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Association Notices


The Law of Democratic Memory / Claiming Spanish Nationality Read about it here … or email Simon Martínez to discuss NOTE: the date for applications extended to 22 October 2025

News, Events & Reports


 

The Man of War

I was recently contacted by our old friend Bernardo Fernández, former Councillor for Employment and Social Affairs in the Spanish Embassy, London, telling us of a new, posthumously published novel (in Spanish), that includes the experience of the niños exile:

El hombre de la guerra
by Ramiro Pinilla
[Editorial Tusquets, Bercelona 2023].

Until his retirement and return to Spain Bernardo was one of our staunchest allies and supporters. He gave immeasurable help to our Association in its early days. The association owes him a tremendous debt of gratitude. I still keep in touch with Bernardo and he still follows our activities. Carmen Kilner

The Man of War by Ramiro Pinilla
Review by Bernardo Fernández (Former Spanish Consul in London)
[translation by MDL Power]

El hombre de la guerra

Nuestro viejo amigo Bernardo Fernández, antiguo Cónsul de España para Asuntos Culturales en Londres, se puso recientemente en contacto conmigo para hablarnos de una nueva novela, publicada póstumamente (en español), que recoge la experiencia del exilio de los Niños:

El hombre de la guerra
de Ramiro Pinilla
[Editorial Tusquets, Bercelona 2023].

Hasta su jubilación y regreso a España, Bernardo fue uno de nuestros más firmes aliados y partidarios. Prestó una ayuda inconmensurable a nuestra Asociación en sus comienzos. La Asociación tiene con él una enorme deuda de gratitud. Sigo en contacto con Bernardo y él sigue nuestras actividades. Carmen Kilner

El Hombre de la Guerra por Ramiro Pinilla
Reseña por Bernardo Fernández (ex cónsul español en Londres)

Churchill's Spaniards by Sean Scullion.

This widely promoted book is out this month. It has been written by a serving British Army Officer. There are contributions from Susanna Hidalgo, Rob Garcia,and Manuel Moreno. The Assocition is cited and credited. Read a review by Simon Martinez here here ….


New Exhibition

John Hansard Gallery

5 October 2024 – 11 January 2025
John Hansard Gallery
142 – 144 Above Bar Street, Southampton SO14 7DU
Opening hours :
Open Tuesday to Saturday 11am – 5pm
Free Entry.

Sonia Boué and Ashokkumar D Mistry
Las Gemelas: Arrival (a lexicon of unmaking)
Sarah Pierce
Scene of the Myth

More details about the artists, and their relationship to the arrival in 1937 of almost 4,000 Basque child refugees, can be found here


New to our Colonies pages:

Moorhill House, near North Stoneham

UK Map

We are gradually adding to our collection of informative pages on the colonies. Explore it using our interactive map here To date we have twelve informative pages: Aston, Brampton, Caerleon, Faringdon, Guisborough, Huddersfield, Merriot, Montrose, Moorhill, Swansea, Theydon Bois and Wickham Market. STOP PRESS 'The Oaks', Langham, Colchester has just been added to the list - see here. We're always happy to update the information, or make corrections - just contact us with the details


Euskara Classes

Euskara Classes



We receive occasional requests about learning the Basque language, so we are happy to inform you of this course from the London Basque Society.


The Basque Child Refugees in the UK

Leeds Zine

This teaching/educational aid is a "Zine", produced by a group of undergraduate students at Leeds University in 2021, and which you can download here The students came from different disciplines and worked under the guidance of Peter Anderson, Professor of Twentieth Century Spanish History. It is an example both of what can be produced by interested and talented students and also of a useful educational aid for schools investigating this topic. As is made clear on the introductory page this can be printed, copied and otherwise reproduced without needing further permissions.


The Guernica Children documentary on our YouTube channel

The Gernika Children Picasso Gernika

The English Version can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/LSNe_BMPhDI La versión en español puede verse aquí: https://youtu.be/CuW_BAqZcTY


'Happy and Safe': The Basque Child Refugees in Cumberland and Westmorland 1937 - 1939

by Rob David
Book cover

Rob has been studying, writing about, and lecturing on the experiences of refugees in Cumbria for many years. Now he turns his focus on the Basque Children who arrived in the North West in 1937. He has had full access to the archives of the Charles and Lady Cecilia Roberts who brought into existence a colony of 100 children in Brampton near Carlisle and a satellite for 25 children at Ambleside. Rob describes the lives of the children and the impressive range of people who stepped forward to support them both financially and with care and attention …

The book is now available in our shop.


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 …

Newsletter / Boletín

From the Archives

Newsletter 17, November 2012

An Account
by Adrian Bell Newsletter 17, November 2012, pages 8 and 9 Read the full article here …


… an article you may have missed:

The Basque Children Refugees in Hereford 1937 - A Family History by By Maria Dolores Power Read the full article here


From Another Archive:

Niños vascos evacuados a Inglaterra Biblioteca Digital Hispánica Read the full article here …

Articles & Reviews

"El Hombre de la Guerra por Ramiro Pinilla"
Revisión por Bernardo Fernández (ex cónsul español en Londres)
"The Man of War by Ramiro Pinilla"
Review by Bernardo Fernández (Former Spanish Consul in London) — translation by MDL Power
"Churchill's Spaniards by Sean Scullion"
Review by Simon Martinez

View more articles here …


View more event reports here …


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Visit our YouTube channel


Exhibitions Live & Online

Bombs…Away!

The Peace Museum's Bombs…Away! explores the impact of aerial bombardment against civilians during World War Two and uses its unique collection to examine how peace campaigns formed in response … BCA'37 UK helped with the section on the Basque children.

www.bombsawayexhibition.com


Haven's East: The Lost History of Basque Child Refugees in 1930s East Anglia

A National Lottery funded project investigating the history of the Basque children at colonies in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. BCA'37 UK contributed to the R & D of this exhibition. Visit the exhibition at: www.havenseast.org, read about the background to the project here …, and read this Report on Refugee week 2021 by Ed Packard