An Imagined Blue Plaque for Elsie Mary Dannatt MBE (1890–1967)

We are running The Archive of Unmarked History to remember local people whose lives, achievements and sacrifices deserve to be remembered, but who may never have a physical plaque or memorial of their own. Real plaques are an important way of marking a place and remembering a person, but they are expensive, and funds cannot be found to put plaques everywhere they are deserved. There may also be other reasons why a physical plaque is not possible: a building may have disappeared, a location may have changed, permission may not be available, or there may simply be nowhere suitable for one. But the absence of a physical plaque should not mean that the person and their story are forgotten. A virtual plaque is better than no plaque at all. Through this growing archive, the Grimsby & Cleethorpes Museum will create a permanent digital record of people whose stories might otherwise be overlooked. Each virtual plaque will tell their story and connect them with the places and communities where they lived and worked. The Archive of Unmarked History does not replace real plaques. Where a physical plaque is possible, that is wonderful. But where it isn't, we can still remember.

A pioneer of women’s naval service in Grimsby

Elsie Mary Dannatt was a Grimsby woman who made a significant contribution to the town’s naval work during the First World War. She served at the Grimsby minesweeping base before joining the newly established Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS). In January 1919, she was awarded the MBE for her wartime services.

Early life

Elsie was born on 9 November 1890 at Gayton-le-Marsh, near Louth, Lincolnshire. Her father, John Charles Dannatt, was a farmer, and her mother was Elizabeth. Elsie was baptised at Gayton-le-Marsh on 22 March 1891.

The family moved to Grimsby when Elsie was about five years old. The 1901 census records them at 19 Peaksfield Avenue. By 1911, Elsie was living with her widowed mother and other family members at 358 Heneage Road. Her occupation was recorded as shorthand typist.

Wartime work at Grimsby

From 1914, Elsie worked as secretary to the Mobilising Officer at HMS Pekin, the auxiliary patrol shore base on Grimsby docks. Operating from a cabin on the docks, the base became a command centre for minesweepers working out of the port. Elsie also oversaw an office of women clerks.

Her work brought her into the administration of Grimsby’s wartime naval operations. A contemporary photograph caption, dated 10 April 1918, described her as Assistant Principal and noted that she had been engaged in work connected with the Navy since November 1914.

Joining the Women's Royal Naval Service

The Women's Royal Naval Service was established in November 1917 to undertake shore-based duties and release men for service at sea. Its members became popularly known as the Wrens.

Elsie's service record information places her entry into the WRNS on 28 February 1918. She began work as a decoder at the Grimsby Port Minesweeping Office, and the register records her as Assistant Principal of the WRNS.

Her application was supported by references from Captain Pollen and her previous employer, A. Knott, a local councillor. A published historical account describes her as the first woman in the country to apply to the new service. This is a notable claim, although the records examined for this biography do not independently establish that national distinction.

Contemporary descriptions identify Elsie as both Assistant Principal and Deputy Principal of the WRNS at Grimsby. These titles demonstrate her senior responsibilities, although the precise sequence in which they applied has not been established.

Service under wartime threat

Elsie continued to live with her family at 358 Heneage Road, approximately two miles from the docks. According to a published historical account, during Zeppelin attacks she returned to the naval base to safeguard confidential papers and maps.

This episode illustrates the dangers that could accompany work supporting naval operations during wartime.

Award of the MBE

In January 1919, Elsie was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Military Division for valuable services rendered in connection with the war.

The award notice names her as “Miss Elsie Mary Dannatt, Assistant Principal, W.R.N.S.” A contemporary newspaper report dated 3 February 1919 also identifies her as Assistant Principal.

According to the published historical account, King George V presented her with the award at St James's Palace, where she wore her naval uniform. Captain Pollen had recommended her for the honour.

The award notice and contemporary reports establish both her senior position and official recognition of her wartime service.

Marriage and later life

On 11 October 1930, Elsie Mary Dannatt married Arthur Bryant Leane. The marriage notice names her as Elsie Mary Dannatt, MBE, and identifies her husband as being of London.

Arthur died in 1936, aged 57. The 1939 Register records an Elsie M. Leane as widowed and working as a housekeeper in the Gomshall area of Surrey. The visible birth date is consistent with Elsie's known date of birth, although the year is not sufficiently clear in the supplied image to establish her identity from that entry alone.

Elsie's death index records her death in 1967, aged 77, in the Horsham registration district. Her probate entry gives her full name as Elsie Mary Leane, of St Leonards Park, Lower Beeding, Sussex, and records her death on 19 November 1967. Her estate was valued at £1,047.

Together, the marriage, death and probate records support the identification of Elsie Mary Leane as Elsie Mary Dannatt.

Her place in Grimsby's history

Elsie Dannatt's life links Grimsby's maritime history with the emergence of women's naval service. Her work at HMS Pekin, her specialist duties in the WRNS and her MBE demonstrate the important contribution women made to the organisation and support of Britain's wartime naval operations.

Her story deserves a place in the history of Grimsby and in wider accounts of women's service during the First World War. Her local connections, senior responsibilities and official recognition make her a worthy candidate for a blue plaque in Grimsby.