30 JUNE 1941
On the last day of June 1941, the American government were, to the local people’s bewilderment, about to change the landscape of several locations around the city. This began to happen when a small contingent of 362 technicians and 25 supervisory officers from their military, under the guise as civilians, arrived in Derry to begin preparations for America’s imminent involvement in world war 2.
Thousands more US military personnel were to arrive shortly to take up temporary residence in our city. Unknown to the locals, Derry was about to become the U S first navy establishment in Europe and a terminal for US convoys bound for Britain. Derry was viewed by the American Government as strategically vital for their planned naval operations and held the key for victory in the battle of the Atlantic.
The local Derry people looked on in amazement as large building equipment, including mobile cranes, massive bulldozers, road graders, ditch diggers and mobile welding plants, rolled off American ships and onto the streets of Derry.
This was the first time such building equipment had ever been seen in Derry. All was used to great effect in the rapid construction of the docks at Lisahally, and the camps at Springtown, Beechill in Ardmore and a hospital camp at Creevagh.
The normally quiet and deserted Northland Road was transformed into a hub of activity as American trucks and machinery were traveling to and from the camp site several time an hour.
JULY 1941
American ‘civilian workers’ move heavy machinery and plant onto a green-field site 200yards past the city boundary on the Northland Road. They began to build roads, sewers, and hutments.
During the course of this major construction programme, taking place in several different locations around Derry, the American’s employed more than 2,000 local workers as tradesmen, Drivers and general labourers.
This employment brought a welcome change of fortune for many Derry families. A real feel-good factor was evident around the city, as now many people had money for the first time in god knows how long, in their pockets to spend. This was the first time in living memory, that Derry had almost full employment for its men folk.
DECEMBER 1941
Hundreds of huts were now nearing completion with roads throughout the camp. The camp was surrounded by an 8ft-high fence. The compound was now known as Springtown Camp.
Springtown Camp was built in lightning-fast time. The local people remarked to a Derry Journal reporter “ It was as if you went to bed at night and in the morning the empty field was full of green corrugated-tin huts. I have never seen so much activity and so many massive machinery in my life.
18 JANUARY 1942
First group of US Naval personnel from Headquarters and Service Company, moved into Springtown Camp. The camp was guarded round the clock by US Marines.
FEBRUARY 1943
Springtown Camp was home to over 1600 US personnel for 3years and 10 months. They were bussed from the camp each morning to work at Lisahally Docks for refuelling and repairing war ships.
So crucial a role Derry did play in the Battle of the Atlantic that at the conclusion of the war, Lisahally was designated for the surrender of some of the German U-boats.
12 NOVEMBER 1945
The naval base at Springtown Camp was disbanded when the radiomen who were the last to leave the camp, left that day.
The US Naval ended their association with Springtown Camp and the camp was closed and gates locked.
9 OCTOBER 1946
The Derry Courthouse was filled to capacity with people from Belmont, Clooney and Eglinton Camps who were summonsed to appear in court. The prosecutions, at the behest of the Unionist Londonderry Corporation were brought by the British Secretary of state for War.
Further proceedings against people from Blight’s Lane, Bishop Street, Mabuoy, and Corrody camps were adjourned pending the outcome of todays cases.
The squatters were charged with ‘wilfully entering upon the premises of the British Secretary of State for War, with intent, wrongfully, to take possession of or use the said premises.
Seventy-four squatters were each fined one shilling and were told to vacate the huts with a stay of execution of between three and six months.
2 DECEMBER 1946
Margaret Mary Doherty became the first baby born in Springtown Camp and was baptised in St. Patrick’s Church, Pennyburn.
9 MAY 1947
The weekend beginning Friday 9 May 1947, Derry was a city of tension. The people waited to see what the outcome of the terrible state of affairs at Belmont Camp was going to be.
The situation had the potential to explode.
10 MAY 1947
The people of Belmont Camp were sick with worry as when the bailiffs came to evict them on Monday, they would be rendered powerless and homeless. With nowhere to go, what were they supposed to do? Where would their children sleep that night? Where could they take their young children to have some food? These questions ran through their troubled minds; they had no answer to any of them.
11 MAY 1947
Yes, their plight was the main talking point all week on the factory floors, in every shop, street corner in Derry.
Yes, the local newspapers carried headlines reporting their situation and all were sympathetic.
Yes, Paddy Fox of the Derry Labour party along with some nationalist politicians, worked around the clock to try and find a solution.
Still, at the end of the day it didn’t change the frightening fact that they were on their own.
They would have to sit their children down and try their best to explain to them what was about to happen in the morning.
Sleep didn’t come easily that Sunday night to the beleaguered people of Belmont Camp as they awaited the arrival of the bailiffs the next morning.
12 MAY 1947
The sun shone brightly that May morning as the bailiff arrived right on time at the camp. He was accompanied by four RUC men and soldiers from the British Army’s Royal Enniskillen Fusiliers Regiment who were there on behalf of the British War Department who were the owners of the huts. The first family evicted were the family of Mr and Mrs Abraham McGuinness and their six children. Also evicted that day was the family of Mr, and Mrs John Sweeney and their three children, and the family of Eddie and Mary B. Kelly and their three children. All three families moved to Springtown Camp within hours of being evicted.
