Monument record MHG57017 - WWI Police Quarters - Dockyard Housing area, Invergordon

WWI police quarters in the former dockyard housing area in Invergordon.

The site was investigated in 2015 as part of the ARCH project 'Invergordon in World War I'. This is one of three buildings labelled 'Police Quarters' on a WWI Naval plan in private possession. They were situated at the western edge of the dockyard accommodation hutments. The buildings are likely to have been timber buildings like the nearby hutments. During WWI security at the dockyard was maintained by c. 250 Metropolitan Police. Nevertheless, the plan shades the police quarters to indicate they were considered Naval buildings. The buildings were removed after WWI, and by WWII this area had been landscaped to create berms for Tank 7. <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>