British in Iberia

On the 21st of March, 1970 at home in Alicante, in the city where, through his cunning and bravery he helped hundreds of Spaniards flee whilst fighting for freedom during the Spanish Civil War, a man died of a heart attack.  Christopher Edwin Lance was an Englishman, well-known in Republican areas during this ill-fate period.  Captain Lance, or “the Scarlet Pimpernel of the Spanish War” as he was known by many Spanish fugitives who sought refuge in foreign embassies, was also known as “the man in the tartan jacket” and was considered by the Republican Army to be their public enemy number one.

Edwin C. Lance was a civil engineer, born in Wells in 1893.  In 1914 he signed up in the First World War and rose to the rank of Captain.  In 1926 he came to Spain to take part in the construction of the Santander-Mediterranean railway and returned again in 1931 to help protect English interests in a Spanish company.

At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War the English ambassador, Sir Henry Chilton, left Spain and consequently, as agreed by the Chief Consul John H. Milanes, the embassy was re-opened by Captain Lance and it was then used as a refuge for the six hundred or so English, or those who called themselves English, that lived in Madrid.  All of a sudden, despite not knowing their birth date, hundreds of people remembered that they had been born on-board an English ship or in Gibraltar; many of them not knowing a word of English and some were even known to be opponents of the English.

Lance took control of his businesses and was handed the responsibility for the Embassy vault by Ogilvie-Forbes, which was then used to protect the jewelry, cash and documents of many wanted people, such as the Duke of Alba.  Forbes arrived at the beginning of August, sent by the British Diplomatic Service and nominated Lance honorary attaché.  They were artificially protected by the British flag which was displayed on all their vehicles and they all wore red, white and blue wristbands.  He and the other British subjects could travel around with a certain degree of safety as the Republicans had great respect for foreigners, so long as they weren’t Germans or Italians.  With the help of other members of the British embassy such as Marger Hill, Eric Glaisher and Bobby Papworth, he organized trips travelling by road to Alicante to board them on ships destined for foreign ports and out of Franco’s Spain.  Nobody knew how Captain Lance managed to arrange these trips to reach Alicante, usually with him leading the expeditions and travelling during the night time.

At the end of 1936 he was taken prisoner by the state troops in the university area of the city.  After being registered he was then taken to meet Franco.  In Burgos, General Merry del Val gave him the names of some people who he had to rescue from the republican zones.  He returned to Madrid and continued organizing trips to Alicante and obtaining the documents of those who he rescued.  Amongst the many were Domingo de las Bárcenas who then went on to be ambassador in London, Pedro Muguruza who later conceived the Valle de los Caídos project, one of Don Pedro Muñoz Seca’s daughters and one of the sons of General Martin Moreno, head of General Franco’s headquarters.

The man in the tartan jacket was arrested in Valencia in October of 1937.  First he was in jail in Valencia and then taken to Segorbe and later was transferred to the ship “Uruguay”, anchored in the waters outside Gerona.  His name figured on the list of those condemned to the death penalty.  However, early one morning at the end of January, when Franco’s troops had already reached Barcelona, he was rescued.  Captain Lance thought he was living his last few days and was going to be executed but instead he was taken to a house where a member of the British consul, and ultimately his freedom, awaited him.  He had spent fifteen months in jail.

He remained an anonymous figure until 1960 when the British version of the book by C.E. Lucas Phillips was published, in which his achievements in Spain were revealed.  Editorial Juventud published the book in Spain in 1965 under the title, “The Pimpernel of the Spanish Civil War”.

In November of 1961, Edwin C. Lance returned again to Spain, as guest of the city of Madrid who awarded him an official recognition for the humanitarian work which he had carried out during the war.  “I never dreamed of receiving such an award”, he told the various journalists who attended the press conference.  He had lived for twenty years in total anonymity until an English writer published a book about his achievements.
 

Written by Jesús Castro

Translated by Rachael Harrison

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The remains of Columbus and other members of his family are buried at the ancient monastery of La Cartuja.  Family members of Don Carlos Serra Pickman (1881-1951), grandson of the founder of theCartuja factory, still have the documents from research carried out which describe in detail the backgrounds of the various “Columbus´s” buried in the monastery.   This document was published in 1992.