I first went to live Springtown in January 1947. That year we had a real bad winter with the snow three feet deep. There were two water taps in the camp at that time, one at the back of the camp and the other in the middle of the camp. The hut was very long and very cold, we would light an old oil drum [which was perforated with holes ]with sticks and coke and when it was red hot and when no smoke was coming from it ,we would bring it in to the hut for some heat. I met some wonderful people there and I became friends with John Moore. We started a paper round, and it was very busy ,it lasted about a year. I have nothing but fond memories of the decent people who lived in the Camp.
Jimmy Jennings.
7 JANUARY 1952
The huts started to show signs of serious dampness. The Ministry of Health officials intimated that closure of Springtown Camp should now be considered.
1 MAY 1953
Housing manager DAS Murphy reported that huts scheduled for demolition had now been unlawfully occupied.
8 JULY 1953
The Derry to Buncrana Train ceased to operate.
In Springtown Camp ‘Big Uncle’ sorted out any wanna be bullies.
We don’t do egos in this camp.
Neil (Uncle) McLaughlin
But if truth be told…..
We had Romancers, Poets, Story Tellers and a few Chancers.
We had Saints, we had Sinners, Winners, Boozers, Losers,
Card Sharks, Fighters, Biters, and Thumpers
STILL, Kind hearts beat beneath their Jumpers.
6 JUNE 1954
The Sunday night of 6 June 1954 it was easy to get the children of school going age into the huts for bath time and last - minute preparations for school the following morning. Simply, because it would be their first day attending their new school… St. Patrick’s Boys, Girls and Infant’s .
For some like yours truly it was a big deal because it was our first day going to school. The big tin bath with bars of Sunlight and Lifebuoy soap were out in force that night, as we were scrubbed squeaky clean.
7 JUNE 1954
Hundreds of school children crowded the Buncrana Road on their way to their first day at their new School in Pennyburn.
JULY 1954
Some families were now starting to emigrate to England, Bradford seemed to be the favoured city, and five huts became vacant. The Corporation let them stay vacant to see if any families would squat into them. With no takers this time they ordered them to be sold by public auction.
4 NOVEMBER 1954
Minor repairs were carried out to the wooden huts as the roofs were leaking like a sieve.
18 AUGUST 1955
Alex Hasson approached the Corporation with a view to them letting him hut 160 which was adjoining his hut. Alex wanted it for a garage for his car. His request was refused. So, he decided to open a Bookies shop in his hut, but this time he didn’t seek permission; it was to do a roaring trade.
5 SEPTEMBER 1955
The County sanitary officer complained to the Corporation that four licensees were using their dwellings to sell foodstuff.
2 APRIL 1959
Hut 154c was demolished and the corrugated tin was re-used to repair existing huts.
31 OCTOBER 1959
Hut 33b was destroyed by fire and two families were left homeless.
24 NOVEMBER 1959
The women of the camp protested about conditions of the huts when twenty-five women packed into the public gallery of the Guildhall where a housing committee meeting was being held. The women were refused to speak at the meeting, but they kept on asking questions. The meeting was adjourned.
3 DECEMBER 1959
The following resolution was unanimously adopted at Londonderry Corporation housing committee.
‘That the first houses becoming available to the Corporation of the twenty-eight dwellings presently under construction at Coach Road be allocated exclusively to selected families at Springtown Camp’
Proposer- Alderman Glover
Seconder- Councillor McFarland.
The Housing Committee reneged on this undertaken and only ten families from the camp were housed at Coach Road.
5 MAY 1960
The sales of huts continued as people left for England and the Ranges were making more money than the huts.
They talk of lovely Derry, on the green banks o’ the Foyle
And there’s many an ancient monument, rears up from Irish soil.
Here’s a place they never visit, tho’ twas there before the flood
And it’s built on resignation, and our own heart’s blood
But maybe the city fathers, in their wisdom will recant
When they hear the noise we’re making, down in Springtown Camp.
Unknown
29 JANUARY 1964
To the horror of the Unionist controlled Londonderry Corporation, Springtown Camp was now front-page news.
FEBRUARY 1964
At their monthly meeting the Young Unionist condemned the Londonderry Corporation for their handling of the Springtown Camp situation. saying the residents should have been housed years ago.
MARCH 1964
The Presbytery of Derry called on the Corporation to house all the families of Springtown Camp without delay.
6 MAY 1964
Rory Quigley camp committee secretary reported he had received a reply from P.M Terence O’Neill on their invitation for him to visit the Camp. He said he was considering their invitation.. He never did visit the camp.
23 MAY 1964
The heat was now well and truly on the Corporation as the Minister of Health at Stormont summoned the Londonderry Corporation and the Rural District Council to a meeting at Stormont regarding the deteriorating situation at Springtown Camp.
16 JUNE 1964
A petition signed by 21, 428 people was presented to Stormont prime minister’s private secretary J. Mailey by the camp committee.
21 OCTOBER 1965
The old bridge at the bottom of the camp was demolished at a cost of £110.
4 NOVEMBER 1965
Londonderry Corporation agreed to sell Springtown Camp to the Ministry of Commerce for £40,000
3 NOVEMBER 1967
Mick Power worked the last day of his working life at the empty Springtown Camp.
22 NOVEMBER 1968
It was announced that the Unionist controlled Londonderry Corporation which was only in power by careful gerrymandering of the electoral wards, was to be ignominiously disbanded and replaced by a Development Commission.
