Cirencester, North Cotswolds, Northleach, and Tetbury Rural Districts Ex-Service Camps used for housing after World War 2

One of the perhaps forgotten aspects of the housing shortage after the second world war was the use of former military camp buildings as temporary accommodation. This post details information about camps in Cirencester, North Cotswolds, Northleach, and Tetbury Rural District within Gloucestershire. Below the photographs there is a table listing the sites and then by former Rural District Council information from council records. In time it is intend to develop information about each camp, detailing its wartime use and then anything that can be gleaned about the particular camps.

In time it is hoped to add additional information for each site

Cirencester Rural District

The 1947 MOH Report noted that Cirencester RDC has completed as scheme at Down Ampney on a former WAAF site which had created 27 families and Air Ministry had given approval for a second scheme at Horcott Fairford which was expected to provide accommodation for 15 families,

North Cotswolds Rural District

In the 1946 Medical Officer of Health Annual report it was reported that three camps has been “seized by squatters ” and as a result works had been carried out so that they could be used temporily:-

In the Autumn owing to the pressing need for housing accommodation three vacant Army camps were seized by squatters. At Maugersbury 12 families were in occupation; Cinque Foil, Blockley 8 families , and Mickleton 6 families. All the huts were of the Nissen type and suitable only for first aid repairs in accordance with paragraph 7 of the M. of H. Circular 20/46.

Water and electric light were turned on, each hut was provided with a cooking range and Elsan closet. As the huts were found to be excessively cold and draughty the ends were felted over and partitions erected to give some measure of privacy.

The standard of accommodation is very low and alternative housing should be found as soon as possible.

Northleach Rural District

It appears that Northleach Rural District Council took on the management of seven sites across their area accommodating 144 families by 1950.

Northleach reported that all the above camps were still in operation in 1952 and they were continuing to be all occupied but by 1954 the numbers in some of the camps began to fall. In 1956 the Council reported that only Whittington Court and Stowell Court were still in operation. Courts Field, “which consisted of 6 good hutments” had been bought by the Council. Windrush and Bibury were closed during the year.

Two years later in 1958 families remained on two camps

In 1959 one of the tenants, presumably with family, was evicted at Stowell Park, allowing the site to be de-requisitioned and handed back to the pre-war owner. The remaining site, Whittington Court, was still occupied by eight families.

Tetbury Rural District

Tetbury Rural in the 1952 report stated that 55 temporary dwellings are still occupied at Long Newton and Beverston but it is hoped to rehouse 20 families in permanent houses in Tetbury early in the new year. In 1955 the Council reported that all of the dwellings at Long Newton had been disposed of and that only 15 dwellings at Beverstone remained. During 1958 all the temporary hut dwellers at Beverstone were rehoused and the huts and fitments were sold by auction.

1. Cirencester RDC, Tender Advert, Gloucester Citizen – Monday 05 May 1947 p2 ↩︎
2. Cirencester RDC Tender Advert, Gloucestershire Echo – Friday 18 June 1948,P2. ↩︎
3. Cirencester RDC Tender Advert Gloucestershire Echo – Friday 18 June 1948, P2.. ↩︎
4. Northleach RDC Tender Advert, Gloucestershire Echo – Tuesday 28 October 1947 p2 ↩︎
5. Northleach RDC Tender Advert, Gloucestershire Echo – Tuesday 28 October 1947,p2. ↩︎