SPRINGHILL LODGE CAMP

SPRINGHILL LODGES CAMP

Gloucestershire

About three miles from Northwick Park was another Polish Displaced Persons camp. Springhill Lodges no 185 was originally a POW camp, a large complex of brick barracks and steel nissan huts within a double wire perimeter fence guarded by watchtowers. The camp was located in Gloucestershire on the A44 between Moreton in Marsh and Broadway. After the war the towers and fences were removed and the camp was transformed from a POW to a DP camp housing Polish families.

MAP SHOWING SPRINGHILL CAMP IN RELATION TO BLOCKLEY AND NORTHWICK PARK CAMP

Arial view of Springhill camp from 1947.

Comparing the photos with the above map, the camp has not changed very much. To day many of the buildings are structurally un safe and falling down.

Thank you to Kazik Kapak for these images.

The story of Springhill was no different to any of the other Displaced Persons camps that were scattered thoughout the UK. in the 40s and 50s.Life was hard, people worn out by their ordeal, lived as best they could. Over the years building tight knit communities and preserving their culture and traditions. In the early years Springhill had a communal kitchen and dining hall, there was a small school that later moved to Northwick Park. The chapel and entertainments hall being the focal point of the camp. Springhill`s long standing and muched loved priest was Fr. Józef Gołąb. When the camp finally closed down in 1958 Fr Gołąb moved to Redditch in Worcestershire, were he looked after his Polish flock until his death in 1998. Many of his parishioners lived previously in Springhill and Northwick camps.


The Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Ostrabrama	Bronek Duduk First communion	Unknown Jurek Biegus Unknown 1954


Some of the altar boys with Fr. Gołąb ourside the chapel. The large cross on the wall is still in place but very overgrown with ivy.		Janek Szyszkiewicz, Jurek Biegus, Jurek Bedryjowski Kazik Żukowski

Corpus Christi Celebration


Altar Boys with Fr Gołąb 1954	Corpus Christi 1954. Fr. J Gołąb some of the names, Basia Bedryjowska, Regina Fiedosiuk, Krysia Stawiarska, Bozena Wolbin, Jadzia Sawicka, Ula Szwabiak, Danusia Remizo, Danusia Aleksandrowicz, Krysia and Zosia Kania.

Right; Corpus Christ "Boże Ciało"1950 At one of the altars. Ula Szwabiak, Jadzia Sawicka, Nena Grosicka, Unknown, Darak Żuryń, Antoś Starsiak, Andzej Obszynski., others not known.

Left: Corpus Christi procession winding through the camp.

First Communion 1955-56


Top Row. Darek Żuryń, Unknown, Unknown, Stachu Uzar, Danka Aleksandrowicz, Unknown, Fr. F. Gołąb. Bottom Row. Unknown, Jadzia Sawicka, Rysiek Sozanski, Unknown, Unknown, Danka Remizo,Unknown, Bożena Wolbin, Jurek Uzarowski.

Some of the known names.

Regina Fiedosiuk Janka Strach Jadzia Łukaszewicz Teresa Małyszko Zosia Kania Basia Bedryjowska

SPRINGHILL SCHOOL


1949 Children at play with the school building in the background.		1949 One of the classrooms.

With the influx of so many Polish children not speaking English, a Polish school was set up in one of the barrack. Children from Northwick Park Camp were taken first by taxi and later by bus to Springhill In1954 the roles were reversed, the school was transferred to Northwick Park Camp and the children from Springhill had to travel.

If you recognise your self or can name any body else please let me know.


Some of the names left 1950 and 1952 on the right.
Ula Szwabiak, Zosia Hartman, Marzena Brunicka, Kazik Kluk, Stachu Rakowski, Rysiek Sarul, Janusz Remizo, Inka Tunikowska, Jurek Biegus, Kazik Żukowski, Strachu Bytnar, Romek Górdak, Krysia Stawiarska, Marysia Flondra, Tadek Strach, Basia Krasnodępska, Zosia and Krysia Kania, Kazik Kapak, Janek Szyszkiewicz, Dziunek Kiczma, Edmund Balawajder, Boguś Poważa, Stachu Łapinski Władek Lichtar.


Winter 1952	Some of the known children. Jurek Uzarowski. Szewczyk Brothers, Rysiek Gembarski, Krysia Wierzyńska, Rysiek Sozanski, Antek Starsiak. Jadzia Sawicka, Bożena Wolbin,