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SPRINGHILL LODGES CAMP
Gloucestershire |
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Springhill Lodges camp build in the 1940s as part of the
war effort, is listed by
English Heritage as Base Camp 185. The camp was used to house German POWs
during WW2 and subsequently, in 1947, was turned into a Polish settlement
administered by the National Assistance Board. |
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Arial view of
Springhill camp from 1947
Thank you to
Kazik Kapak for the image. |
Map of the camp |
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The camp
lay at the northern end of the Cotswolds hills close to the
western Cotswold escarpment
at the cross roads of the A44 between Broadway and
Moreton in Marsh and the the B4081 some 2 miles
west of Chipping Campden . Broadway tower
which dominates the escarpment is just a mile away as the crow flies and
Snowshill Manor a similar distance to the west |
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National Assistance Board at at the entrance to
the camp |
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Photo on the right shows some of the camp
buildings which
where mostly
brick built barracks with just a few corrugated metal Nissen huts.
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The story of
Springhill
was no different to any of the other Displaced Persons camps that were
scattered though out 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. |
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From 1947/8 untill 1953/4 Springhill had a
number of priests looking after the spiritual need of the community
first there was Fr. Kopeć an excellent
violinist. When he left Fr Serafin Potoczny from Northwick Park
camp took on a caretaking roll and in 1953/4 Fr. Józef
Gołąb, who up until then was in Stowell Park school were
he tough religious knowledge and looked after the spiritual needs of
the students, took up a permanent position at the camp This much loved
priest diligently looked after the wellbeing of his flock untill the camp finally closed in 1958.
Fr. Gołąb moved to Redditch in Worcestershire were he looked after his
Polish flock until his retirement in 1998. Many of his parishioners
had moved to Redditch from Springhill and Northwick camps and knew him
well. Fr. Gołąb died in
2000 and is buried in Redditch Cemetery. |
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| Fr. Gołąb
was born in Sieradz
Poland. He spent the war imprisoned in the notorious Dachau
concentration camp in Germany. Released in 1946 he came to the
UK with the Polish 2nd. corps. |
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CHURCH TRADITIONS and
CELEBRATIONS |
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The Chapel
dedicated to Our Lady of Ostrabrama |
Bronek Duduk
First communion |
Unknown Jurek
Biegus Unknown 1954 |
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ALTER BOYS.1954/5 |
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Fr. Gołąb
outside the church with some of the altar boys;
Zdzich
Szewczyk, Staszek Hołaj, Kazik Żukowski,
Janek
Szyszkiewicz, Czesław Patecki, Marian Zubek, Wacek Zawadzki, Tadek
Strach, Janek Bołtryk, Bronek Duduk. |
Janek
Szyszkiewicz, Jurek Biegus, Jurek Bedryjowski
Kazik Żukowski |
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CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSIONS |
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Corpus Christi
procession winding through the camp. |
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Flower girls at one of
the outdoor altars |
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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 |
Fr. Gołąb
and visiting priest;
Danusia Remizo, Bożena
Wolbin, Janka Strach, Regina Fiedosiuk,
Teresa Małyszko-Sroka, Jadzia Sawicka,
Krysia Stawiarska |
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Members of Sodalicja Mariańska
(Marian Sodality) outside the
church. From left standing :- Józia
Morek, Krysia Gieramowska, Aniela Bogacka, Stasia
Łyczko,
Lodzia Nowakowska, Hania Pruszyńska,
Priest, Sawicka, Danka Grula, Basia Staniaszek, Władzia Papuga,
Lodzia Orlańska,
Maria Rachwał,
Marysia Strach.