In the book, the Marquis of Serra claims, and corroborates with evidence, that Columbus´s remains were never removed from their provisional tomb in La Cartuja in Seville.  To prove this, in May 1952, a group of academics, historians, forensic experts, journalists and representatives from the church began to dig up the ground of the Columbus’ chapel and exactly in the spot indicated by the Marquis, they found the bones of a man which he assured them were the genuine remains of Christopher Colombus.

Charles Pittman Jones Alnutt, born in London in 1808, arrived in Cadiz in 1822 from Liverpool to continue with the business started by his step-brother, William Pickman Hicks.  Charles Pickman continued with the same business activities as those of his step-brother, the commercialization of English-made products that were successful in the Spanish market of the time.  Taking advantage of the ecclesiastical confiscation’s of Mendizabal, the trader Carlos Pickman who was now set up in Seville, in 1838, rented the monastery that was previously abandoned and in ruins and then in 1840 he bought the premises, transforming it in 1841to become a ceramic factory and hence linking the names of Pickman and La Cartuja de Sevilla right up to the present day.
During this time, in the 19th Century, the location of the Cartuja monastery was excellent due to its isolated position facing Seville, on the right bank of the Guadalquivir river, in the Triana lowlands.  It stood out from the surrounding area with its grand elevations and raised kilns, tall chimneys, chapel, clock tower and elegant windowed balconies, creating a beautiful sight which was eye-catching even at great distance and the Cordoba and Huelva train lines passed by the buildings only eight hundred metres away.   From the building you could see Seville with her cathedral and slender Giralda tower, the Torre del Oro, iron bridges and the great Portilla White foundries, the gas works and the neighborhood of Triana.  Along the train line to Huelva, the Pickmans had set up a Decanville railway line which terminated inside the factory, passing through all the workshops and it was by this means that thousands of tons of coal reached the factory from Belmez, Espiel and Villanueva.

Production during the first years was simply the reproduction of English designs, and later they started with Spanish-style works.  For many years they supplied Spain and America with ceramics, replacing the ordinary ceramics of Talavera and Valencia which were usually seen on tables during the first years of the 19th Century.  The quality of the products made in La Cartuja was recognized both in the national and international press, in addition to the well-deserved awards earned in all the shows and exhibitions in which they participated. Their successes in London in 1862, in Paris in 1867 and  in 1878 in Vienna were much talked-about, where, amongst all the most outstanding products of the civilized world, Pickman was awarded first-class medals, having also earned the privilege of having the La Cartuja products  displayed in the most prestigious museums of Europe.  During the Centennial Exposition of Philadelphia in 1876, the Pickmans were rewarded with considerable accolades and awards, as well as the gold medal in the Barcelona World Exposition of 1888.

This explains the tendency of the public to purchase the ceramics of La Cartuja that not only were on sale in Spain but which also were exported to the Americas and other remote countries where, like here, it is sought after for its durability, delicate shapes, cleanliness, evenness, image detail, brilliance of colour and exquisite finishing touches.
The manufacturing programme followed in the factory was the same as that of the factory in England, having replaced almost all the original English workers with Andalucians.

In the luxurious salon of the factory were displayed elegantly-decorated items of artistic crockery, glassware and vases, reflecting the style of the Arabic embossed tiles such as those of the Alhambra and other styles, decorated in brilliant colours on chinaware and metallic reproductions of those found on the tiling of magnificent Seville buildings, the Gran Casino in San Sebastian, the Palacio de Ciencias in Zaragoza amongst others.

When Charles Pickman arrived in Seville he was a modest un-trained worker with little money who, with constant effort, hard work and ingenuity, managed to create and bring to life one of the most famous manufacturers in Spain.  He adopted Seville as his hometown and attempted to employ everyone who asked for work in his factory, in particular the potters from the neighborhood of Triana.  He was awarded the Order of Isabel the Catholic, the Knighthood of the Order of Carlos III, Order of Christ (Portugal), San Mauricio and San Lorenzo of Italy and was Royal Commissioner for Agriculture.  The title was then inherited by his eldest son who married one of the factory workers.

Amongst Pickman’s family successors were José María Piñar who was Mayor of Seville between 1947 and 1952 and for four years was rector of the technical college; Guillermo Serra Pickman who was a senior member of the Sagrada Mortaja (Holy Week Brotherhood of Seville) for forty years; Antonio Serra Pickman who was a senior member of the Santa Caridad (Seville Holy Week); Ricardo Serra who is the current president of the agrarian organization, Asaja-Andalucia; Guillermo Pickman Albandea who was captain of the Spanish rugby team and senior member of the Montserrat Brotherhood, just as his father was, Guillermo Pickman y Pickman.  The city shows its gratitude to this family by naming a street Primer Marqués de Pickman.

