Monument record MHG56982 - WWI Admiralty Victualling Store - Invergordon shore

A WWI victualling store in Invergordon.

The site was investigated in 2015 as part of the ARCH project 'Invergordon in World War I'. A row of joined buildings between the Ferry Slip and West Pier is shown on a WWI Naval plan in private collection. The western building is labelled Accountant's Office, then Captain of Dockyard's Store, then an unlabelled square area or building, and at the east, a Victualling Store. A photograph from WWI shows writing on the façade of this building, advertising 'CYCLES FOR HIRE GARAGE'. The 1930 aerial photograph shows three buildings still here, probably the same as WWI, although there have been some alterations to windows. A military plan in private collection of World War II buildings also depicts three buildings here. The western building is divided into two: the western part is unlabelled and the central part is labelled A.M.W.D. The eastern building was rebuilt from WWI times and became a large 2-storey detached building; it is labelled NAAFI on WWII military plans in private collection. <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>