HM Factory Gretna/

[Alan Watson]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone has any good sources of info regarding the Devil’s Porridge/HM Factory Gretna (other than the museum and Google/Wikipedia)? 

My great granny worked there and was awarded the BEM for services but we’re struggling to find any records or other more personal information.

Many thanks

 

Alan

[seaJane]

The technical records seem to be at Kew - though if you scroll down the list the Social and Recreation Department and Township and auxiliary services get a mention, as do the Trades Union and the National Federation of Women Workers:   https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=Factory+gretna&_sd=1914&_ed=1919&_hb=

 

What was your great-grandmother's name, if you don't mind telling us?

[Alan Watson]

Thank you. 
 

No problem. She was Annie Wilson Black, nee Halbert (Wilson was her middle name).

 

We have photos of her going to London for her BEM, and there are some photos of her with work gear on, although we don’t know if they are at Gretna or at the factory she worked at later. I’d say later as the photo quality is quite good.

 

 Thanks 

 

Alan

[seaJane]

I can't find anything much, I'm afraid (someone with a subscription to the British Newspaper Archives may do better).

 

There are these files for the the BEM at Kew: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_p=1900&_q="british+empire+medal"

[A Lancashire Fusilier by Proxy]

Alan, there is a recently published book about the factory. I do not have a copy, nor have I read it, and only know about it because it happens to be published by the same publisher as my/my grandad's book (referenced in my signature). The publisher is based in Carlisle, just across the border from the Devil's Porridge factory, and the author of the book about the factory is also local to this area. Have a look at the book on the publisher's website to see if it would be of any interest to you: https://www.p3publications.com/NewP3/Moorside.html 

As it happens, in September 1917, having spent 17 months on the Western Front before being seriously wounded in September 1916, and having then returned to the Western Front with a different unit in June 1917, my grandad, an industrial chemist before the war, applied for a job at the Gretna Works, having been recommended to a Mr Rogers at Gretna by his former University professor; however, his application came to nothing, because, he says "as I was in France, the War Office would not consider my release for Munition Work".

You might also be interested in the entry by NCA on this thread https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/235091-munitions-and-inhouse-journals/?tab=comments#comment-2362704

 

[ZeZe]

Hi Alan,

The links below have some background info that may be of interest to you regarding H.M. Factory, Gretna. They are letters written by nurse Edith Ellen Lanyon, who was in charge of a dressing station at a Scottish Munitions Works in Dumfries, a bus ride Carlisle, which I think is most likely to be H.M. Factory, Gretna.

Edith was born in England in 1875, the family emigrated to U.S.A. in 1896, eventually settling in Oregon. Edith returned to England in 1915 to help in the Great War. She also promoted fund raising back home, by contributing some sixty articles to The Sunday Oregonian newspaper recording her experiences of volunteer nursing in England. Edith was sent parcels of knitted woollens, books and magazines which she posted on to her ex-patients and the ‘Oregon Soldiers’ in France. Due to censorship the wartime letters start with ‘Somewhere in England or Britain’, town names are not given, but from post war articles and other clues a time line can be ascertained.

April 1915: Sailed to England.

May 1915 Enrolled in the Voluntary Aid Detachment, Cornwall 10.

Passed Red Cross exams.

Oct 1915 to Jan 1916 Military VAD Hospital, Doncaster.

Probably The Arnold Auxiliary Hospital.

Jan 1916 to 27 Mar 1916 Training & working in a General Hospital, Doncaster.

8 July 1916 to 7 Oct 1916 Royal Naval Aux. Hospital, Truro (three month posting).

11 Nov 1916 to 27 Nov 1916 Royal Naval Aux. Hospital, Truro (covered for a nurse on leave).

28 Feb 1917 to 19 Apr 1917 Royal Naval Aux. Hospital, Truro (Illness prevented completion of the three month posting).

July 1917 Worked at a convalescent home, Truro.

1 Aug 1917 to 30 Aug 1917 Royal Cornwall Infirmary, Truro.

Nov 1917 to June 1918 Returned to Doncaster, probably the General Infirmary, Wood Street, treating mainly civilians along with some military patients who had been injured in accidents. 

Aug 1918 to Dec 1918 Nurse in charge of a Munitions Works Dressing Station in Scotland, but near near Carlisle, probably H.M. Factory, Gretna.

1924: Shipping records have Edith Ellen Lanyon sailing to San Francisco, California having spent nine years in Great Britain. I believe Edith died in 1925.

 

Edith treated picric acid burns and ‘red fume’ inhalation, she writes about her general routine, the passes which must not be lost, the bus to and from the hostel accommodation etc. and the dangers of an explosions - she was allowed three matches to light a spirit lamp used for disinfecting, the used match had to be handed in before she was given another.

 

The articles relevant to the munitions factory are:

https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83045782/1918-09-15/ed-1/seq-58/

https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83045782/1918-09-29/ed-1/seq-56/

https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83045782/1918-12-08/ed-1/seq-51/

https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83045782/1918-12-15/ed-1/seq-65/

https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83045782/1919-03-30/ed-1/seq-78/

 

Regards ZeZe

 

[alf mcm]

ZeZe,

  Edith died at the Redruth Nursing Home in Cornwall, on 23rd February 1925.    England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 - Ancestry.co.uk

Regards,

Alf McM

[ZeZe]

Hi Alf McM

Thanks for looking the probate up, I’m not sure if that Edith is the same as Edith above. It was a tricky family to work out – Lanyon being a Cornish name there are quite a few erroneous matches around the Truro area. Edith’s father moved to Lancashire and Edith was born at Moss Side. I don’t think the probate will give a place of birth. Are there any family clues on the probate? Edith's brother, Samuel Herbert Lanyon was her only direct living relative after 1908 (apart from cousins).

Incidentally, Edith’s sister, Eleanor Mabel 1872 – 1905 (Mrs W.S. Keyes), was a very clever sibling who studied at Somerville, Oxford University 1891, passed with honours, but in those days women were not awarded the actual degree. Edith had something to say on that: 

https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83045782/1920-11-07/ed-1/seq-65.pdf

Regards ZeZe

Edited 5 September , 2022 by ZeZe

[alf mcm]

ZeZe,

   It is the correct person. Her estate was left to Samuel Herbert Lanyon. Probate says she was of Oakland, San Francisco, California. Estate was worth £64.16s.

Regards,

Alf McM

Edited 5 September , 2022 by alf mcm
Estate added.

[ZeZe]

Alf McM,

Thanks for nailing that. Samuel also lived in Oakland, California. Edith did 'her bit' in the Great War even though her health was poor. You may have guessed, I’m looking after her Red Cross badges. She also left a WW1 nurse's memory album which is held in USA by Brown University library R.I., unfortunately not online, but her photo was copied for me.

regards ZeZe