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Web site last updated on:
20 May 2019
SS HABANA SET SAIL
FROM BILBAO FOR SOUTHAMPTON.
80th Anniversary year of the end of Spanish Civil War
A year of exile and repatriation
23rd May 2019 is the 82nd anniversary of
the arrival of the Basque Children to Southampton.
BCA’37 UK gratefully acknowledge the permission of Modern Records Centre,
University of Warwick for use of the above image.
To commemorate this event we bring you a special link to the photos taken
at the North Stoneham camp by Eleanor Hickman, a helper.
The link can be found in the 'From other archives' section in the column to the right.
Association forthcoming events
Friday 31st May - Sunday 2nd June THAXTED ESSEX
Several local venues
In the village of Thaxted in Essex, a meeting of Morris Dancers is held each year. In 1939 a group of young Basques danced at the weekend event.
To mark the 80th anniversary of this visit, a group of Basque Dancers from Berriz are attending the weekend. There will be an exhibition by BCA'37 UK on display at the Church.
[We thank the Thaxted Morris Men for permission to use the photo of Basque boys dancing at Saffron Walden in 1939.]
18 June CAMBRIDGE
St Barnabas Centre, Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2BD, 7:30pm
na-mara concert at the Cambridge Folk Club in association with the Mill Road History Society.
Hear the story of the Spanish Civil War and the child refugees brought to this country in 1937 from Bilbao. There is some local significance in this as there were a number of children brought to Cambridge at the time, many settled here including Antonio and José Gallego who later went on to have local and national football careers.
See also this article featuring the unveiling of a Blue Plaque in Station Road, Cambridge.
The St Barnabas Centre (formerly known as the Old School Hall) is behind St Barnabas Church and accessed from St Barnabas Road.
Tickets: £8 in advance, £10 at the door.
cambridgefolkclub.co.uk —
Telephone: 01638 603986
Wednesday 25 September - Friday 29 November SALFORD
Working Class Movement Library, 51 Crescent, Salford, M5 4WX
Exhibition: Basque Children - Refugees of the Spanish Civil War.
Opening times Wednesdays to Fridays 1pm - 5pm and the first Saturday of most months 10am - 4pm. Tel 0161 736 3601. Opening event on Wednesday 25 September - details nearer the time.
News, Events & Reports
Spain and Culture - Royal Albert Hall on the 24 June 1937
The Association has been sent the fundraising flyer for the Basque Children that was given to the audience at this event.
Terry Caven sent it to us and tells us that his grandfather attended the concert and it was kept securely in his papers.
The artist Edmund Xavier Kapp is noted as the only artist for whom Pablo Picasso sat as a subject. He was also a War Artist and was commissioned to draw scenes at Air Raid Shelters in 1940.
The Association is very grateful for Terry sending a copy of the flyer.
Click the image for a larger view and see also this report.
La historia de 'The niños vascos', los refugiados de la Guerra Civil en Inglaterra
A recent item of interest in the Spanish press
Dora Pandal Gimeno
We have just been informed that Dora Pandal Gimeno passed away on Saturday 30th of March 2019 some of her family being with her at the Zorroaga Nursing home in San Sebastian-Donostia.
More details here …SS Habana leaving Santurce
We have been sent this fascinating link which, among other things, shows a short footage made from one of the Bous (Republican armed fishing boats), of the SS Habana leaving Santurce on May 21st 1937. The link is at the beginning of the second paragraph where it says En este video. More information here …
For other recently posted and older notices, click here.
Welcome
In 1937, during the Spanish civil war, almost 4,000 children were evacuated to the UK from Bilbao. Read more …
At first they stayed in a camp at Stoneham and later in colonies throughout the UK. Read more …
We want to remember and preserve the story of these niños de la guerra in their rightful context. Read more …
From the Archives
From Newsletter 16, Dec 2011
Three short articles written in 1937 by three of the Basque children: The war in Spain, The Basque children who are running and Dances of the Basques
Read the articles here …
… and an article you may have missed:
"George Steer, the War in the Basque country and the Basque refugee children"
2011 BC'37A UK Annual Lecture, given by Nick Rankin.
… and a photo from back then:
(click on the image to display a larger version)
From Other Archives
At North Stoneham camp
by Eleanor Hickman
Commemorating the 82nd anniversary of the arrival of the Basque Children to Southampton,
we bring you a link to these personal photos
taken by Eleanor Hickman, a helper.
These and many other interesting items can be found at the archives of the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick.
[BCA'37 UK gratefully acknowledge the permission of Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick for use of the above image.]