Garvald Work Camp

Little is so far known of this small work camp. It was situated in the village of Garvald which nestles in the valley below Nunraw in the Lammermuir hills. It was certainly occupied by those workers brought to East Lothian to construct Nunraw Abbey, established in 1946. However, it appears to be of earlier origin and may well have been used to house PoWs who were too far away from Amisfield or Gosford for daily commuting. We would welcome any further information.

Michael Sanders has very kindly provided significant additional details:

"[Garvald was] Listed as a hostel holding Italian pows in 1942 and 1943. This is confirmed with Italian pows from Garvald recorded as working at nearby Eastfield Farm, Whittingehame. The list records that the hostel was administered by the main camp at Glenbranter (Camp 6) – possible as Gosford Camp (see below) was not opened until 1944, but over 100 miles away!
 
'November 1946 – hostel attached to Gosford Camp 16 for German pows - strength 65.'
 
Probably closed as a PoW camp shortly after this as workers who constructed Nunraw Abbey in 1947 were located here."
 
Malcolm later added the following:
 
Garvald pow hostel – now Burnside Court area, NGR NT 587 708.

 
1942 – hostel attached to Glenbranter Camp 6.
 
Italian pows from Garvald recorded as working at nearby Eastfield Farm, Whittingehame.
 

Memories – “The main impact of the Second World War on the village was the building of a small prison camp behind the hotel. The prisoners were, I think, mainly Italian and worked on the farms. They were popular enough in the village and provided partners at the dances. One of them occupied his time making a model of his home village on the banks of the burn. What a shame it was not preserved! The Roman Catholic Padre got permission to say Mass for the prisoners in the hall.”
[From - https://www.garvald.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Garvald-History20apr_webversion.pdf]

 

5 May 1944 - listed as a hostel for Italian pows attached to Donaldson’s School Camp, (WO 32/10737):

 

November 1946 – hostel attached to Gosford Camp 16 for German pows - strength 65. (Not listed in Camp records for Gosford before this).
 
22 January 1947 – noted that this hostel had been passed over to the Polish Resettlement Corps. Shortly after this, workers who constructed Nunraw Abbey in 1947 were recorded as being located here.
 
See - http://eastlothianatwar.co.uk/page-9/PoW%20Camps.html – for a picture of the camp before it was demolished. 

 
 

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Garvald Work Camp

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