The Devil's Porridge Museum

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We tell the incredible WW1 story of HM Factory Gretna, the greatest munitions factory on Earth. Eastriggs and Gretna Heritage Group SCIO. SCN SC031616

Agnes Renton in her munitions workers uniform sat on a table. This is a black and white photo from the past, which has kindly been shared by Agnes' relatives.
Arna Johnston, The Devil's Porridge Museum. "I had no idea that one day I would be working in a management role at a museum. Having left school at almost 18 with a passion to meeting new people and worked in administration all my life starting off at the reception stage and worked my way through different department and roles within the administration sector, learning all aspects of the job, with a lot of hard work and determination to finally reaching the great heights of Office / Operational Manager at The Devil's Porridge Museum." There is a photo of Arna wearing a yellow jacket and smiling.
Some cotton clothing folded up on a wooden chair. There is a green curtain in the background.
A postcard of Botchergate in Carlisle. There are some tall buildings with people stood on the road between them and some tram lines. This is a black and white photo from the past. Underneath this is a handwritten note which reads "how do you like this view? One you collecting?"
A glass display case with auction books inside. A information panel titled "The Sale of the Century" and The Mossband Clock is in the background.
A dog peering around a wall in a garden.
A postcard featuring an illustration of a crescent moon with a face, bow tie and hat. A child in a red dress is reaching up towards the moon. The silhouette of a town is in the background. Under the child is a poem which reads "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."
A display inside The Devil's Porridge Museum titled no ordinary airfield. There is a RAF uniform in a glass display case.
Frederick Murray Trotter wearing a suit and his eyepatch. Photo source: The British Geology Survey Heritage website.
Poster for a Summer 2026 exhibition at The Devil's Porridge Museum. This reads: "When the state took over the pubs. Discover the fascinating story of why the government took control of all the pubs in Carlisle and district why they made the beer weaker and the pubs drab. Find out how they closed hundreds of drinking dens and engaged a man to design fifteen new model inns and set the standard for pubs throughout the country and finally how it all ended. The poster includes photos and illustrations of State Management Pubs from the past, some state management bears, labels, some photos of people in the past, a newspaper article and the front page of a document called A Bill.
A page from a magazine showing architectural drawings of Eastriggs Post Office from every angle, including floorplans of inside. To the lower left of this is a black and white photo of a brick building with the words Eastriggs Post Office above the door.
A family of two adults and two children gathered around a nitrating pan. There hands are inside the pan. In the background is a video, some text, shells and books in display cases. This is inside The Devil's Porridge Museum.
A page from "The Gentlewoman." This features an article of text and two photos. One of these should feature Miss Bryde Johnstone-Douglas. However, the photos are both so dark that no details are visible.
An iPad held in two hands and a iPad with colourful dots on it.
Poster for Free Family Summer Holiday Fun at The Devil's Porridge Museum. This reads "drop in and join us any time between 11am to 12.30pm or to 3.30pm for the following activities: Air Raid Day on Thursday 9th July 2026, Beside the Seaside on Friday 10th July 2026, Badge Making Day on Tuesday 14th July 2026, Interactive Storytelling and Clay Modelling on on Wednesday 22nd July 2026, Poster Printing and Zany Zines on Wednesday 29th July 2026, Mini Treasure Boxes on Thursday 5th August 2026 and Tinted Postcards and Watercolour Scenes on Thursday 13th August 2026. Free family events. Admission prices do apply to anyone wishing to look around our museum."
Display inside The Devil's Porridge Museum which is designed to look like a 1940s house. This contains some information about rationing during World War Two. There is a photo of a child eating a carrot.
Two pieces of toast with vegemite on and a cartoon illustration of a Vegemite jar.
Three robots made out of Lego. One is humanoid in shape with two legs and eyes. One has wheels and another is snail like. The robots are on a white circle shape. Some Lego is in the background.
Sub-station number 1 on site 3 of H.M. Factory Gretna being built in 1916. This is an archive photo from the past.
Some triangle On War Service badges and round Women's Police Force Badges for H.M. Factory Gretna on display inside a display case.
A collage of four photos. These are a gold coloured Ministry of Munitions Women's Police Force badge, an archive photo of H.M. Factory Gretna's Women's Police Force arranged in rows in front of a hostel, another archive photo of members of the Women's Police Force stood in smart rows in front of a hostel and a gold Women's Police Force Badge. The two badges are circle shaped with a crown on top and the letters G R in the middle.
