Building record MHG56960 - Possible WWI S.C.E. offices - Invergordon

Buildings, possibly housing, off the High Street that were taken over by the Admiralty in WWI and possibly used as offices for the Superintending Civil Engineer.

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 in WWI by the Admiralty to become two offices, side by side. They may have been related to the S.C.E. (Superintending Civil Engineer) who took over several nearby buildings. It is currently a takeaway. On the modern photograph the offices were on King Street on the right, where the blue door is. <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>