Hiltingbury Polish Dependants’ Hostel in Chandler’s Ford

My name is Pawel Basisty and I’m member of Friends of Polish Veterans Association in Southampton. Our organisation is trying to make sure that our army veterans and important history dates are not forgotten but celebrated. Often we take part in the same events as British Legion.

This time we will celebrate the unveiling of the commemorative plaque for 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Hiltingbury Polish Dependants’ Hostel in Chandler’s Ford.

That hostel is important part of the history of the Polish community in Southampton and history of Chandler’s Ford. I am sure there are still older local residents who can remember the place.

The hostel existed between 1946 and 1957. Nowadays in that location there is the Hiltingbury Community Recreation Ground and The Hilt.

Here are some information about Polish Dependants’ Hostel Hiltingbury in Chandler’s Ford (It’s from the book: “Polish Resettlement Camps in the UK”)

About eight miles north of Southampton in Chandler’s Ford were two large WW2 military camps used by the Americans and Canadians in preparation for the D-Day landings. Later they housed German and Italian prisoners of war.

After the war one of the now empty camps was occupied by the Polish Resettlement Corps, whose soldiers were returning form the battlefields of Italy. Later they were joined by their families who had spent the war in Displaced Persons (DP) camps scattered throughout Europe, India and Africa. The camp was known as Hiltingbury Polish Dependants’ Hostel and, in 1946, it was the first port of call for Polish civilians, mainly women and children, arriving in Southampton docks from Italy before being dispersed to other camps.

By 1947 the camp, which by now was administered by the National Assistance Board with an English warden at its head was already housing over 800 displaced Polish people from all walks of life: teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers to farmers and farm workers. This diversity of people, who under normal circumstances would have had little contact with each other, now found themselves in the same boat and had to adapt to a new way of life.

Despite the difficult circumstances Polish people, with their deeply rooted faith and resourcefulness, soon established a close knit community. One of the large Nissen huts was converted into a church. The first priest, Fr. Tadeusz Urbański, arrived in the camp with the army in 1945. In 1951 Fr. Antoni Jankowski took over the role of looking after the spiritual needs of the people, with regular Sunday Masses and services. He also taught religious knowledge in the camp school, preparing children for their first Holy Communion.

There was also a sick bay staffed by Polish doctors and nurses, a Polish infants school and nursery. Life in the camp did not differ in any significant way from that in any of the other Polish camps that were scattered throughout the UK in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s…”

People from Hiltingbury Dependants’ Hostel in Chandler’s Ford formed foundation for several of the Polish institutions and organisations in Southampton. Years after the hostel was closed Polish Community Centre (Polish Club) in Southampton at Portswood Road was founded, so they could have a place to meet up.

Last year it was 75th anniversary when first Polish soldiers and civilians came to Hiltingbury.

Unveiling of the commemorative plaque will take place at 4.30 pm, on 27 of November 2022 in Polish Club Southampton, at 507 Portswood Road SO17 2TH.

For more information, please see our Facebook page Friends of Polish Dependants Hostel Hiltingbury.