A selection of World War Two items arranged on a table. These include a National Dried Milk Tin, ration books, Dig for victory leaflets and wartime cookery books. There is also resources to make World War Two evacuee labels.
A man wearing a suit holding a small dog. This is a black and white archive photo from the past.
Arthur Parkin wearing a suit in a oval shaped portrait. This is a black and white photograph from the past.
Mabel Alice Read stood in a police uniform being awarded a medal by a mayor. This is a black and white photo from the past.
A metal spoon with ICI engraved in a circle on its handle. There are two wavy lines underneath the letters ICI inside the circle.
Members of The Devil’s Porridge Museum’s Cordite Club sat around tables watching and listening to a member of the museums team who is stood giving a talk. This is happening in The Devil’s Porridge Museums education room.
Members of H.M. Factory Gretna’s Women’s Police Force stood in neat rows in front a timber hut. There is a sign which reads Women’s Police Barracks Number 3. This is a black and white archive photo from the past.
A metal shoehorn with an engraving on it. The engraving reads "used by his majesty King George on the occasion of the royal visit to Gretna explosive factory 18th May 1917. Betty McGeachan F.W". Betty McGeechan's name is spelt incorrectly on the engraving.
Elizabeth MGreechan stood in her munitions workers uniform in front of a fence. There are some shell casings in the background. This is a black and white photo kindly shared by her relatives.
Alice Maud Trent wearing a police uniform. We think this could be her H.M. Factory Gretna Women's Police Force Uniform. This is a black and white photo from Ancestry Public member tree.
A graphic which reads "Thank you, volunteers" with the hashtag volunteers week. It also includes the logo for volunteers' week, which has the first V made into a star shape.
Members of the Women's Police Force stood and sat in ordered rows in front of a timber hut. This is a black and white archive photo from the past.
Ethel Mary and Florence Tinkler stood up in two separate photos. They are wearing their munition workers uniform and these photos are from Ancestry public Member tree.
Poster for The Quintinshill Tragedy Talk at The Devil's Porridge Museum. This is happening on Friday 22nd May 2026 at 7pm. Join us on the anniversary of Quintinshill rail accident for an illustrated talk exploring Britain's worst railway disaster. This presentation will be by Grant Cullen, a historian of railways and the Great War. This talk is free, but donations to support The Devil's Porridge Museum are welcome. The poster includes a black and white image of a burned train carriage and a train crash with two cyclists stood watching.
Some of the train wreckage at the aftermath of Quintinshill Rail Accident. Two cyclists are stood next to their bicycles facing the wreckage. This is a black and white archive photo from the past.
Poster for The Quintinshill Tragedy Talk at The Devil's Porridge Museum. This is happening on Friday 22nd May 2026 at 7pm. Join us on the anniversary of Quintinshill rail accident for an illustrated talk exploring Britain's worst railway disaster. This presentation will be by Grant Cullen, a historian of railways and the Great War. This talk is free, but donations to support The Devil's Porridge Museum are welcome. The poster includes a black and white image of a burned train carriage and a train crash with two cyclists stood watching.
Two people stood in front of Chapelcross Nuclear Power Station. They are holding some equipment and a van is parked behind them. This is an archive photo from the past.
Victoria May McIver in her munitions workers uniform stood before Queen Mary. The Queen is holding some flowers and King George V is stood beside her. This is a black and white archive photo from the past.
A group of children sat on the floor wearing laminated cardboard gas masks with string on the back over their faces. This photo has been taken in The Devil's Porridge Museum's education room.
The Royal Party including King George and Queen Mary walking down the middle of a road. On the right of the photo is a fence with a crowd of people behind. On the pavement to the right is another crowd of people with a women's police officer stood at the end of a crowd. This is a black and white archive photo from the past.
An oval shaped portrait of Arthur Parkin from the Dornock Souvenir Magazine. He is wearing a suit and looks happy.
A round silver and rectangular gold medal. These both have red ribbons. A photo of ICI Powfoot workers in the past is blurred in the background.
Some wooden hostel buildings in Gretna next to a road. Some text at the bottom of the photo reads "21. Gretna - Edith Cavell Hostel." This is a black and white archive photo from the past.