 Written by Jesús Castro

Translated by Rachael Harrison

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Following a 64-day siege, Havana was taken in 1762.  It was the main post captured by the British Army in Hispanic America.

The age-old, endless desires of the English to continue with their conquests in Spanish America were once again stirred up during one of the many rifts between Spain and England during the 18th Century.  The British government was busy with a project to purposefully start another war between the two nations which involved the taking of Havana, considered to be the military port of New Spain.   The aim of this was threefold: firstly, the closing off of access to the Atlantic Ocean to the fortunes leaving America, secondly the opening of free trade for English shipping in the local seas, and thirdly, to threaten the other Antilles islands and further territories that did not belong to them.  To turn attention away from the real aim of the project, word was spread that the forces were to be stationed in Santa Domingo, using the excuse that this island was closer to Martinique than to Cuba.

On the 6th of June, a powerful fleet made up of 70 battleships and 20,000 men and led by Admiral Pocock appeared outside of Havana.  The General in charge of the land forces, appointed by George III, was Lieutenant General George Keppel, Earl of Albermarle and the island was defended under the command of General Juan de Prado Portocarrero.

The taking of Morro Castle (Castillo del Morro), the main bastion of the city’s defenses, was the key objective of the English.   On the 29th of July, Albemarle’s troops, who were set up in Guanabacoa and in the hills around La Cabaña, descended on and took Morro Castle.  The defense of the fort by the 4,000 men led by Luis de Velasco was significant and de Velasco, who died during the siege, was considered a great hero.

The Spanish authorities made no efforts to remove the Crown’s or the people’s wealth from the city.  The loot gained from the city was several million minted silver pesos and eleven unscathed battleships as well as considerable amounts of merchandise.  “The leaders of the operation, the Earl of Albermarle and Admiral Pocock, both received over half a million pesos for their efforts, whilst each soldier was given little more than twenty pesos and slightly less to each sailor”.   

Since before the middle of the 18th Century, the British government had tried to take control of the island of Cuba.  From around this period, discontent towards the Spanish was clear and was even expressed in documents written during this period.  The sworn declaration by a man named Toler, onboard the ship “Boyle” in Guantanamo bay stated that they wanted the English to conquer the island to free them from the tyranny of the Spanish.  Previously, the peasants had rebelled and had laid siege to Havana, putting in a difficult situation the authorities who finally reached an agreement with the popular masses, using Bishop Agustín Morell of Santa Cruz as mediator.

 Prior to the British attempt of 1762, a more significant attempt took place on the 18th of July, 1741, when the English landed on the island and carried a geographical survey, based on which they believed that the island was undefended.   After landing, General Wentworth and his troops reached Santa Catalina (Guantánamo) and began organizing his troops, planning to march towards and conquer Santiago de Cuba, around 150 km away.  However, he was not expecting the tropical diseases which struck his troops, including fever and dysentery and therefore aborted his mission.    During the eleven months of occupation, Cuba enjoyed sharp economic growth, stimulated by certain measures imposed by the English, such as the opening of trading ports,  and the importation of slaves that the badly-hit economy desperately needed.  However, despite all of this, relations between the people of Havana and the English were never good as the Cubans considered them to be an occupying force.

In July, 1763, England and Spain reached an agreement in which part of Florida would remain in English hands in exchange for Havana.   The English erected a monument to Velasco in Westminster Abbey and during many decades, on sailing past Noja (Velasco’s birthplace), the British naval ships would fire their cannons as homage to the Spanish hero.

 

Written by Jesús Castro

Translated by Rachael Harrison

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The most easterly point of the world is Gibraltar, and from there the nations of the Americas took the symbol which is displayed on their coins.  The Spanish coat of arms has two columns which symbolise the columns of Hercules and wrapped around them is a ribbon, originally with the motto “Non Plus Ultra”, then later “Plus Ultra” .

This symbol was adopted in particular by Charles V and became part of his coat of arms and as a symbol of his territories in the Americas.  When the Spanish conquistadors discovered gold and silver in the New World, the symbol of Charles V was stamped onto the coins minted in these metals.  These coins with the columns of Hercules on two worlds were distributed throughout Europe and the Americas and the symbol was adopted by many of the independant nations of the Americas.

