Building record MHG25958 - WWI S.C.E.'s Drawing Office - 66/68 High Street, Invergordon

Buildings on the High Street that were taken over by the Admiralty in WWI and used as the Superintending Civil Engineer's drawing offices.

The site was investigated in 2015 as part of the ARCH project 'Invergordon in World War I'. A wartime plan in private collection shows that this building was taken over during WWI by the Admiralty to become the S.C.E. (Superintending Civil Engineer) drawing office. It is currently (2015) a Discount Carpets shop, with modern shopfront. A picture (CP 196266) in a WWI photo album held by the RCAHMS shows staff outside an office labeled '…E's Drawing Office. It may indicate this building. <1>

At least three versions of a WWI Naval plan survive, two in private collection which probably date to wartime, and one in the National Archives (MPI 1/641/4) which dates to 1921. On all three the buildings taken over or built by the Navy are shaded, but there are a few discrepancies between the plans. One of the plans in private collection has enlarged details, but only shows the Admiralty buildings and not others in the town. Valuation Rolls also indicate some buildings not shaded on our plans were taken over by the military. It is clear from contemporary photographs that the army built additional buildings, particularly north of Cromlet Drive. <2>