In the eyes of honest people, the Londonderry Corporation were devoid of any courageous or moral leadership. They were in essence prisoners to their own bigoted thinking and their every action was controlled by this mindset.
Willie Deery
History of Springtown Camp
Planning of The Camp
As people throughout the world gladly said goodbye to 1940, they lived in hope the New Year
would bring an improvement on the previous one. That looked a forlorn aspiration as World War 2 was raged between the nations of the world with one notable exception-America. However it was obvious to all that America's involvement in the war was imminent. After high powered secret meetings with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill the American Government sent two high ranking officers, Major George F Good and Captain Bruce T Hemphill to England on a secret mission. The American officers were accompanied by several top naval civil engineers. Their brief was to looked at four possible base sites,two in Scotland and two in Northern Ireland.
Their itinerary included a five-day stay in Derry in which they surveyed the city and other outlying areas, one of which was the port at Lisahally. The visit spurred a rapid succession of decisions and events and on 12 June 1941 the British Government signed a contract with American firm GA Fuller-Merritt Chapman Corporation to construct bases in Northern Ireland and Scotland using £35m of lend-lease funds.
Occupation By U.S Navy
The geographic focal point of the plan, known as Base 1, entailed the construction of naval bases and camps in Derry designed for the refuelling and repair of destroyers and submarines. Even though the American's were still not officially engaged in the war at this stage on Monday 30 June 1941, 362 'civilian' technicians and twenty five supervisory officers from the US Navy's Civil Engineer Corps sailed in to Derry and were stationed at Ebrington Barracks. They were of course military engineers rather than civilians. A further 900 American civilian contractors were later to arrive and they began construction of several naval bases. The foothold was crucial to America operations, because the US fleet could not operate efficiently more that 2,000 miles from a naval base.
The Construction of Springtown Camp was to begin shortly as the Headquarters and Service company was to be billeted there as was Company B which were assigned to guard the repair facilities.
Springtown Camp was built in lightning fast time as it was to be one of the main bases in Derry for the billeting of the US personnel. It was sure needed as on Sunday 7 December 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. That attacked occured before the Japanese officially declared war on America, provoking a global outrage. Now the most powerful nation in the world was at war. By then the bases in Derry were almost completed and ready for occupation by US personnel. On the 10 January 1942 a convoy of American vessels departed Halifax, Nova Scotia. Two weeks later, on the 24 January, convoy NA-1 arrived on the river Foyle. On 3 March 1942 a major group of United States naval personnel had arrived in Derry and were quartered in the barracks at Springtown Camp. Their presence were now in Derry in great numbers. The importance of Derry to victory in the Battle of the Atlantic which was described as the longest, largest, most complex naval battle in history, is well documented elsewhere.
Springtown Camp was by far the most 'glamourous' camp in the city as it had a Theatre, a Chapel, a Laundry, a Soda Fountain and even a Jail. The Soda Fountain [Cafe] is where the children of Derry tasted Coca-Cola for the first time, at a party hosted by the Camp's personnel. The camp was guarded 24 hours a day by the US Marines at both the Northland Road and Buncrana Road entrances.
U.S Departs The Camp
The Radiomen of the US navy were the last to leave Springtown Camp when it was disbanded on Monday
12 November 1945 thus ending the US Navy's association with Springtown Camp.
Radio men the last US Navy men to leave the Camp.
Squatters Move Into The Camps
In the immediate years after the war, Derry was experiencing the worst housing shortage in living memory. With many a small two up two down terraced house serving as home to two and sometimes three families, with one such house home to twenty-three people. Adam Smith his wife and five children were the first to squat into a camp in Derry when on Wednesday 21st August 1946 he with 3 other families squatted into the Blight's Lane camp. 'We were living in one small room in Limewood Street, we had to sleep, cook, eat, wash in this small room. There was one small outside toilet which was used by all who lived in that terraced house. We have had to endure squalor for far too long, desperation drove me to this I just could not take any more' he told reporters.
Some of the Squatters who moved into the vacant Camps
The worst case of them all was that of Joe Doherty his wife and nine children who shared one small room in a three-bedroom terraced house at Limewood Street in which, altogether, there were twenty-three people. Mrs Doherty said 'they had suffered the death of one of their six-week-old twins recently and that some of us had to sleep on the scullery floor and every night we had to lift the baby's cradle up on to the table to make room on the floor for someone to lie down. At least the children will have some fresh air up here in a hut'. The RUC visited the camp that morning but after listening to the families withdrew and didn't interfere.
The word of the squatting into Blight's Lane camp went around Derry like wildfire and soon other beleaguered families squatted into other empty camps around Derry.
Springtown Camp lay empty until Thursday 22 August 1946 when the first Squatter moved into the huts, 10 families were in huts by the following night. The movement of the people to the camp was swift as just two days later on the Sunday night they were nearly 100 huts occupied housing over 450 people. Many leaving overcrowded slum tenement buildings in Derry. Now at least in a hut, although it had neither running water, electricity or any means of heating they were still viewed as better than what they left. They did however provide one thing that the people craved and that was space. They came from all over Derry and some from as far away as Mabuoy and Ardmore. They moved all their earthly belongings by means of Horse drawn Carts, vans and even prams loaded while clutching the hand of their young children and carrying bags in their other hand.
This family moved to Springtown Camp after being evicted from Belmont Camp.
