World's first prisoner of war camp in Cambridgeshire to open to the public
Assembled in four months using 500 carpenters and labourers, the historic site in Yaxley, Cambridgeshire, housed around 7,000 French Prisoners and inspired the creation of the world's largest collection of prisoner craftwork.
Now, the Napoleonic Norman Cross prison depot site, which contains the remains of the camp dating back to 1796, has been purchased by Nene Park Trust with £200,000 grant funding from Historic England and £50,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Currently there is no public access to the site, but the Nene Park Trust is developing plans to allow visitors to explore the area.
The acquisition of the Norman Cross site fulfils the ambition of long-term resident and supporter, Derek Lopez, who died before seeing his vision completed.
Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, said: 'The Norman Cross prisoner of war camp represents a pivotal moment in our shared European heritage that deserves to be better known. After years of work to secure this site, we're delighted that our partnership work with Nene Park Trust, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Lopez family has helped to save this internationally significant monument for the nation.'
Functioning as a self-contained town with barracks, offices, a hospital, school, marketplace and banking system the prison measured about 250m by 270m and was designed around four quadrangles.
Each one had wooden accommodation blocks for prisoners, as well as an exercise yard, a store house and cooking house.
Prisoners created craftwork – including artefacts such as toys, model ships and dominos sets carved from wood or animal bone – and sold them at a regular market.
Battles were being fought in Europe, the Caribbean, north Africa and the Indian Ocean with French and Dutch soldiers and sailors captured and brought to the UK.
The last prisoners left the camp in 1814 and it was dismantled two years later.
A memorial to the 1,770 prisoners who died there, many due to diseases such as Typhus, was erected in 1914.
Paul Chamberlain, author and historian of the Napoleonic era, said: 'Norman Cross Prison Depot is unique in that it is an historic site that continues to tell its story, involving communities, both local and national.
'This acquisition will enable more of the story to be told for future generations and provide us with a better understanding of a lost town that had a significant impact on the region over two hundred years ago.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Don't call married couple 'husband and wife' in case it offends non-binary people, London council tells staff
Council staff have been advised not to describe married couples as 'husband and wife' - over fears it could offend people who do not identify with a gender. Instead, civil servants at the Royal Borough of Greenwich council in southeast London, have been told to use 'spouse' or 'partner'. They have also been asked to avoid saying 'ladies and gentleman' at public meetings and events, or requesting someone provide their 'Christian name', in an effort to be more inclusive. The woke guidelines are provided in a 45-page booklet obtained by The Sun following a freedom of information request. A foreword in the guide states: 'For some of us, communicating in a more inclusive way is about changing deeply embedded habits.' It adds: 'It's OK to make mistakes. Remember that if you are really sorry and apologise, you cannot keep making the same 'mistake'.' A spokesman for the council told The Times: 'Our inclusive language guide is advisory only, and was designed to encourage staff to reflect on the use of language in the workplace and how it might impact their colleagues. 'We are proud to have a very diverse workforce at Royal Borough of Greenwich, and are committed to making sure that everyone working here feels considered and included. The woke guidelines are provided in a 45-page booklet for employees at the London council 'Feedback we have received suggests the advice in the guide has been very well-received across the organisation.' Earlier this month, Merton Council in south London sent a 27-page inclusive language document round to employees encouraging them to change the words they use in the workplace. The guide, also obtained by The Sun, tells workers to stop using the words 'young', 'old' or 'mature' to describe people, in a clampdown on ageism. Terms such as 'mum and dad' and 'mother and father' are also a no-no and should be swapped out for 'caregivers', according to the document. The Labour-run council says it aims to reduce the chances of staff making assumptions about a child's biological parents. The change in terminology is supposed to 'recognise diverse family formation'. In further semantic reforms, employees will be told to use 'person-centred language' instead of gendered terms, including 'man the desk'. The council's equality and diversity team also said: 'Avoid making assumptions about preferred names or nicknames without asking the individual first.' Hannah Doody, chief executive of Merton Council, said however that the guide was more about 'tips and suggestions' rather than 'banning' the use of certain words. She said: 'I want to be really clear: the council has not banned the use of the term "mum and dad". 'The council produced a guide for staff which contains tips and suggestions on how to communicate with understanding and without making assumptions. These are not policies or instructions. 'We regularly review all our guides and policies, and intend to review this guide to ensure it cannot be further misunderstood or misrepresented.' Wokingham Council in Berkshire also came under the spotlight earlier this year after it advised staff not to use the term 'hard-working families' out of fear it could offend the jobless and make them feel 'undeserving'. Wokingham Council in Berkshire issued the advice in its new inclusive language guide. Terms like 'blacklist' and 'whitewash' were among others outlawed as they could be considered 'racist' while staff were warned 'sustained eye contact could be considered aggressive' in some cultures.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Wakefield museum tour guides' pay demands 'unaffordable'
