On this day... ⚽ On 10th September 1917, The Mossband Swifts, a women's football team from H.M. Factory Gretna, played a match against the workers of the local Cumberland works at Brunton Park in Carlisle. #WomensFootballHistory #OnThisDay

Valentine Duffy stole a pair of shoes. He also worked as an apprentice engineer at H.M. Factory Gretna and is this week's Worker of the Week. You can read more about him here: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-th... (Also please don't steal. Valentine got in trouble for this.) #WorkeroftheWeek

Anyone fancy coming to our Wartime Weekend? 🪖 We'll have WW2 living history displays, artefact handling, crafts & more! (Plus, we even used crayons, paper and glue to make you a poster.) It's on Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th September 2026. Learn more: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/wartime-weekend-2026

Are you interested in helping to shape the future of our museum? Our Annual General Meeting takes place to elect the trustees of the Eastriggs & Gretna Heritage Group, which manages the strategic development of The Devil's Porridge Museum. ⏰Monday 14th September 2026 at 7pm.

On This Day... 3rd September 1939, at 11.15am, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain took to the airwaves to announce that Britain was at war with Germany. This followed an ultimatum given to Hitler to pull his troops out of Poland (after Germany invaded Poland) which Germany failed to respond to. 📻

Do you think that Dorothy Mary Champness would have been given a On War Service Badge like these? 🤔 Dorothy's this week's Worker of the Week, so you can find out more about her in this our latest blog. Read more here: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-th... #WorkeroftheWeek

On this day ( 1st September 1939), the first wave of the evacuation of children from towns and cities to rural locations took place. This was known as Operation Pied Piper. Many evacuees were sent to the local area, including some Barnardo's evacuees, who were housed in many local stately homes.

Potatoes! 🥔 Grow them! Bag them! Put them in a soup! 🥔 If you'd like a bag of potatoes grown in our very own Dig For Victory Garden we're currently selling them for £1 a bag in our museum and Café. They proved a smash hit yesterday, so we can't guarantee they'll be around for long...

Did you know H.M. Factory Gretna had a town manager? 🤔 John Harkness, helped with recruitment at the local schools, select who let out the shops in Eastriggs and Gretna and more! He's this weeks Worker of the Week. www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-the-week-john-harkness #WorkeroftheWeek

Have you heard it's International Dog Day? 🐶 Alas, our Dog Friendly Days are not until Thursday or Sunday each week, so you'll have to make do with some archive photos from our collection in the meantime. #DogDay #internationaldogday

Did you miss our Worker of the Week post last week? You know what... so did we! 😱 Last week's Worker of the Week was Margaret Orman, who lived at Gretna during her time working at the factory. Read more about her here: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-th... #WorkeroftheWeek

We're delighted to have the Scotia Crafters back in our museum from Sunday 16th to Sunday 30th August 2026. Their Arts and Crafts market will be open 10am to 4pm daily. We always love to see the beautiful handmade items they have. Maybe you will too www.devilsporridge.org.uk/scotia-crafters-2026

Not only did Sydney Bertram Abbot work at H.M. Factory Gretna in World War One, but he seems to have worked at an Australian explosives factory during World War Two. 💥💥 He's this week's Worker of the Week too! www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-the-week-sydney-bertram-abbot #WorkeroftheWeek

On this day, 12th August 1919, a sale of 300 huts from Gretna, Eastriggs & Longtown began. This was held across three days at 11am and was primarily to dispose of smaller buildings. It was not until 22nd July 1924, that Eastriggs and Gretna township and H.M. Factory Gretna itself, was auctioned.

