Ilford Park Polish Home

In the aftermath of the war former prime minister Winston Churchill singled out the Poles for their contribution to victory and stated that Britain "will never forget the debt they owe to the Polish troops who have served them so valiantly".

The Polish Resettlement Act 1947, also known as the "Winston Churchill promise", made the National Assistance Board responsible for the care of qualifying Poles and their dependants.

[1] Ilford Park opened in 1948 at Stover Camp, a hospital built in anticipation of American casualties suffered during the Invasion of Normandy.

For a period a Young's Seafood factory operated on the site, employing 40-50 residents and making the world's first mass-produced scampi.

[2] The camp evolved from its original purpose, of assisting veterans and their dependants to resettle elsewhere, into a residential and care home for the elderly.