Worker of a Week is a series of blog posts, which shares the story of someone connected to H.M. Factory Gretna each week
We'd like to say huge thank you to our research volunteers past and present for all their support with this! 👏
#WorkeroftheWeek #WomensHistoryMonth
Learn more about Mabel Cotterell here: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-th...
(Please be aware this blog post was originally published and written in August 2021 as part of The Miracle Workers Research Project.)
#WorkeroftheWeek #WomensHistoryMonth
Welfare Department at H.M. Factory Gretna stood and sat in three rows for a photo. Mabel Corterell is sat wearing a hat and scarf in the middle row. This is a black and white photo from a page of The Mossband Farewell Magazine created by H.M. Factory Gretna workers in the past.
To celebrate Women's History Month we will be sharing the stories of some of the amazing women who worked at H.M. Factory Gretna in WW1.
Mabel Cotterell was employed to set up the Welfare Department for women working at the factory. Later, she was interested in the State Management Scheme.
Black and white photo of a military band standing in a circle playing the bagpipe and drums.
It's #InternationalBagpipeDay! To celebrate here are the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in Salonika (c.1916) during #WW1.
The photo is part of an album which belonged to Annie Allen, a nurse with the Scottish Women's Hospitals. Her unit was stationed in Salonika in 1916. #histnursing
Illustration of a Scott's Guard Bagpiper and a Highland Piper on the front of two postcards.
Also, here's some postcards we found of some bagpipers in our archive.
Enjoy. 😀
#Bagpipes
A poster for The Piper's Tale talk at The Devil's Porridge Museum on Tuesday 10th March 2026 at 3pm. Join us to commemorate International Bagpipe Day with history, folklore and music. This talk is free, though donations to the museum would be welcome. Please be aware that usual admission prices do apply for anyone looking around The Devil's Porridge Museum. The Holywood Trust, Young Start and The Devil's Porridge Museum logos, two illustrations of bagpipes, a carving related to bagpipes and a photo of a young person playing bagpipes are also on the poster.
It's TODAY! It's International Bagpipe Day!
Fancy joining us to celebrate? You're welcome to drop in and join us for The Piper's Tale at 3pm.
This talk is free, though donations to our museum are welcome.
Admission prices apply to anyone looking around The Devil's Porridge Museum.
#BagpipeDay
A trolley being pushed by two happy munitions workers. The trolley contains bags of paste and is labelled cotton exchange. It is is being pushed from the wash houses in Broomhills. This is a black and white archive photo of H.M. Factory Gretna from the past.
Five munitions workers wearing long coats in the washing house of H.M. Factory Gretna. One munitions worker is using a pump, while another directs the pump into an open bag. Two munitions workers stand behind them with a full bag and anther waits with an open bag. This is an archive photo from the past.
Today is International Women's Day.
Did you know that 12,000 women once worked at H.M. Factory Gretna during World War One?
Come and visit us to find out more about H.M. Factory Gretna and what life was like for those who worked there!
"Because it was an EGG-splorer."
😂😂😂
If you've got the "silver cups and dishes" ready we can bring an "egg" for breakfast. 😂
For some reason someone left Horrid Henry's Jumbo Joke Book on our desk. So all we have is...
"Why did the egg go into the jungle?"
(Next year we'll make sure that our closest book is a bit more on topic...😂)
Worker of a Week is a series of blog posts, which shares the story of someone connected to H.M. Factory Gretna.
As always a huge thank you goes to our research volunteers for making this possible.
#WorkeroftheWeek #localhistory #localhistorymatters #HMFactoryGretna
A collage of four photos which include some slices of corn beef, a bowl of Worchester sauce, a jar of honey and some grated cheese.
This week we're sharing our last blog about a group of munitions workers charged with a theft from a local shop in 1917. Each one had to face the consequences of their actions in court. This week's blog is about Ellen Doran.
Read more: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-th...
#WorkeroftheWeek
It's always great to take the time to look out for wildlife and make space for nature. 🐾
Have you spotted any wildlife while you've been out and about or in your garden
recently?
Let us know in the comments and we'd love to see your wildlife photos too! 📸
An illustration of a hedgehog with a small snake in front of it on a rectangle cigarette card.
Today is World Wildlife Day! 🦔🐾
👀We've been on the look out for animals and we've found... a hedgehog in our archive! 🦔(Although, we should probably clarify that this is an illustration on a cigarette card... 😂)
#WorldWildlifeDay
Four people stood with tennis rackets on Eastriggs tennis courts. This is a black and white photo from the past.
Some activities that factory workers could get involved in during their down time from working at the nine mile, rural, site of H.M. Factory Gretna (this stretched from Dornock in Scotland to Longtown in England) include women's football & dances! Oh... and probably using the tennis courts too. 🎾
In fact, there was a whole Social and Recreational Committee, which supervised all amusements and recreational facilities.
Why?
Well, it was recognised that a happy workforce could be more efficient. Plus, it helped to keep munitions workers safe & out of mischief during their spare time.
Gretna bowling green and tennis courts. There is a field with some houses in the background. This is a black and white photo from the past.
🎾It's World Tennis Day.
