'Proud' members of Portsmouth's Polish community remember loved ones as part of an All Saints' Day service

Meeting by the November Insurgents Monument at Kingston Cemetery, Fratton, a crowd yesterday paid their respects to those involved in the November Uprising of 1830, as well as all loved ones who have been lost over the years.

The memorial was installed in the cemetery in 2004 specifically to honour Polish soldiers who took refuge in Portsmouth on their way to the USA in 1834. However, the majority of soldiers decided to stay in England with many starting families in the city.

Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Frank Jonas, said: ‘I think Portsmouth, as well as the surrounding areas, has a history of welcoming people in. We have been a refuge for different religions and nationalities.

‘We have such a great Polish community in the city as a result.’

Agnieszka Michalska, the headteacher of the city’s Polish community school, was joined by some of her students at the service to lay handmade poppy wreaths.

The 42-year-old who has lived in Portsmouth for 17 years said: ‘We made these wreaths especially to remember the heroes of the uprising but also everyone who has fallen in wars and everyone who has left us.

SEE ALSO: List of Remembrance Day events taking place in Portsmouth area

‘Usually in Poland we would mark this on All Saints’ Day, which is a bank holiday. But for us most of our relatives are buried back in Poland so this is a way for us to pay our respects to them.’

Polish Second World War veteran Otton Hulacki, 99, who now lives on the Isle of Wight, played a part in getting the memorial installed.

After the service he told The News: ‘I am delighted to be here to see this.

‘There’s a special Polish community in Portsmouth. I like Portsmouth a lot – my wife was from there.’

Some attending were related to the soldiers who arrived on the Marianne ship almost 200 years ago.

Petersfield resident Alan Richardson, 74, was the great-great grandson of Michał Kisielewski.

‘I am extremely proud to be here and extremely proud of my Polish heritage,’ he said.

Among others attending were members of the Polish embassy in London and the Polish community in Southampton.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to our online coverage, including Pompey, for 26p a day.