Do you know what happened today? ✈ ☢ On this day ( 11th August 1955 ) the United Kingdom Energy Authority secured the former site of RAF Annan to build Chapelcross Nuclear Power station. #OnThisDay #Onthisdayinhistory #localhistory #localhitstorymatters

Discover why the government took over all the pubs in Carlisle and district, why they made the beer weaker and the pubs drab at our State Management exhibition. 🍻 Learn more about our latest exhibition here: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/category/exh... #StateManagementScheme

We think Agnes Renton might be the longest living H.M. Factory Gretna worker we've come across so far! Plus, her time at the factory helped her win a cruise ship edition of panel game show, "What's My Line?" Read more: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-the-week-agnes-renton #WorkeroftheWeek

As it's Scottish Results Day, we would like to remind everyone that there's no wrong path to a successful career. Our Office Manager, Arna never expected to end up working in a museum! #NoWrongPath @museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk

👚💍Cotton blouses, a pillow and a gold ring are three items that munitions worker, Margaret Alice Laidlaw was accused of stealing. She's also this week's Worker of the Week. Find the full story in our latest Worker of the Week blog: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-th... #WorkeroftheWeek

We’re looking for young people ( aged 15 to 25 ) who would like to bring their viewpoints, creativity, ideas, and enthusiasm to our museum! Learn more: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/were-looking-for-young-volunteers Thank to the generous support of our funders Young Start and The Holywood Trust.

We're Looking For Young Volunteers! - The Devil's Porridge Museum

We’re looking for young people ( age 15 to 25) who want to bring their viewpoints, creativity, ideas, & enthusiasm to our museum.

devilsporridge.org.uk

This July marks 110 years since the Battle of the Somme Often remembered through military history, these newspapers reveal the human stories behind one of the deadliest battles of the First World War

Can anyone recognise the place on this postcard? We think this week's Worker of the Week, William Boustead, might have. William lived in Carlisle for most his life, he seems to have worked at H.M. Factory Gretna. He also repaired shoes. www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-the-week-william-boustead

Don't blink, but if anyone does happen to end up at H.M. Factory Gretna during World War One after looking away from this statue, please leave us a note. Preferably an interesting one about something we don't know yet. Thanks in advance!🙂

Garstang Museum and Research Centre@garstangmuseum.bsky.social · 2mo ago

#ObjectoftheDay is this moulded terracotta figurine of the #goddess #Nike. This figurine probably comes from Apulia, #Italy and dates to 2nd century BCE. Nike was the Greek goddess of #victory in war, arts and athletics. She was an attribute of another deity, #Athena, the goddess of wisdom. C.530

Have you heard what happened 102 years ago today? 🤔 On this day (22nd July 1924) H.M. Factory Gretna and the "townships of Gretna and Eastriggs and the Mossband, Longtown and Dornock areas" were put up for public auction. The auction had 607 lots, ranging from a cinema to a glycerine distillery.

Our Dog Friendly Trial Week went well! So, we're having a two Dog Friendly Days every week! On Thursdays & Sundays, well-behaved, dry, dogs on leads will be welcome into our museum with their humans. Remember to check all the details before you visit: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/dog-friendly-days

Would you like some poetry for International Moon day? "Bless my life! What's this I see? If it isn't a little EVACUEE Don't be afraid when it's dark at night. They simply can't put out my light." Now... if you had to sing this poem what tune would you use? #MoonDay #InternationalMoonDay

On this da in 1944 the decision was made to abandon RAF Annan. In it's heyday, RAF Annan could boast a staff of 400 RAF personal across its 200-acre site. It's main focus was training young fighter pilots in offensive attacks. Sadly, young pilots died during their time training at RAF Annan.

We're proud to be included in this!

Museums Association@museumsassociation.org · 2mo ago

Hear about inspiring projects from @timespanhelmsdale.bsky.social, OnFife, @scotmaritimemuseum.bsky.social, @stromnessmuseum.bsky.social, Glasgow Museums, @devilsporridge.bsky.social, @womenslibrary.bsky.social, @ntlmuseumsscot.bsky.social and Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums. Download/scroll 👇

Did you know a Murchison medal winner worked at H.M. Factory Gretna? 🏅 Frederick Murray Trotter received the medal in 1956, due to his Geology work. In WW1 he worked as a Royal Engineers' dispatch rider & at H.M. Factory Gretna www.devilsporridge.org.uk/worker-of-the-week-frederick-murray-trotter

Remember that time the government took control of all the pubs in Carlisle and district? 💭🍻 Our latest exhibition is all about The State Management Scheme. Thanks to everyone who made this possible. Learn about our current exhibition: www.devilsporridge.org.uk/category/exh...