In the pouring rain, crowds gathered with mysterious expressions on their faces, as they watched people moving on the Northland and Buncrana Roads on their way to stake their 'claim' to a tin hut in Springtown Camp. The next morning the sun shone as young children played around the wide open spaces of the camp while making new friends with other children and breathing clean fresh air.
The children had open spaces to play and clean fresh air to breathe
The question was how would all the families, complete strangers to each other and thrown together by circumstances beyond their control get on together. They all had one thing in common, they were all in the same predicament, as they were driven by sheer despair and desperation to take the action they did.
Looking at smiles on their children faces as they played with their new found friends made everything worthwhile, and give the parents confidence they had done the right thing in moving in to the camp.
The challenges making the huts with no facilities in to a liveable home were obvious. The people formed a committee to hold discussions with the Corporation and with the Health authorities warning the Corporation of the dangers of so many people living without proper facilities would pose an enormous threat to the health of all concerned and indeed to the whole population of the entire city.
The Corporation decided to renovate the huts to a suitable standard for temporary living accommodation. It was agreed that if no other families squatted in to empty huts that were there, they would begin work on converting the huts the following week. The People were happy with this undertaking and were content that the Corporation turned on the water and the people had now communal facilities to get them by until the huts were renovated.
Washing facilities at the camps before Springtown was renovated
After the huts were renovated people moved in to them and in fairness they were happy with them as they had an inside toilet, a small kitchen, a living room with a Rex Range for cooking and heating and three separate bedrooms and an inside coal 'house.'The squatters who moved in to the other camps around Derry were summoned to appear at Derry court in Bishop Street and all were fined a shilling [5p in today's money] and evicted. Almost all moved to Springtown Camp.
The huts that the people left to move in to a renovated one were also renovated and new tenants moved in to them. Now the camp was full to capacity with 302 huts and people settled in to their new 'Village'.
The Ulster Transport Authority decided to run a bus service which proved successful for both the people of the camp and the bus authority. Most of the buses were almost full especially the morning one with all the shirt factory girls and others going to their place of work, so we had 14 buses at suitable intervals to and from Derry on a daily basis.
The depot where bus from Derry to Springtown Camp left
Small shops were opened by residents in their hut and they provided a great service to the people. Delivery men started to ply their trade on a near-daily basis around the camp and soon we had breadmen, vegetable vans, milkmen, and even Black men selling clothes and shoes from their cars. Everything was now in place as individual people sold 'toffee apples', icing squares, and smuggled cigarettes from over the border. It was a haven for small time smuggling and I do believe almost every family done a wee bit of smuggling at one time or another. We even had a betting office for a while and housey [Bingo] huts were very popular, as were the many card schools and toss pits. We now had all the required amenities which were as good or better than any in an Irish Village. The Corporation in their wisdom, employed two elderly workmen Mick Power and Paddy 'sauce' Moore to keep the 302 huts in good repair, an impossible task for ten men never mind two.
The Holden family Hut No. 7 after the huts were renovated
Life was good then for all and we were a happy bunch of children growing up there.
The camp was now a mass of newly renovated huts, fenced in by an eight-foot-high chain-linked fence with three rows of barbed wire on top. Lush green grass with bright yellow buttercups and daisies surrounded the huts. Sloping green embankments merged roads at different levels, with acce by steps with safety handrails on both sides. A rectangle-shaped field ran the complete length of the camp and parallel with the railway line, on which the twice-daily Derry to Buncrana train ran on.
The Buncrana Train passing Springtown Camp in 1943
A concrete bridge was placed over the railway line, it had safety handrails on each side with small square mild steel between the handrails for added safety. It was the main means of access and provided safe passage for the tenants to access the Buncrana Road. When the train was due, children would stand on top of the bridge and watch the train which bellowed thick smoke from its engines as it passed. It was a very exciting thing for a child to observe from such a close distance, yet in complete safety.
Sammy and Kathleen Porter and family on the Bridge at the Camp 1950's
There were not too many cars in the camp maybe three or four, so it was completely safe for us to wander and explore the vast open spaces and visit the several shops in which to spend our few pennies. Everyone knew everyone, if not by our first names, then by our nicknames, almost all of us had nicknames, and if truth be told, most not too complimentary. Both girls and boys often picked blackberries down by the railway line, supposedly for our mothers to make jam, but sure, we nearly always, ate most of them, before we got home.
A field full-grown with golden corn ran the full length of the camp and on the opposite side, there was a small forest of mature trees we called 'the Plantin'. A beautiful orchard among many trees was on another side, although strictly not on the property of the camp, we still viewed it as so. The Burn, aka as our swimming pool, ran alongside the railway line, at the bottom of the square shaped camp.
If truth be told, on a summer's day as the sun shone brightly, the camp was, from a child's point of view an idyllic place to grow up in. We considered it to be one gigantic play area simply because we knew no better, and we were blissfully unaware of our parent's concerns regarding the huts. If we were lucky enough to me near Mr. Magowan's hut when he was going out on an errand, we would get a wee lift on his horse drawn trap, we loved that.
Sam Magowan's Pony and Trap loved by all the children
It was not until we were about to reach our early teens and had visited our friends home that we realised the difference, they had a bath, hot water on tap, stairs, a back door, an open coal fire and a cooker in their kitchen for cooking. We knew we were not different from them, as children, but our homes were different from their homes, in a big way. In the years growing up as children, we knew no better, but now, we knew our parents were getting a raw deal, from the powers that be, and the realisation of that, was not a nice feeling, we didn't like that.