The TripAdvisor green owl logo with 2026 on it. Underneath this is the words "Travellers' Choice."
First page of The Dornock Souvenir Magazine from 1916 to 1919. It features an illustration of a man and munition worker on either side of an house in a circle. There is an illustrated frame with buildings or a gate at each corner.
Two shell casings made into vases. One has a floral design embossed on it.
The front and back of a train ticket. The front reads "2nd - Single Eastriggs to Carlisle Citadel." The back reads "British Transport Commission. Valid 3 Days. Issued subject to the Regulations and Conditions in the Commission's Publications and Notices applicable to British Railways. Not Transferable." The back has a specimen stamp and the ticket is torn on one end as if it has been used.
Annie Corrin sat on a chair. She was wearing a sou’wester hat. This is a black and white photo from the past.
Monthly Roundup 23rd March to 19th April 2026 graphic with the museum Logo. This includes photos of a munitions worker and soldier craft activity, a trench Lego model and a separate display of assorted Lego models in The Devil's Porridge Museum's education room.
Inside The Devil's Porridge Museum's Café. There are six tables with placemats arranged on them. Tartan or wooden chairs surround the tables. There are some windows across the back wall. On the top window a sticker reads "Cafe" and has a image of a triangle shaped On War Service Badge beside it.
Reginald Keen wearing a suit and crossing his arms on the back of a chair he is sat on. Reginald has a moustache and two more people are stood in the background. This is a black and white photo from the past.
A replica green fabric munitions workers uniform with a hat.
Poster for The Quintinshill Tragedy Talk at The Devil's Porridge Museum. This is happening on Friday 22nd May 2026 at 7pm. Join us on the anniversary of Quintinshill rail accident for an illustrated talk exploring Britain's worst railway disaster. This presentation will be by Grant Cullen, a historian of railways and the Great War. This talk is free, but donations to support The Devil's Porridge Museum are welcome. The poster includes a black and white image of a burned train carriage and a train crash with two cyclists stood watching.
A poster for a Lego Weekend happening at The Devil's Porridge Museum on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th April 2026. Join us to celebrate all things Lego. See local history and legends recreated in Lego. Build with our bricks. Brand new historic minifigure trail around The Devil's Porridge Museum. The Devil's Porridge Museum's usual admission prices and opening hours do apply. There is a photo of a lego model of munition workers, plane, Lego version of The Devil's Porridge Museum, Lego horse, dog and pigeon.
Munitions workers in uniform stood and sat in four rows. This is a black and white photograph from the past.
A poseable cardboard figure of a munition worker. In the background is a template for making a soldier and some colouring pencils are in the background.
Remembering Those Who Tragically Lost Their Lives on the Night of 7 April 1941. This is the list of people's names, ages and occupations. It lists the following: Thomas C Beattie, 60, Lithographer; John Bell, 59, Provision Agent; Robert Bell, 46, Railway Clerk; John James Nicol Broatch, 32, Blacksmith; Stanley Burns, 38, Draughtsman; Stanley Carlyle, 38, Boiler Maker; William Cochrane, 25, Railway Surfaceman; James Connolly, 52, Railway Engine Driver; Hugh Crawford, 59, Railway Cashier; Reuben Gourley, 37, Electrical Engineer; Helen Graham, 14, Domestic Servant; Stephen Harold Gwyer, 43, Royal Navy Recruiter; Peter Charles Henderson, 62, Boot Shop Manager; Frederick Horseburgh, 30, Grocer; Wiliam Irving, 78, Master Builder; John Kilgour, 57, Tailor and Draper; James Little Noble, 48, Forester; Francis Phillips, 55, Corporation Clerk; Jeremiah Reed, 37, Scrap Merchant; John Robertson, 47, Butcher's Shop Manager; William Ross, 41, Royal Marines Recruiter; Arthur Phillip Thomas Shelley, 43, Sanitary Inspector; Benjamin Smith, 44, Farmer; Herbert Smith, 38, Hotel Manager; John Owen Stafford, 71, Minister; William Telfer Steel, 39; William Wetternhall West, 32, Butcher; William Wettenhall West, 32, Egg and Poultry Dealer; Thomas Young, 38, Coal Agent.
Some display panels about The Gretna Bombing inside The Devil's Porridge Museum. These are titled "The Night The Bombs Fell."
A toy rabbit inside a display case in The Devil's Porridge Museum.