Did you know that tennis courts were built for those who worked at H.M. Factory Gretna? The townships of Eastriggs & Gretna were built to house and facilitate the factory workers. In addition to housing, this included schools, shops & recreational facilities
#WorldTennisDay
Two CPR models on the floor with two members of The Devil's Porridge Museum's team beside them. Two people are sat at at table in front of this.
Four members of The Devil's Porridge Museum's team gathered around a table. First Aid instructor Stuart Rob is preforming CPR on a model in the background.
Four members of The Devil's Porridge Museum's team gathered around a table. First Aid instructor Stuart Rob is preforming CPR on a model in the background.
Two people from The Devil's Porridge Museum's team kneeling beside CPR models. Stuart from first aid 4 u is stood in front of them.
Yesterday some of our team at The Devil's Porridge Museum had some first aid training from 1st Aid 4 U.
A huge thank you to Stuart for the informative session and making the day enjoyable! 😀
Worker of a Week is a series of blog posts, which shares the story of someone connected to H.M. Factory Gretna.
Thank you to all our research volunteers for their help with this! ⭐
#WorkeroftheWeek #localhistory #localhistorymatters #HMFactoryGretna
A black and white photo of Isabella Kennedy and a triangle shaped on War Service badge.
We're continuing to share the stories about munitions workers who got into some bother for being involved in a theft from a Gretna "fried fish" shop in February 1917. 🐟
This week it's the turn of Isabella Kennedy, who later emigrated to Canada.
Read more: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-th...
Please be aware that usual admission prices do apply for anyone wishing to explore The Devil’s Porridge Museum.
Find out more about this event here: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/the-pipers-t...
A bagpiper stood playing in The Devil's Porridge Museum's education room. Some people sit around the room listening.
Do you have any plans for International Bagpipe Day this year? We do and you're welcome to join us!
On Tuesday 10th March 2026 at 3pm we have The Piper's Tale. Explore the history and folklore of bagpipes with performances from pipers in our team.
This talk is free, though donations are welcome.
A collage of three photos, including a table set up for The Devil's Porridge Museum's Burn's Supper, the museum's Cordite Club and some old fashioned toys. There is some text, which reads, Monthly Roundup 19th January to 22nd February 2026.
Wondering what's been happening at The Devil's Porridge Museum recently?
From our Burns Supper, to Cordite Club & some Old Fashioned Fun, there's lots to catch up on.
Read about what's been happening at our museum from 19th January to 22nd February here: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/monthly-roun...
A selection of old fashioned toys arranged on a table. This includes two baskets. One of these baskets is filled with cup-and-ball toys. There is also a slipper and some Jacob's ladder toys on the table.
Who's joining us for some Old Fashioned Fun tomorrow?
Play with a range of traditional toys from the 19th & 20th centuries. Plus, make your own cup-and-ball. 🪀
This is a free activity. No booking needed. Entry prices apply for looking around the museum
www.devilsporridge.org.uk/old-fashione...
Worker of a Week is a Wednesday series of blog posts, which shares the story of someone connected to H.M. Factory Gretna.
Thank you to our research volunteers for helping to make this happen. 👏
#WorkerofTheWeek #localhistory #localhistorymatters #HMFactoryGretna
1️⃣The first of these is Minnie Turnbull (and we'll be sharing some more about a couple of the other munitions workers involved in coming weeks).
Find more about Minnie and learn about food at H.M. Factory Gretna here: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-th...
#WorkeroftheWeek
Three bottles of Worcestershire sauce, two tins of corned beef, six jars of honey and nine chunks of cheese. The Devil's Porridge Museum logo is in the lower left corner.
On this month (February) in 1917, The Dumfries & Galloway Standard reported on a theft that saw a group of munitions workers steal some honey, cheese, corn beef and Worcestershire sauce from a local Gretna shop. 🧀🍯
They all had to face the consequences of their actions.
#WorkeroftheWeek
The Devil's Porridge Museum from outside with an illustration of a fire horse and some text, which reads "2026 Happy Lunar New Year."
Two horses with their riders stood in The Devil's Porridge Museum's car park.
We would also like to wish everyone a Happy Lunar New Year.
2026 is the year of the horse. 🐎🐴
We were proud to have some horses join us for our Animal in War Remembrance Service last year. Horses are also remembered on our Animals in War Memorial & display about animals in war inside our museum.
An advert McDougall's Self Raising Flour from 1914, which incudes a recipe for pancakes. This reads "Pancakes. Shrove Tuesday, Feb 24. Make them with McDougall's Self-Raising Flour, and they will simply 'melt in your mouth.' They should be made this way: To each pound of McDougall's Flour add 2 beaten-up eggs and a little salt. Make into a smooth batter with about 3 pints of milk then fry till nicely browned both sides. The raising ingredients are mixed in to exactly correct proportions. McDougall's Flour is sold in bags of 1lb and 12lbs by all Grocers. City Flour Mills. Manchester, Wheatsheaf Mills, London."
Did someone say pancakes? 🥞🥞🥞🤤
We've found a recipe from 1914 (even if it is in an advert for McDougall's Self-Raising Flour).
Is anyone treating themselves to some pancakes for Pancake Day (or Shrove Tuesday) today?
Also do you have any good suggestions for pancake toppings?
😋🥞