Inside the Holden family hut 17th December 1955
New School
For the first seven years of the camp's existence, the school going children went to different schools in Derry. This changed in June 1954 as a new school, St. Patrick's Boy's Girl's and Infant's school opened.
It was one big school with three sections for 'Big Boys', Big Girl's, and Infants. When both boys and girls have reached a certain age, they progressed to either, the Big boys or the Big girls section. Now all the children of the camp were at one school for the first time.
Playground of one of the schools at St. Patrick's School Pennyburn
The Buncrana Road came alive every school day, with hundreds of children walking the half-mile in all weathers to school. If you had a few pennies to spend then it was the norm to crowd into Barney Norrby's shop at the Collon to buy sweets. When we the children were at school, it took a little pressure from our parents, as the majority of us got dinner there.
Time To Earn Wages
It is probably fair to say, for the majority of the children, we were patently aware of the need to contribute to the weekly family budget, by going to work, as soon as the law permitted us to. These thoughts naturally took precedence in our minds, over any educational aspirations we may have held. I have no doubt that some potential Oncologist, G.P's, Teachers, may have been missed and many other professions had lost out, through the circumstances that existed at that time.
During the potato season on a Saturday morning, we all boarded a tractor pulling a trailer to head to the spud fields, where we got ten bob [50p] a day plus a healthy hearty dinner, gathering spuds for farmers. Going home on a Saturday night we were singing our wee heads off and feeling like millionaires with our days pay in our pockets. Both Catholic and Protestant children living in a tin hut, who hadn't a care in the world, simply because we knew no better. Yet, we knew that the few shillings we all would give to our mothers would make a difference and boost our families meagre income. It would if only ever so slightly, ease the pressure at home, as by now we were starting to understand their daily grind of trying to keep an uninhabitable hut, somehow fit so they could retain some resemblance of a normal happy home, in abnormal circumstances. We the children of the camp can remember when some of our fathers went to England to work, some for only thirteen weeks, in order to get thirteen stamps on, so they would qualify for extra money from the dole when they came home. I am sure a lot of families in Derry were in the same boat, as it was tough for people back then.
On leaving school at fifteen years of age, the girl's would have in most cases been practically guaranteed employment in one of the many shirt factories in Derry. The boys would have had a more difficult task in seeking employment, as jobs were not as easily available to them. The lucky ones would have secured jobs on the building sites and others into the BSR factory. One thing was certain their wages made a big difference to the family budget, and this led to a significant increase in the standard of living for some families, mine included.
Derry shirt factory girls at their place of work
The girls and lads who were working looked forward to weekends and the dances in The Corinthian, The Embassy and The Crit. It was a sight to see the girls walking to the gate to catch the 9.10 bus on a Saturday night holding their hair sprayed hair in place with one hand and her other hand holding down her Can-Can dress and walking awkwardly in their high heel shoes. The lads were all suited and booted, hair laced, with Brylcreem and smelling of Old Spice aftershave, and singing 'Runaway' in loud voices. Some long-lasting romance and marriages were nurtured on that bus.
Derry people enjoying dancing in the Embassy Ballroom
Fire Sparks Protests
With only two men tasked to keep hundreds of huts in good repair, it was patently obvious the huts would fall into disrepair through time and this is exactly what happened. Windows were sticking and difficult to close, water started to seep through the rusted tin, the electrics were in a very dangerous state and the huts quickly deteriorated. They were now in serious condition and discontentment rapidly spread around the camp regarding their living conditions. The Londonderry Corporation had a reputation of a notoriously limited willingness to dispense equal civil rights to some of its citizens. There followed a complete breakdown of relations between the residents and the corporation.
The corporation tried to introduce an agenda of social exclusion whereby they hoped if they let the huts deteriorate to a level that they were totally uninhabitable that the tenants might feel their situation is impossible and with little or no chance of a house they may be encouraged to emigrate to England. This would get them off their list of condemned homes and more importantly reduce the nationalist vote. The corporation's plan worked to a degree as some families just could not take anymore and with their children's health at serious risk they decided to move to England. Several families moved to Bradford in West Yorkshire where some ex Springtown Camp families were already there. Other families moved to Scotland and others to different parts of England and some further afield. The sad thing is some never returned to the city of their birth. The rest of the residents now viewed their battle with the Londonderry corporation as a personal one and a battle of endurance between them. The Mayor and officers of the corporation hated the Springtown Camp tenants simply because they were a thorn in their side for many years and had the temerity to demand to be housed.
On the night of 31st October 1959, a fire engulfed a hut that housed two families and was completely destroyed. The children just got out in time thanks to their mother and neighbour Willie Campbell who brought the children to safety.
This hut housed two families and all were made homeless after Fire destroyed it
The women of the camp were incensed by this near fatal tragic hut fire, which they viewed as being inflicted on innocent children by this heartless Unionist Corporation.They decided to hold a meeting to see what they can do about the grave situation that existed in the camp now.The meeting was an angry one and it was decided they would converge on Derry's Guildhall for the next meeting of the Londonderry Corporation and would demand to speak. Two days later Springtown Camp mothers crowded into the public gallery of the Guildhall where the Corporation meeting was being held.