The National Coal Mining Museum has confirmed that 40 members of staff will strike due to ongoing disputes over workers, who are mostly guides leading underground tours at the site in Wakefield, will walk out from Wednesday until 14 September, with further action planned if an agreement is not union, Unison, said museum managers proposed an uplift of 80p an hour or 5% for all workers, whichever would be the greater, but this was an "inferior offer".A spokesperson for the museum said it was "saddened" by its pay offer being rejected by the union, adding the industrial action meant its underground tours would not run during this time. The spokesperson said that during the strike period, "the museum will remain open and continue to share the important history of coal mining with our visitors".It added: "The majority of our workforce of over 100 people are not in Unison and do not support the industrial action. "It is largely made up of the museum guides who deliver our underground tours. Only 28 Unison members out of the 39 who voted in the original ballot, did so in favour of industrial action."After further negotiations and serious consideration, mindful of the wellbeing of our wider workforce and our visitors, the museum proposed an increased offer to all staff of 80p per hour or 5%, whichever is the greater." 'Simply unaffordable' The spokesperson added their offer would have equated to a pay rise of more than 6% for many of its workers, but it was "rejected" by the union, who "refused to share our revised offer with their members to see if they wished to accept it".They went on to say that the museum also relied on external funding and donations and "continues to face considerable financial pressures"."As a charity, our trustees feel this offer is fair and the counter-claim by Unison, which equates to over 8%, for many, is simply unaffordable," the spokesperson said"It would jeopardise people's jobs across the organisation and threaten the long-term sustainability of the museum. That counter-claim was suggested by Unison as part of the negotiation process and was at no point agreed."It is our intention to keep an open dialogue with Unison, with the sincere hope that this offer along with the many additional benefits included will be accepted to benefit our staff as a whole." Unison previously said the pay offer should be 5% or £1 an hour more, whichever is union added that it met with museum managers through the arbitration service Acas on Friday with the hopes that a revised figure could be agreed to put to staff as this would have suspended the Hooley, Unison Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser, said the offer from the museum showed "how little managers value staff"."If museum managers actually care about their staff, they'll improve the offer. Unison is happy to meet right away to resolve this. That would allow families to enjoy the museum and its facilities throughout the summer holidays. "But until they are willing to do so, staff have no option but to strike." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
D-Day veteran celebrates 100th birthday at regimental museum
A D-Day veteran has celebrated his 100th birthday at the museum of his old regiment in Aberdeen after receiving his coveted message from the King. Jim Glennie turned 100 on Tuesday and a number of his family and friends gathered at The Gordon Highlanders Museum where he volunteers. Mr Glennie met the King earlier this year when he toured the Aberdeen museum, with Charles praising him as a 'great example to us all'. As an 18-year-old private, he was part of the invasion force which landed at Sword Beach on D-Day. He was later wounded in action and taken prisoner, spending the remainder of the war in Stalag IV-B. He and other soldiers made their own way back to Allied lines when their German guards deserted them as the Russians approached from the east. When Mr Glennie returned to Turriff in Aberdeenshire after the war, he became a welder. France has awarded him the Legion d'Honneur and earlier this year he was awarded the British Empire Medal in the King's Honours list. Friends and family gathered at the museum on Tuesday to celebrate, singing 'happy birthday' to the veteran. He was formally presented with his British Empire Medal by Aberdeen's Lord-Lieutenant, who is also the city's Lord Provost, David Cameron. The former soldier had earlier received his message from the King. John McLeish, chief executive of the The Gordon Highlanders Museum, said Mr Glennie was in good spirits. He told the PA news agency: 'Jim Glennie has volunteered at The Gordon Highlanders Museum for over 30 years. 'His military service is well documented but less well-known is the commitment and enthusiasm he brings to his volunteer role every Tuesday, week in week out. 'He is an important member of our team and, at the age of 100, his personality and generosity of spirit add to the wonderful camaraderie exhibited by team members. 'Watching Jim engaging with museum visitors is a sight to behold. He makes a regular museum visit very special indeed and, ultimately, he makes people smile! 'There were lots of smiles at the Museum today as we celebrated Jim's 100th birthday.' Charles toured the regimental museum in January, and upon seeing the King, Mr Glennie greeted him cheerfully and said 'long time no see!' The King told him about a portrait of Mr Glennie he had been shown at the museum, saying 'it looked terrific' and promising to send him a message when he turns 100 in August. The King said: 'You're a great example to us all, if I may say so, you really are.'
