POW Camps Around Leeds

Hector · Post by **Hector** » Fri 17 Apr, 2009 9:35 am

I have heard of Italian POWS in Osmondthorpe, who were kept somewhere near where the Cross Green Industrial Estate is.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Fri 17 Apr, 2009 10:56 am

There was definitely a POW Camp in Otley, somewhere north of the river. I'm not sure if it was in the Farnley Lane area, or along Weston Lane. I daresay the latter, perhaps where the large Weston Estate now stands ?? - come on Si, over to our local correspondent

liits · Post by **liits** » Fri 17 Apr, 2009 12:21 pm

This list mentions a camp on Weston Lane, Otley [Camp No164].http://www.islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk/LIST% ... CAMPS1.htm

dervish99 · Post by **dervish99** » Wed 13 May, 2009 1:20 pm

Hi all, i remember my mum telling me that there was a large mansion on the edge of middleton woods (top end next to St Marys church) which housed pow's during the war. The house is no longer there but the outline of it's lake can still be seen as you walk down into the park from the church. the house was on your left hand side near the flats that are there now.

Si · Post by Si » Wed 13 May, 2009 5:09 pm

BLAKEY wrote: There was definitely a POW Camp in Otley, somewhere north of the river. I'm not sure if it was in the Farnley Lane area, or along Weston Lane. I daresay the latter, perhaps where the large Weston Estate now stands ?? - come on Si, over to our local correspondent Hi Blakey, Liits,I think I may have posted about this camp before, but I was told the officer's camp was on Weston Lane, where Throstle Nest estate is now (at the far end, just past the tight right-hand bend near the Weston Park lodge.) Other ranks were in the Park itself, but there's no sign of any huts/foundations that I can see. An old friend of me dad's lived in Otley during the war, and can remember German POWs being marched down Station Road, through the town, and along Weston Lane. They had a white P and W painted on the legs of their trousers. One of the prisoners worked on his father's farm on the Chevin.

biggee99 · Post by **biggee99** » Wed 13 May, 2009 6:06 pm

BLAKEY wrote: There was definitely a POW Camp in Otley, somewhere north of the river. I'm not sure if it was in the Farnley Lane area, or along Weston Lane. I daresay the latter, perhaps where the large Weston Estate now stands ?? - come on Si, over to our local correspondent They was it was on the water works site they were old buildings still there until the early 80s we played in them for yearsjust before you get to the car auctions coming from the car boot sale on the left look right and they were there just where the old bridge was, some used to go to the old bridgefeild pub if they were good. this one was on pontifract road

Richard A Thackeray · Thu 11 Jun, 2009 12:07 pm

I know it's probably a contentious addition, with the location of the council boundaries, & it being on the cusp of Wakefield/Leeds (well, Rothwell Council) borders Lofthouse Park was utilised as a POW/internment camp, after the closure/subsequent demolition of the amusements/tearooms/etc that were there?I mean at where the new houses are now standing (on the left) at the top of Lofthouse Hill (A61), where it starts to drop down towards Lofthouse Gate (with the golf club on the right)http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_ ... r%20war%20

D Lucas · Post by **D Lucas** » Fri 02 Sep, 2011 10:56 pm

I remember the P.O.W. camp at the side of the sewage works in knowstrop when i was around 12 years old.......there were coragated shelters and other structures still there and i remember the large wire gates at the entrance which was down an overgrown muck road, i think it was demolished quite a few years ago.