stomach aggravated by most foods.”
His daughter in law has kindly shared with lots of amazing photos of Tom Bonsor.
According to his service record, Tom worked as a clerk at a Prisoner of War Camp.
Amazingly, we do have a have an example of Tom’s handwriting on a postcard, which his daughter in law has kindly shared with us. But what did he say?
He wrote “I will be home tomorrow. I expect about 4pm. This is the only photo I have been able to get of myself so far. Please ask Maggie to whiten my belt for Sunday. It is lying on the floor in the attic. With love, Tom.” This is a lovely insight into his everyday life; handwritten by Tom himself!
Marriage and Time at H.M. Factory Gretna
On 5th January 1918, Tom married Annie Tait. Annie worked as a milliner and according Tom was a wages clerk at a munitions works. It is highly likely that this munitions workers was H.M. Factory Gretna. The marriage registration even gives Tom’s address as being local to the factory at Burnside Cottage, Cummertrees.
The announcement of the birth of Tom and Annie’s daughter at Gretna in the Hawick Express, suggests the family have moved to a new home by 1918. At the time the families address is given as A6 East 12. [1]
Tom Bonsor’s Residence, while he worked H.M. Factory Gretna, or what we think is A6 East 12. Thanks to Tom’s daughter in law for kindly sharing this photo.
After H.M. Factory Gretna
Later, the family returned to Hawick. We aware of them having another child, Brian in 1926. Brian Bonsor went on become a music teacher and composer. In 2002 he was awarded an MBE for his services in teaching music, especially the recorder! [2]
Tom Bonsor, this photo has been kindly shared by Tom’s daughter in law.
When he returned to Hawick, Tom worked in hosiery like his father. He is described as a Hosiery director and manager on his death certificate.
Tom Bonsor died of coronary thrombosis in Hawick on 23rd January 1959. Tom was 63 years old at the time.
Tom Bonsor. This photo has kindly be shared with us by Tom’s daughter in law.
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Sources and Further Reading
[1] The Hawick Express, Friday 11th October 1918.
[2] Brian Bonsor’s Wikipedia page – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Bonsor
Tom Bonsor’s Miracle Workers Database Entry>
Another huge thank you to Tom Bonsor’s daughter in law for the information and photos she has kindly taken the time to share with us! 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>
