Blackshaw Moor Camp Staffordshire

Blackshaw Moor Camp Staffordshire

Blackshaw Moor Polish Camp in North Staffordshire was located on the A53 between Leek and Buxton. In 1943 it was a transit camp and home to the 565th US Anti Aircraft Battalion then, in 1946 after the Americans moved out, the camp was taken over by Polish troops returning from Italy and other battlefields of Europe. Men and women who served in the Allied Armed Forces under British command, unable to return to their homeland, made their homes in the abandoned ex American camps. The camps where run by the N.S.H.C. (National Service Hostels Corporation) on the behalf of the National Assistance Board. There were four camps clustered around the Blacksaw Moor area. From all accounts, number 4 camp located north of Leek past Solomon's Hollow, was the administrative centre for the allocation of barracks to the returning soldiers and their families. It was also used as a transit camp for families awaiting accommodation in one of the three other camps. Camps 1, 2 and 3 were located around the Three Horse Shoes Inn. In the early 50s Camp 4 was vacated to make way for an MOD army training camp.


A group of Polish soldiers from the 2nd Corps - Winter 1947	Stanisław and Jan Kapusta with an unknown Polish soldier

From soldiers to civilians 1948 Blackshaw Moor Camp football team.

The camp's football team - 1948	In training on the camps pitch, with referee Mr. W. Dziurdzik

The heart of the community was in camp no.1, it included a nursery school, shop, clubhouse and, most importantly, a chapel . Most of the camp's activities revolved around the chapel and clubhouse, these where housed in two large steel nissen huts in the centre of the camp. The barracks in which families were housed had a concrete skeleton with walls made out of some sort of weather proofed plaster board. They were in clumps of four located mostly around the perimeter of the camp with strategically placed communal toilets and wash rooms

BLACKSHAW MOOR	Map showing camps 1and 2

Most Poles are Roman Catholics, and it is their faith that helped them to overcome the war, exile and years in the wilderness. They came to the camps as total strangers and from every walk of life. With the help of their priests new bonds and communities were created. Every camp became a little Poland, teaching Polish history and language and passing on traditions to the younger generation.

Fr. Pawel Sargiewicz with and angelic Zbyszek Hryciuk 1954

Fr. Paweł Sargiewicz

Fr. Paweł Sargiewicz like many priests during WW2 was imprisoned by the soviets and later deported to Siberia. In 1942, after Russia found itself part of the anti Hitler alliance, he joined General Anders' 2 corps and became army Chaplin to the troops. He took part in the Italian campaign and was at Monte Cassino, his war effort was recognised both by the church and the army giving him honours and medals. He came to Blackshaw Moor camp in 1946 with the Polish 2 corps from Italy and here he stayed taking on the role of Polish Parish Priest for the families living in the camp and surrounding area reaching as far as Stoke on Trent. He was much loved by his parishioners, having gone through the same hell as they, he understood their fears and anxieties. Fr Sargiewicz died on 1/9/1967 in a car accident and is buried in the family grave with his parents in Białystok Poland.

Fr. Paweł Sargiewicz as a young Priest

One of the corrugated nissen huts was transformed into a light and airy chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Częstochowa, were Sunday Masses, evening services, christenings, and funerals took place. There was always a big celebration when the camp's children made their First Communion. All marriages took place in Leek

First Communion in the camps' chapel	Inside the new Chapel

First Holy Communion 1954

Janusz Dziurdzik, Ryszard Widelski, Stanisław Kapusta, Tadeusz Łazowski, Maria Żurek, Anna Stępek, Barbara Hryciuk, Unknown, Krystyna Kapusta, Ryszard Milaszkiewicz, Zbigniew Hryciuk, Henryk Minorczyk, Unknown

The nissen hut in the background was the camps' chapel


	1952 Christening of twins Danuta and Genowefa Kapusta with godparents Mr. Żurek, Mrs. Dziurdzik, Mr. Dziurdzik and Mrs. Kwartnik

CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION

Every year on the Sunday following Corpus Christi, which falls on a Thursday. From early morning there was a buzz in the camp as people set about building the four altars in different parts of the camp and decorating them with holy pictures and flowers in readiness for the procession. Although the Corpus Christi celebration is exclusively a religious occasion it is always well attended by young and old

It is an exciting day for the younger members of the community, little girls all dressed up in white scattering flower petals along the path of the procession and the older girls dressed in traditional Polish costumes carrying banners

Photos from various years.


Outside the chapel getting ready for Corpus Christy Procession in 1963 are Teresa Krzywicka, Danuta Hryciuk, and Krystyna Hermit,	1963 Fr. P Sargiewicz after the procession


Procession winding it's way through the camp past the huts people lived in.	Early 1950s.

1953 Fr P. Sargiewicz with parents and children.	Parishioners and children after Corpus Christi Procession with Fr, Sargiewicz 1958

Visitations to the camp by Ks. Infułat B.Michalski

In the 50s Ks. Infułat B. Michalski from the Polish Catholic Mission in London visited most of the Polish Displaced Persons Camps in the UK. In 1956 people in Blackshaw Moor camp welcomed their spiritual leader, there was a concelebrated Mass attended by many Polish and English priests and a procession around the camp,


Procession passing the "Welcome gate" you can just see Kś. Michalski's mitre above the welcoming crowd.

Polish clergy from the North West attended the ceremony