Springhill Lodges, United Kingdom
From the wilds of Africa to the natural beauty of the Cotswolds in the United Kingdom, this is where Franciszka, Zofia, Ala and Bogdan begin their new lives a decade after leaving Poland.
After arriving at Hull, Franciszka, Zofia, Ala and Bogdan were allocated to Springhill Lodges in the Cotswolds, a region in the south central, west midlands and southwest areas of England. The Cotswolds themselves are known as an area of outstanding natural beauty, having become prosperous during the middle ages due to the wool trade.
The Springhill Lodges were built in the 1940's to house German POW's and, in 1947, were converted into a Polish Settlement for displaced persons arriving from Africa.
Springhill was formed by an assortment of brick barracks and nissen huts with rudimentary heating and water supply. Like most DP camps of the time, it included a communal kitchen and dining room. There was also a school, church and entertainment hall. Life was hard in the late 1940's and throughout the 1950's, as it was across the United Kingdom, and the Poles kept busy by getting on with life, pursuing religion and putting on shows.
A highlight of the camp's history, was a visit by General Wladyslaw Anders in 1953. A cold, wintery day saw groups of children dressed in national costume, awaiting his arrival, flowers in hand. No doubt an insignificant inconvenience, given he guided the Polish people out of the USSR to safety.
While the National Assistance Board was responsible for the welfare of the camp's inhabitants, to pay their way, some people in the camps were employed as cooks and auxiliary staff, while others found work in factories and new industries around the area.
The camp closed down in the late 1950's and became derelict.