1949 Staines/Egham Abandoned army base, squatters

[ozgirl]

This is quite interesting. Talking about old POW sites in Bagshot and Chobham, both not too far from Egham. A number of people have stated that their parents squatted in these camps, some for a number of years, before they were eventually rehoused in council houses. The housing on the POW sites seems to be mainly old Nissen huts. There was a POW site in Ascot, which is closer to Egham, and just up the road from Bracknell, but I can't find much about it.

https://www.bagshotvillage.org.uk/know/pow.shtml

[cbcarolyn]

I found that article too, and also found the ascot one - but not near water, and I thought still a reasonable distance from Egham?

Scoobylou are you still in that area, a trip to the library might bring some results?

Years ago I worked and lived in Bracknell and also Camberley (at Councils), wracking brains to think if there was anything mentioned.

Did you see that there was one at Kempton Park? thought that was too far away too

[ozgirl]

One other thought I had, was that Egham is in Surrey, as is Chobham. If they were eventually provided with a council house in Egham, wouldn't they have had to be living in Surrey already?

[bubblebelle]

I was bought up in Wraysbury, the opposite side of the river to Runnymede and Old Windsor. I wonder if this could be the area your relative was talking about. Evacuees were sent to the village during the war, but I could find no mention of the type of buildings you are asking about, but an internet search indicated that a National Service hostel was set up in Colnbrook. The area would correspond to your description of the area. There is a PDF online regarding the history of Colnbrook.
http://www.colnbrookwithpoyle-pc.gov...20of%20cwp.pdf
The National archive has these records https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ptiontype=Full.
This of course may not be the place but maybe it's a start.
Of course Egham is very close to Heathrow, which was not an airport in Wartime, my Grandparents actually lived in a small village, Lampton, which was taken, in the first phase of the building of the airport. I believe there was a small aerodrome there in Wartime.

[cbcarolyn]

One other thought I had, was that Egham is in Surrey, as is Chobham. If they were eventually provided with a council house in Egham, wouldn't they have had to be living in Surrey already?

Not sure how council housing worked after the war, District councils didn't come into being until 1973, these days it is the district (or unitary), that deals with housing.

or development corp in 50s with regard to Bracknell

[cbcarolyn]

more on Bracknell development
"In 1947 the government passed the New Towns Act and Bracknell was chosen as one of the eight new towns for the London overspill. Bracknell Development Corporation was set up. By 1950 the first houses had been built at Priestwood, followed later with estates at Easthampstead and Bullbrook."

[cbcarolyn]

have to say there are some great FB groups with local 'historians' posting photos and mini histories about their towns, I follow one for Harlow. many called name of town old and new, and only allow posts with photos.

there is this one
https://www.facebook.com/groups/172692419600246/

[cbcarolyn]

does this mean anything to anyone:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peo...a2047637.shtml
"In the spring of 1939 the unit would descend on Penton Hook Island, on the river near Staines, where a hutted camp existed for weekend exercises."

[cbcarolyn]

cant find a picture, only this at 42 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEoJrvTN6KI

ones on here not on stilts

[bubblebelle]

Further to my previous post regarding Wraysbury. I spoke to my mother in case your description rang a bell. With no prompt from me she also cited the Wraysbury area. She also spoke of friends of hers living on one of the roads by the river (now prime properties) gained their house via squatters rights, initially building a wooden shed and using it as a weekend retreat from their London home. Like me she also wondered about Hythe End, at the Staines end of Wraysbury and immediately opposite Runnnymede on the Thames. I too remember as a child in the late 60's many wooden buildings there.
I have also remember that historically Wraysbury was badly flooded in 1947, so perhaps would fill the time line of your Grandfather, there was also flooding in the 50's and 60's. My parents bought a house with concrete floors there as when the previous owners were putting the damage to rights they decided on this course of action.
You may recall that only a few years ago the village was again badly flooded, this time due to manmade causes aka the flood prevention of Maidenhead and Windsor. However I also recall a friend with a riverside property initially lived in a timber and asbestos!!! bungalow this was raised on a stilt like structure. She actually appeared on the news at the time of the more recent flooding as her house had been raised when rebuilt after a previous flood.
It is amazing what your one post has made us remember, so thank you for that. I hope this may be of help to you.