The Springtown Camp mothers at the Derry's Guildhall
During the meeting, Sadie Campbell who was elected as spokesperson asked to speak and was refused. She continued to request to be allowed to speak and was repeatedly refused, several other women also joined in and asked to let Sadie speak again they were refused. The RUC then appeared on the scene and after talking with the women, the women decided to leave, but before leaving they shouted to Alderman Glover "We will be back and next time we will bring our children."
The next meeting was held on Thursday 3 December 1959. In direct response to the women's protest the previous week, the Londonderry corporation passed a proposal from Alderman Glover and seconded by Councillor McFarland, that the twenty-eight houses nearing completion at Coach Road would be allocated exclusively to Springtown Camp residents. What a result for the mothers of Springtown Camp. However, that promise even though it was duly passed by the corporation was broken and just 10 residents from the camp got a house there. When confronted by the people of the camp on reneging on their promise to allocate 28 house at Coach Road to the people of the Camp Alderman Glover told them "Things have changed since then." The only thing to have changed was the huts were in a lot worse condition than ever. On hearing this news more families were so disgusted that they finally decide to make the move to England. Over the next ten months, just a few more families were housed, so the mothers again decided to attend a meeting of the Housing Committee in the Guildhall on 27 September 1960.
The M.P for Derry Eddie McAteer sat with the women in the public gallery. The women ask permission to address the meeting but again this request was refused by Alderman Glover. The women told him we will keep coming back to every meeting from now on until we are allowed to speak. The meeting was adjourned for lunch. The women decided to go and sit in the seats the committee were having their meeting and the Nationalist Councillors brought them tea and sandwiches. When the corporation returned to resume their meeting they got a shock when they saw the women sitting there.
The women occupying the Guildhall chambers and having tea
They knew this was going to keep happening until they let the women have their say so they agreed that Sadie Campbell can speak at their meeting. Sadie voiced a lot of concerns about the conditions of the huts and the fact that it was now a dark place as the street lights were not working. The Corporation promised them the lights would be fixed tomorrow and when Sadie Campbell told them "Look the only way you are going to see how bad the huts are is to visit the camp yourselves. This the committee promised they would do the next day. The next day a group of the committee led by Alderman Glover arrived at the camp and viewed the huts. They were indeed surprised and shocked at how bad the huts were and promised to speed up the rehousing of the families. Only Several families were housed over the next year, but still, over one hundred huts remained.
The Housing Trust decided to build 276 houses in nearby Belmont and hopes were high that many from the camp would get a house there. The Housing Trust had previously agreed at meetings with the Londonderry Corporation to house their fair share of tenants at Springtown Camp. As the allocating of the houses at Belmont were imminent there was a great deal of optimism among the families that they might be on the list. Lists of allocations for Belmont were flooding out and with only a few dozen houses now to be let, not one single house was allocated to a family in the camp.
Finally, all the houses were let in Belmont and not one family in the camp received a house there. Even by the Londonderry Corporation's and Housing Trust standards, this was unbelievable. It soon transpired that out of 276 house 37 went to Nationalist families and 239 went to Unionist families. The fact that near 40 houses went to members of the RUC and some not long married, further added to their disgust. if the residents thought this blatant injustice would somehow give them leverage in further discussions with the powers that be, then they were badly mistaken. The policy of discrimination by the Unionist's controlled housing authorities went on unabated, the fact that in the eyes of honest people, this took injustice to a new level. They seemed incapable of displaying any signs of emotion, as if, they were simply, prisoners of their own mindset.
The men of the camp formed a committee to organise protests to get the camp finally closed, Willie Campbell and Willie Edgar were elected joint chairmen. At a meeting, they decided to try and take the decision out of the Londonderry Corporation's control and make it a Government matter. To this end they got leaflets printed and handed them out around Derry City centre. This was the first salvo the next was a protest march by the remaining residents of the camp from Springtown to Derry's Guildhall they arranged this on the day the Housing Committee was meeting in the Guildhall.
The march going up the Strand Road
They published details of the march in every newspaper that would carry the story and obtained permission from the RUC to march. The march was to take place on Tuesday 28th January 1964, and it drew a lot of interest from the press and Television with RTE, BBC, and UTV covering the march.
The Unionists tried their best to get the march stopped but couldn't, they also tried to stop the Televisions companies from filming the march but one by one they all refused. The march went ahead as planned and was beamed into every living room in Ireland and it caused quite a stir, now people were taking notice of the plight of the people of the camp.
We need a good picture for tonight's news
The whole of the camp was glued to their television sets that night and all were making sure they would receive a good picture on their screens. So it was on to the roof to perfectly position the television aerials.
This spurred the Corporation into action, as now even their Young Unionist branch was calling on them to house the people without delay. They housed several more families among them Willie Campbell and his family the Camp committee chairman, and main motivator of the campaign.
Jimmy Deery was elected as the new Chairman and the protests continued.
The Beginning of The End
John McBrearty and Leo Fitzpatrick collecting signatures in Derry
They organised a petition calling for Springtown Camp to be closed and asked the people of Derry for their help. Several committee members and others sat at different positions around Derry and asked people to sign this petition which was to be handed into the Stormont Government. The Derry people queued at these makeshift desks to sign the petition and over Twenty one thousand people signed it to show support for the people of the Camp.
