Pennylands Interviews
Pennylands Local History Heroes
Over May and June 2017 our History Champions interviewed 18 Local History Heroes, recording a wide range of recollections of life in and around Pennylands from 1939 - 1959.
Ages ranged from 59 – 93 and length of interviews ranged from 5 mins to 1 hour 35 mins.
James was a Captain in the Black Watch who was involved in organising the successful repatriation of Polish soldiers at Pennylands Repatriation Camp from 1946 to 1947.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Helen’s father farmed Cooperhill Farm, near Dumfries House and remembers POWs working on the farm and King George VIs visit to inspect the troops on the estate in September 1942.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Clarke spent a happy childhood from the late 1940s to the early 1950s at Pennylands Housing Camp. He lived at hut no 30 with mother, brother Tom and stepfather Adam Zborowski who was a Polish soldier.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Tom spent a happy childhood from the late 1940s to the early 1950s at Pennylands Housing Camp. He lived at hut no 30 with mother, brother Clarke and stepfather Adam Zborowski who was a Polish soldier.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Gib recalls how his parents played host to a number of British and Allied soldiers who visited their house for food and entertainment. Gib is the younger brother of Anne Griffiths.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Gerry and his family lived for a few months in 1948 at Pennylands Housing Camp. He was involved in a shooting incident and was lucky to survive the experience.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
David watched the camp being built in the late 1930s. He witnessed a tragic accident in Auchinleck involving a hand grenade explosion. In 1957 he bought and dismantled one of the huts from Ayr County council for use as a garage.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Anne recalls Free French and Canadian troops in Cumnock where her parents gave hospitality to British and Allied troops. Sister of Gib Cowan.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Linda’s grandfather, Robert Lambie was a farmer at Dalmaca Farm near Patna who had regular German POWs working on the farm. The family kept letters and other souvenirs of the POWs which are on loan for the exhibition.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Ferries was born and raised on the Dumfries House Estate and recalls the first tanks arriving around 1940. His father James was estate shepherd. Ferries was interviwed via Skype and an audio recording is not available.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Jim lived in Auchinleck and remembers watching the Clydebank Blitz light up the sky. A family member, Sgt John Johnston, was stationed at Pennylands POW Camp. His son-in-law Callum Johnston has lent us the wooden walking stick which was carved by a German POW.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
William lived at Pennylands Housing Camp, hut no 1 until the age of 5 when his family moved to Auchinleck.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Ian and family lived in 3 different Pennylands huts. He recalls the very basic conditions and how pleased his mother was when they moved to Auchinleck.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
June worked as a civilian typist from 1946 to 1947 in the orderly room at the Polish Repatriation Camp and recalls the working conditions and what the work entailed.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Jean recalls how her mother Ina befriended German POWs working in New Cumnock and how she maintained a correspondence with one POW after the war.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Ian visited the camp in the summer of 1946 where his father was responsible for the changeover from POW Camp to Polish Repatriation Camp. He has lent us a carved wooden plaque presented by a German POW to his father.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Betty married a Polish military policeman Kasiemierz Parol in 1947. She recalls her wedding in Auchinleck and some tragic tales involving Polish men.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
Johnny lived in Auchinleck and used to visit the camp after school with his friends looking for military souvenirs and witnessed a shocking incident.
Download the full interview transcript as a pdf document HERE
