Monument record MHG56994 - WWI Contractors Temporary Huts - Invergordon

WWI contractors temporary huts in Invergordon.

The site was investigated in 2015 as part of the ARCH project 'Invergordon in World War I'. On a WWI Naval plan in private possession a number of buildings are located to the north of the western part of Joss Street and the tank farm. They are collectively labelled 'Contractor's Temp. Huts'. Most are not shaded (the convention to show a building taken over by the Admiralty), but in this case it is likely that the contractors were working on the tank farm or the Naval buildings constructed in this area. In the 1930 aerial photo only remains of foundations can be seen. In plans from WWII in private collection, the area seems to have been landscaped to create berms for the oil tanks behind and a boiler house at the west. On an Admiralty plan of 1921 (MPI 1/651/4) dating to 1921, the huts are still labelled as temporary, but all are shaded to show military use. <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>