One of the lesser-known stories connected to Rising Sun Country Park is the Whitley Road Squatters' Camp, a post-war settlement that stood close to today's Whitley Road.
A Housing Crisis After the War
When the Second World War ended in 1945, Britain faced a severe housing shortage. Cities had been damaged by bombing, house building had largely stopped during the war, and thousands of servicemen and women were returning home to start family life.
With so few homes available, many families found themselves living in overcrowded conditions with relatives or waiting years for suitable accommodation.
In the summer of 1946, people across the country took matters into their own hands. Empty army camps, RAF stations and former prisoner-of-war camps were occupied by families who simply needed a roof over their heads.
What began with a handful of occupations quickly grew into a nationwide movement. By the end of August 1946, around 40,000 people in England and Wales were living in squatter camps, with thousands more in Scotland. Although the occupations were technically illegal, public sympathy was strong, and local authorities were instructed to provide basic services such as water, sanitation and refuse collection.
The Whitley Road Camp
On 14 August 1946, eleven families moved into a disused camp on the Old Coast Road, now Whitley Road, in Longbenton. Newspaper reports from the time suggest the camp had previously been used tohouse German prisoners of war. Like many camps across Britain, it quickly grew as more families arrived in search of a home.
Life in the Camp
A valuable glimpse comes from a former resident who spent part of his childhood in the camp. Years later, he created a scale model of one of the huts, which is now preserved in the Rising Sun park offices.
His memories paint a vivid picture of life in the camp. Newspaper reports from that time suggest the camp contained around 200 wooden huts with corrugated tin roofs, providing basic shelter for the families who lived there. The huts had no glazed windows, with curtains often serving as the only barrier against the weather. Water had to be collected from a shared outdoor pump and cost one penny per pail. For cooking, washing and heating water, residents relied on coal fires, while candles provided light after dark. Living conditions were far from easy, and the risk of fire was ever present, with at least two huts being destroyed during the camp's existence.
What Happened to the Camp?
Little is currently known about exactly how or when the Whitley Road camp came to an end. Like many wartime and post-war camps across Britain, it is likely that the site was gradually abandoned as housing conditions improved and families found accommodation elsewhere, but further research is needed to confirm its later history.
Many questions about the camp remain unanswered, which is why photographs, documents and personal memories are so valuable in helping to piece together its story.
Share Your Memories
The story of the Whitley Road Squatters' Camp is an important part of our area's history, but there is still much we do not know.
Do you remember the camp yourself, or have family members who lived there? Perhaps you have photographs, documents, stories or memories that could help us build a fuller picture of life there.
If so, we would love to hear from you. Every contribution helps preserve and share this important chapter in the history of our area and the people who once called the camp home.