Sitting are:- Janka Papuga, Halina
Nikłowiecka,
and Stasia
Łyczko
- 1952. |
Corpus Christ 1950 At one of
the altars. Ula Szwabiak, Jadzia Sawicka, Nena
Grosicka, Darak Żuryń, Antoś Starsiak, Andzej Obszynski.,
others not known. |
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FIRST COMMUNION |
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| First Communion was celebrated
each year by children who have reached the age of eight or nine |
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Girls and boys that took their first
communion in 1954 |
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Fr.Józef Gołab, Rysiek Gembarski ,Zdzich
Szewczyk ,TadekStrach ,Wacek Zawadzki ,Bronek Duduk, Andrzej
Obszyński ,Regina Fiedosiuk,
Basia Bedryjowska, Jadzia
Łukasiewicz ,Teresa Małyszko-Sroka,
Janka
Strach ,Antek Starsiak ,Zosia Kania, Bystrzanowski |
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1955;- Darek Żuryń, Tadek Uzar, Hela
Kłodawska, Stach Uzar, Danka Aleksandrowicz, Michał Serzeniewski,
Fr. J. Gołąb, Zbigniew Kapak, Jadzia Sawicka, Rysiek Sozański, Danka
Remizo, Bożena Wolbin, Jurek Uzarowski |
Regina Fiedosiuk and Fr. Józef
Gołąb |
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EDUCATION |
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In 1949 a Polish school was opened in
the camp with 16 children in attendance. By the the following year with
the influx of many more families with children arriving from Africa
and India the little school grew in number to around 40, helped by
children from Northwick Park Camp who were taken first by
taxi and later by bus to Springhill In 1954 the roles were reversed, the
school was transferred to Northwick Park Camp and the children from
Springhill were bused by George Rouse busses. |
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1949 Children at play with the school building in
the background |
1949 One of the classrooms. |
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Children from both Springhill and Northwick
Park1950 with parents, Fr. Potoczny and headmaster Mr. Waniewicz. |
Children from both Springhill and Northwick
Park1951 with Fr, Siemaszko headmaster Mr. Gilson and teaching staff.
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Just some of the names:-Zosia & Krysia
Kania, Basia Krasnodemska, Tadek & Janka Strach, Stach Bytnar, Inka
Tunikowska, Janusz Remizo, Ula Szwabiak, Zosia Hartman, Marzena
Brunicka, Kazik Kluk, Stach Rakowski, Tadek, Władek
and StachUzar, Jurek Biegus, Kazik Żukowski, Krysia Starzyńska,
Romek Górdak, Stach Bałdowski, Marysia
Flondra, Janek Szyszkiewicz, Kazik Kapak, Dziunek Kiczma, Edmund
Balawajder,
Marian
Zubek, Janek Bołtryk, Rysiek Sarul, Janusz
Remizo, Krysia Stawiarska, Boguś Poważa,
Stachu Łapinski, Władek and Antek
Lichtar, Kazia Liniewicz, Danka Borowska. |
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Winter 1952 |
Nursery school children. |
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General Anders Visit. |
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In the early 1950 many dignitaries,
representing The Polish Government in exile, The Army and high ranking
clergy visited the camp. It was a particularly cold day in 1953
when, dressed in their national costumes and welcoming bouquet of flowers
in hand, people waited for the arrival of gen. Władysław Anders |
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Left;- 1953 Waiting for General Anders.
Right;- Welcoming the General.
Some of the names on the
photo. Mr. Szyszkiewicz, Danusia Remizo, Mrs. Grosicka, Jadzia
Sawicka,Andzej Obszyński,Krysia Wierzynska, Me Ula with the flowers,
Mrs.Szwabiak Mr. Bedryjowski with daughter Basia. What a
photo! enough facial expressions for everyone. |
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General Władysław
Anders surrounded by Happy
people from the camp. Known names:-Mr. Pawlak, Romek Ażgin,
Mr. Szydłowski,
Bronia Sawicka, Basia Staniaszek, Stasia Morek, Jadwiga Biegus,
Janka Sarnecka, Mr. Lewicki, Mr.
Żelazny, Halina Staniaszek,
Eugenia Grosicka, Halina
Żelazna
Mrs. Ażgin,
Lodzia Nowakowska, Halina Nikłowiecka,
Janka Papuga, Marysia Papuga, Lodzia Szczęsna
and Władzia Papuga. |
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The general taking a stroll through
the camp |
General Anders
with Fr. Inf. Bronisław Michalski and Fr. Józef Gołąb |
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