Munchner 4 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 Dear All Was wondering is there anyone who can shed some light on the above......I believe that there was a German POW camp at the bakery site in Watnall. I was wondering does anyone have any inforamtion in regards to this and what happend to the POW's afterwards, this is something I would like to present to our history discussion circle here in Munich......ta in advance. Munchner Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,091 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 There is a website that lists every prisoner of war camp in the U.K. I'm on my tablet and haven't figured the copy and paste yet, but here it is.http://Www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/nov/08/prisoner-of-war-camps-uk Hope it works, but a quick scroll through it, I didn't see Watnall listed. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 Welcome Munchner. I wouldn't have thought there would have been a POW camp so close to the RAF Operations Bunker. I used to live in Watnall but never heard anything about a POW camp there. The nearest reference I can find is about the escapee who they caught at Hucknall, but he had escaped from the POW camp at Swanick. However I may be wrong.....I usually am! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,466 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 I didn't see Watnall in katyjay's list either; although there are a lot of camps mentioned in North Notts, especially Worksop and Ollerton area. Might it have been one of those? One other thing which caught my attention in that list is entry no. 27, saying there was a POW camp at 3 Magdala Road, Mapperley Park. Really? http://goo.gl/maps/4bVIc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Pianoman 1,535 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 Welcome Munchner. I wouldn't have thought there would have been a POW camp so close to the RAF Operations Bunker. I used to live in Watnall but never heard anything about a POW camp there. The nearest reference I can find is about the escapee who they caught at Hucknall, but he had escaped from the POW camp at Swanick. However I may be wrong.....I usually am! No you are correct about that one. He escaped from Swanwick POW Camp and was caught at Hucknall trying to steal a Hurricane. There was film made about him. Was his name von Werra or something like that? Wasn't the POW camp somewhere nearer Watnall Brickyard? Seems to ring a bell somewhere Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StephenFord 866 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 It was "The one that got away". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Pianoman 1,535 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 Yes - that's the one! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveN 1,118 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 There are p.o.w camps mentioned in the article below but not one in Watnall http://www.nottsheritagegateway.org.uk/events/ww2.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,091 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 I'd have thought Blanchards was older than WW2, and would have have needed to stay in production throughout said war. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 Looks like you're right about that Katyjay. Just googled it and a referral came up about a lady celebrating her 100th birthday, the point being that she married her husband in 1940, who ran Blanchards Bakery. They moved to Derbyshire in the 50's. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,683 Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 I have had quick scan through the news archives and can't see any reference to a camp at Watnall . As well as the names mentioned above , are camps at Colwick Woods , Greenwood Road . Also what may have been hostels at Bulwell, Arnold, Tollerton and Adbolton . The hostels took in POWs from when the camp at Wollaton Park was disbanded after April 1947 . After the war ended it would appear that German POWs were the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Works so presume most worked on the land . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Munchner 4 Posted November 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 Thank you everyone for your support and the links above......Having worked on the bakery site for 2 years during my Uni days, I can definetely vouch for the fact that there was a complex of huts at the rear end of the bakery site, the rumour was that this housed POW's during the war....but clearly I am stood to be corrected, the information however you have provided will be great for our history discussion circle....ta once again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,683 Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 Could the huts have been the Miners Hostel Camp , Watnall Rd, Hucknall ? There are a couple of references in court cases to British soldiers living there in 1950 being fined for assault . Also numerous cases reported of miners that lived there being committed for various petty crimes 1946-1950. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,683 Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 There are conflicting stories where German POWs travelling after the end of the war, were thrown off buses but maybe for your talk to give a good impression of Nottingham folk you could use this from Nottm Evening Post May 1947 : https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7559/15841041681_b0c111778a_b.jpg 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted July 24, 2015 Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 Italians were also housed in a camp where the Southglade Leisure Complex currently stands. Bestwood. It's mentioned on another topic somewhere. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Potatoes 1 Posted May 24, 2016 Report Share Posted May 24, 2016 There was indeed a POW camp at Watnall - not sure why it isn't listed on the map in The Guardian article. And yes it probably is strange that it was near a plotting station. German soldiers were imprisoned there and they were given a certain amount of freedom to leave the camp. Some stayed in the area after the war ended and one married a lady at the top of my street. They settled in Nuthall. All this is courtesy of my mother who lived on Holly Road, Watnall. I'll try and get the exact location and re-post. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted May 24, 2016 Report Share Posted May 24, 2016 Welcome to Nottstalgia, Potatoes. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memories. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Retslaw 3 Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Definitely a POW camp in Watnall. On holiday in Majorca in the 1960s my cousin and I met two German couples. We got chatting and it turned out that one of the men had been a POW at Watnall during WW2. He told us that he had been very well treated, and had become very fond of England and its people. Good thing, because this particular conversation took place when we were stuck in a small lift between floors for nearly an hour! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bigal 3 Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Nearest POW camp to Watnall I believe was in Bulwell Hall which would have been about 1-2 miles from Bakery at Watnall. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bigal 3 Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 On 11/20/2014 at 10:20 PM, katyjay said: I'd have thought Blanchards was older than WW2, and would have have needed to stay in production throughout said war. George Blanchard had the bakery built in the 30's and after the war sold it to Spillers. I worked there throughout the 60's and never heard anything about any POW camp. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,159 Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Ay-up Bigal.............if you were at blanchards in the 60s,you will remember em supplying all the Marsdens shops then,.........i recall the man who delivered to the Andover rd shop......name of Cyril..........lovely bloke married a girl of Bestwood est think her name was sue Mitchel ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,091 Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Bigal, did you know Mr Patteson at Blanchards? He lived 2 doors away from me. I never knew him to work anywhere else. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,305 Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 I've heard my aunt, now deceased, who lived in Hucknall and was born in Linby, speak of the POW camp at Watnall. She knew the area well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnS 1 Posted April 11, 2020 Report Share Posted April 11, 2020 I worked the summers of 1962 and 3, I think, on the night-shift at Blanchards (10 -6). Mostly working on conveyor belt but occasionally on the ovens - that was hot and stressful because you had to keep up or the bread went all over. I remember the foreman had lost a hand in one of the machines - Brian? I think the pay was just under 3s per hour - does that sound right? Happy days! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IAN FINN 808 Posted April 11, 2020 Report Share Posted April 11, 2020 I think there was a pow camp at Watnall close to where the old Watnall Hall was just off Trough Lane do not know if it was Italian or German prisoners there. My dads aunty had a farm up New Farm Lane at Nuthall and they had German pow working on the land George Blanchard started off with a small bakery on James st.Kimberley before moving to Watnall Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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