The committee accompanied by their M.P Mr. Eddie McAteer marched up the Steps of Stormont and presented the signatures to Mr. Cecil J. Bateman secretary to the Cabinet. By now M.P's were visiting the camp to see the conditions for themselves. They were horrified at how bad they were and one Liberal M.P Sheelagh Murnaghan said these are the worst conditions I have seen outside of Johannesburg, in South Africa.
Sheelagh Murnaghan M.P talking to Dolly Sweeney and some of her family
Despite massive public pressure, the Londonderry Corporation continued at a snail's pace to house the tenants. More letters of protest were sent to the Stormont Government and the standard reply was sent back, referring them back to the Londonderry Corporation. The camp committee continued to invite M.P's to visit the camp and see for themselves, and more did just that.
Charles Stewart M.P is shown an open sewer by committee members
Almost two years later houses being built at Shantallow were now ready for allocation, and over thirty families were housed there and a further twenty or so families were rehoused at Coshquin.
Turning in to 1967 eleven families remained and the Corporation true to form, were trying to force them to accept house miles out in the country. They wanted them to go to a house in Rural districts, miles out of Derry, as they came from Rural Districts, over twenty years ago. But this didn't fly with the tenants, and in any event, it was a weasel argument, as their children were born and reared in Derry. The tenants also pointed out that they had already housed people who came from rural areas, in Derry. Still, the Corporation's tried to get their way to the bitter end, but the families refused and the Corporation summoned them to court to get evictions.
Some residents and ex residents protesting about evictions at Derry's Court.
The families were represented in court on 2 February 1967 by Derry's leading solicitor Paddy Maxwell, the judge granted the evictions but gave them a stay of six months. Francis Lynch instructed Mr Maxwell to appeal which he duly give notice of. This was news all over Northern Ireland and it was discussed at Stormont. A meeting was hastily scheduled for Wednesday 8 February 1967 at Dundonald House, Belfast, there was only one topic on the agenda, the residents of Springtown Camp. In attendance were representatives of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Development, the Londonderry Corporation, the Rural Council, and the N.I. Housing Trust. None of them agreed to house the tenants, but the government told them to sort it out locally.
The appeal was scheduled for 8 June 1967 the Judge again came down on the side of the Corporation and give the families until 1 August to vacate the huts. The corporation wanted the land at Springtown Camp for a new Industrial estate and was keen to get this sorted and one by one nine families were housed in Derry as they requested.
The End of The Camp
This left two families remaining out of hundreds of families who lived in Springtown Camp down the years. Eddie and Kitty Lynch and family and Charlie, Sarah, Mary, Francis and her two children were the families left. Both families were put under pressure to accept houses out in the country but both steadfastly refused, then came to the word that both families had got their wishes and were to be housed in Derry.
Eddie, Sarah, Frances, Mary and Frances' two twins George and Margaret leave the camp for the last time
Kitty Lynch, the last person to leave Springtown Camp waving goodbye
These protests and marches were to a degree the catalyst for the civil rights movement, which changed the way in which the North would be Governed forever. On Wednesday 11th October as the church bells were striking twelve noon both families finally said goodbye to Springtown Camp. It had been twenty-one years, one month and twenty days, thousands of births, scores of marriages, poverty, frustration, sadness, but most of all as far as we the children were concerned, years of childhood innocence and happiness. Our parents might take a different view, and there again, they might not. One thing everyone will agree on, it sure was a place full of Derry history. Kitty Lynch turned off the lights of her hut, closed the door behind her and walked away. The story of Springtown Camp had come to an end.
The disgraced, bigoted, Londonderry Corporation's action's, since they came to power, as the result of the gerrymandering of our city, finally caught up with them. Their actions had inflicted such enormous reputational damage on them, that to the delight of the people, they were ignominiously disbanded.
In the eyes of honest men and women the Londonderry Corporation, and the Rural District Council were devoid of any courageous or moral leadership. Disliked by many and remembered by few, their deeds would be judged by future generations of this city and that history may not judge them too kindly.
Mrs Holden nursing her baby as her husband Sammy relaxes. Bella Carlin and Moira Carlin
Lily Jennings leads the mothers into protest in the Guildhall
The housing situation in Derry was dire after the war and with the military camps now empty on Wednesday 21 August 1946 Four families living in cramped conditions in Limewood Street led by Adam Smith decided to squat into the camp at Blight’s Lane. The news of the squatter’s action spread around Derry and soon people living in poor conditions squatted into other camps in the city
21 AUGUST 1946
It was a momentous week in Derry city. Coupled with the massive Squatters Initiative, the Derry Journal reported in its edition of August 1946, that first brick was Finally laid in the new housing estate called Creggan. Life was surreal for the Squatters that weekend. The people of Derry were left stunned by events that week, as the terrible predicament of the squatters brought home to them, in no uncertain terms, the harsh reality of the housing situation in their city.
22 AUGUST 1946
The first squatters moved into Springtown Camp. Three days later over 100 huts were now occupied by squatters.
25 AUGUST 1946
Hundreds of people lined the roads leading to both entrances to the camp, watching as families moved their belongings by van, horse drawn carts or push carts on their way to squat into a hut.
26 AUGUST 1946
Water was turned on in all the camps.
27 AUGUST 1946
The huts were large open units with no internal partitioning or internal doors, no sanitary facilities, no running water, no heating facilities. These were the most urgent problems facing the squatters. In fact, they were just like big barns.
