80 years since Montrose gave refuge to children fleeing Spain’s Civil War.

Spanish children were shipped to Britain and settled in Montrose to escape war-torn country

Eighty years ago this week a cargo ship filled with thousands of children set sail from Spain to Britain to escape the Spanish Civil War on a journey that would ultimately allow a colony of Spanish children to stay in Angus.

The destruction of the town of Guernica by Nazi planes under the direction of Francisco Franco in April 1937 saw the Basque government appeal to foreign nations to give temporary asylum to children.

Although the British government adhered to its policy of non-intervention, an old steamship designed to carry 800 passengers was loaded with 3,840 children, 80 teachers, 120 helpers, 15 Catholic priests and two doctors and set sail for Southampton Docks.

A temporary camp for the refugees was set up by volunteers and over the following weeks the children were sent to 90 colonies across Britain which had been organised by churches, trade unions and private individuals.

More than 30 Tayside organisations hosted a group of children, including Women’s Liberal Association, TOC-H, Dundee Breakfast Club, Shop Assistants Union, Trades & Labour Council.

Children moved into Mall Park House in Montrose, a former mansion house owned by the Dundee Free Breakfast Mission. It was the only colony to be located in Scotland.

On September 17 1937, 24 children aged between five and 15 arrived at Montrose Station where they were greeted by officials from a number of the charities.

Miss May Wilson, who was fluent in Spanish, was put in charge at Montrose, while Basque teacher Adelina Larraga and helper and cook Maria Blanco came with the children.

It cost approximately £20 per week to keep the children and to help with fundraising the children put on a number of concerts across Scotland, often appearing dressed in their Basque costumes to perform Basque and Spanish dances and sing Spanish folk songs.

During one concert at the Caird Hall in Dundee the 30 Basque children entertained an audience of 3,000.

In all, the Basque children stayed in Montrose for almost three years.

A group of the former children made an emotional return to Montrose in July 1985.

As tokens of their appreciation for their happy stay almost 50 years earlier, the former refugees presented Angus Council with a silver plaque from Bilbao and a silver salver from the Province of Biscay.

An exhibition about the Basque children is planned for August 28 to September 9 at Dundee Central Library.

Pictures: Sarah Burns/AP. Top: Thomas Borland and his wife Alison hold the birth certificate, marriage certificate and a photograph of Thomas’s mother, Encarnacion Buenavente, who was one of the Spanish children brought to Angus Mall Park House in Montrose, above, after Nazis...