Springtown Camp: Daughters and granddaughters recreate 1959 picture

Nineteen women have recreated a picture of their relatives outside the Guildhall in Londonderry from sixty years ago.

The group, known as Mothers of Springtown Camp, marched to the Guildhall to demand better housing for their families in 1959.

Springtown Camp was a US naval base in Derry, where people squatted for more than 20 years.

A memorial remembering the camp was also unveiled at its former site.

Anna Dillon's mother, Annie McBrearty, was one of the 19 women who walked from the camp.

"I have great pride to stand here in my mother's footsteps," Mrs Dillon said.

"Our mothers might be gone now but we are here to represent them. It's been brilliant to see everyone from the camp again.

"We are still all so close. We are more like brothers and sisters than neighbours."

Springtown Camp was an American navy base in Derry during World War Two.

But locals who could not get adequate housing moved in when the Americans left.

The site had 302 Nissen huts, a chapel, gym, laundry, canteen, barber's shop, theatre and even a jail.

But the huts had no water, electricity or heating.

After a public outcry, the unionist-majority Corporation, which had obtained power through gerrymandering, granted temporary rentals to the new residents and charged rent.

That agreement was to last six months and the families were to be allocated housing. That did not happen and residents stayed until the camp closed in 1967.

Actress Jane Russell sparked an international furore in 1951 when she adopted a child from a mother living in poverty within the camp.

Eileen O'Donnell stood in the picture to represent her mother, Ellen Deane.

"It's brilliant to be here with all the other daughters and granddaughters," Mrs O'Donnell said.

"It's unbelievable we are all back together again. I'm delighted to see everyone and share our memories of our time at the camp."

The picture was recreated after a memorial was unveiled at the site of Springtown Camp to remember the former residents.

Willie Deery, who lived at Springtown Camp, is behind the memorial, which is a one third scale replica of a Nissan hut.

The plans were approved by Derry City and Strabane District Council in January 2018.

"It's great to see the memorial finally in place. I have all of our mothers in my mind today," Mr Deery said.

"They worked so hard. They were the first up in the morning and the last to bed at night.

"That was a Springtown Camp mother."