The people came up with a novel idea to light braziers- tin oil drums with holes drilled at the sides to facilitate the flow f air through them. They lit the braziers with sticks and coke, when the coke reddened to such a degree the smoke disappeared, they transferred them inside the hut. Cooking was my means of a little paraffin-fired Primus stove, with lighting provided by several Tilley lamps strategically placed throughout the hut. The younger people fetched water by kettles, buckets and basins from the two water taps that served the whole camp.
2 SEPTEMBER 1946
Work to convert huts in Springtown Camp began.
150 huts were now occupied, and renovation work commenced on the other 152 vacant huts. When the conversion was completed there would be in total 302 huts in the camp.
17 SEPTEMBER 1946
Springtown residents elected a committee to look after the interests of the squatters. Mr. Samuel Quigley was elected chairman.
18 SEPTEMBER 1946
Springtown Camp people signed a FORM OF LICENCE TO OCCUPY TEMPORARY DWELLING. With the Londonderry Corporation It was supposed to be for twelve months. It lasted twenty-one years, one month and nineteen days.
JULY 1948
After negotiations by the committee the Ulster Transport Authority [UTA] agreed to run a regular bus service from Derry to Springtown.
They were in all fourteen buses to and from the UTA station on the Strand Road each Day. Stopping at William Street and Eden Terrace to pick up passengers. The first bus for the workers left the camp at 7.20am and the last bus each night left the bus station in Derry at 10.40pm. The service was a roaring success and 80% of the buses were normally full to capacity.
MARCH 1949
Delivery men were now selling their goods on a daily basis. They also done a very profitable trade and their services were greatly appreciated by the residents. They were breadmen, Milk men, Deliverymen with horses and carts selling Country butter, Buttermilk, Scallions, and every types of fruit and vegetables. Ice-cream carts, fresh herring, oil-cloth floor covering salesmen. They were even drapery men who sold all types of clothing and shoes. And the children’s favourite’s Balloons for Rags men were frequent visitors to the camp. It was indeed a sight to behold seeing every colour of balloons with crowds of children carrying bits of old clothing and selection their own personal balloon in exchange.
SEPTEMBER 1949
The People of the camp settled into their newly renovated huts well and in truth they were happy with the improvements. Now they had cooking facilities and washing facilities plus an indoor toilet. The children were in heaven with their massive play space all over the camp. Life was good for the families for probably the very first time in their married life.
DECEMBER 1949
Springtown Camp now with their own regular bus service, and delivery men was now just like any other ordinary Irish village with its own identity.
Children recall their innocent antics and faltering steps to maturity, which created wonderful memories and formed lasting friendships.
16 JULY 1953
Margaret Hasson 139 Springtown Camp , through her solicitor Claude Wilton sought permission to open a shop in the camp.
22 JANUARY 1954
The majority of huts were now suffering from severe dampness and after a visit by the County health committee they called on the corporation to close the camp as soon as possible. The corporation rejected his report.
5 JANUARY 1956
The old bridge was considered as a danger to people as railings were missing. The Corporation refused to demolish it as they were not sure who the legal owners of the bridge were.
1 MARCH 1957
Londonderry Corporation bought the land the huts were on in the camp from the Honourable Irish Society for £4,000.
5 DECEMBER 1957
The Corporation decided they would once again re-let vacant huts to families who were prepared to live in them.
20 DECEMBER 1958
As lots of campers came home from working in England for Christmas all had new suits and the 9.10 bus to Derry was packed with slick dressed lads and young ladies with colourful can-can dresses all going to the Crit or Corinthian Ballrooms. The smell of old Spice and Pagan perfume filled the bus.
10 JANUARY 1961
The old railway line where we all played as children was bought by the Corporation for £95.
JULY 1961
A large group of spud pickers left the camp for Scotland. They included Stanley Colby, Mickey Jackson, Willie Divin, Liam McConnell and John McLaughlin
3 FEBRUARY 1962
Families were getting housed at a rate of one or two every couple of months and at this rate it would take another fifteen years before all the families would be housed.
8 DECEMBER 1963
The men folk of the camp decided enough was enough and they decided to form a committee to confront the Londonderry Corporation. Willie Campbell and Willie Edgar were elected joint chairmen
4 JANUARY 1964
Willie Campbell with the help of several women of the camp handed out leaflets in the centre of Derry informing people of the conditions they had to live in .
28 JANUARY 1964
A march was held from the camp to the Guildhall where a housing committee meeting was being held. Almost everyone from the camp took part in the march and it attracted massive publicity from RTE, UTV and BBC television. The film of the march was beamed into every living room in Ireland. Every newspaper reporter descended on Springtown Camp.
1 DECEMBER 1966
The remaining eleven families refused to take houses miles out in the country as their children were born in Derry
2 FEBRUARY 1967
Ejectment notices were served on the last eleven families at Derry court. A date of 1 March 1967 was set for the ejectments. The families appealed
5 MARCH 1967
Wilfred Denis McNutt became the last baby to be born in Springtown Camp he was baptised in St. Patrick’s Church Pennyburn.
JULY 1967
Housing manager told the housing committee that the Northern Ireland Housing Trust would offer four families houses in Creggan, the Rural Council would offer houses to four families in Lettershandoney and the Corporation would house two families.
11 OCTOBER 1967
Kitty Lynch turned out the lights and closed the door of her hut at 104 Springtown Camp for the last time..The story of Springtown Camp had ended.