In
the first World War Austrian 'interned aliens' were held at Tytherington Quarry
amongst other local places as shown by the newspaper cutting (left) from the
Gloucestershire Gazette 18th May 1918. The use of the words
'interned aliens' implies that these men were probably civilians, as
normally combatant, military personnel and civilians were termed
'prisoners' or POWs. It is possible that the Tytherington 'camp'
was opened to house civilian Austrian aliens who had been living, say in
Bristol, immediately prior to the War. Read more about this
here.
Tytherington villager Alsey (Dossie) Curtis (born 1897) was interviewed in 1989 and 1992 by Roger Howell for the Tytherington Local History Group. Alsey could remember the camp. The transcript is reproduced here:-
Roger: Do you remember the prisoners of war camp in Tytherington? {Really an aliens camp}
AC: Yes. Uncle Bill was in charge of some of them or other. They used to work in the quarry didn't they? I remember when I come back {from serving in the Flying Corps as a lorry driver} I think there was a lot of them working in the quarry then. Uncle Bill used to take them. He was in charge of some of them. One or two of them lived with.... One was an artist and he used to paint. He used to do a lot of painting. Then he painted Uncle Bill I remember.
Roger: I wonder what happened to that? I suppose Millie would have it, would she?
AC: I should think so. He was a great artist. I think he kept up with them when he went back after that, Uncle Bill did.
Roger: Because Charlie Davis has some nice things that the prisoners of war made.
AC: Yes, yes he did.
Roger: But he told me there was German Royalty there in this camp at Tytherington.
AC: Yes, I shouldn't be surprised. Yes there were some nice people there. I believe they were nice people that Uncle Bill looked after.
Roger: I suppose they were officers?
AC: Something like that. They behaved properly. They didn't mind working They knew they'd have to do something, and that's what they did in the quarry. One lad worked in the office.
Roger: There was a sort of camp up on the Ramsoaks was it? {Pronounced Ramocks locally}
AC: Up on what we call....
Roger: There's still some remains up there.
AC: Yes,yes.
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| Concrete foundations and drainage pipes indicating the possible site of the Austrians internment camp. |