The Straits of Gibraltar were the southern gateway to the ocean, later becoming the gateway to the East when Fernando de Lesseps created the Suez canal. 

However, the most peculiar and rigid part of the history of the Rock is not its geography or the various stories and events occurring on or around it (the Straits and Campo), but its people. 

The people of Gibraltar loyally represent all the different nationalities that have at one time been owners of the Rock of Gibraltar.  It is a cosmopolitan population.  The experienced meat trader from Tarso can be seen, with Phoenician blood in his veins depsite his English suit, also the slim, arrogant young Italian whose predecessors aided the colonization of Carteia (in Roman times the Colonia Libertinorum Carteia was the first latin colony established on non-Italian soil), alongside the moslem who supplies provisions in his red cloak, his yellow slippers, bare legs and purple turban, the Spaniard with his pale face and his haughty look and the English solider, the then-owner of the rock with his red cape and neck burnt by the Andalucian sun to which he is not accostomed but which he loves all the same, the sun reflected in his military boots.  There is also the Yanito (native of Gibraltar), as proud and zealous about his country as all of the others put together.  In Gibraltar there is also the Moroccan Jew with his kaftan and skullcap and the Spanish Jew with his air of shrewdness.  Also the tourists – the well-dressed and affected American tourist, the fugitive from Tangiers and the small, ostentatiously dressed, wide awake Japanese.  

Such are the different characters that can be found there every day and such is the movement of life that flows into the Rock of Gibraltar, not just now, but ever since medieval times.   In the early years of the last century not only was it a stopping place for the large steam ships leaving England en route to India and Australia, but also for the ships heading for the various ports of the Mediterranean from the Atlantic.

The first impression on seeing Gibraltar for the first time is that of a totally English city.  Its tall houses with numerous windows which close vertically with a guillotine system, the perfectly paved, clean streets that look like the pathways of a grand house.  Almost all the food is driven in daily in hundreds of trucks from the neighbouring villages (Campo de Gibraltar) and is sold cheaply.  In the city, Spanish is spoken much more than English.  Spanish currency is in circulation in Gibraltar and when given change in a shop, it will be either English or Spanish currency.  The names of the majority of the shops are in Spanish, Spanish newspapers are sold, such as el Imparcial and el Liberal and inside Gibraltar there are other newspapers published, such as el Calpense  and Gibraltar Chronicle which the Yanitos call in Spanish “la crónica”. 

Close by to each other are the synogogue, the Protestant cathedral and the Catholic church, and example of the fantastic tolerance which exists in England.  There is also an Arab mosque and numerous Masonic lodges .  All beliefs and religions are guaranteed freedom of Creed.
 

Written by Jesús Castro

Translated by Rachael Harrison

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As was the case of Lord Byron and his passion for Greek freedom and independence, a longing for Spanish liberty was what made Englishman , Robert Boyd get involved with and fight for such issues in a Spain which enjoyed very few liberties (ruled by Fernando VII).  This burning passion for all things hispanic ultimately led to his death after he dedicdated his life to the Spanish exiled in London in the latter years of the reign of King Fernando VII.

The Spanish General Torrijos, with his studies, his passion for reading and a great ability for learning languages, combined with his elocuency, his courtesy and aristocratic poise
 was of great interest to the English.  In order to make some money during very difficult economic times whilst exiled in London, he translated various works of literature to which his intellect came to the fore in many of the prologues he wrote.  Torrijos became closely involved with a group of English intellectuals who, since studying at Cambridge University, were known as the Cambridge Apostles.  The group, which centred around the poet John Sterling, had created a student debating society characterised politically by fierce international liberalism.  Amongst others in the group, including Sterling, were Maurice, Alfred Tennyson, Arthur Hallam, John Kemble and Richard C. Trench.

Torrijos, who valued the freedom of his homeland above anything else, was exactly the archetypal hero who made a large impression in the minds of these enthusiastic, liberal and romantic youngsters.   They were equally impressed by his powerful intellect as by his physical presence, his exquisite skills, his manners, his impressive education, being a learned man who also spoke fluent French and English.

In early 1830 in London was held the Supreme Junta for the Spanish uprising, set up in January of the previous year and amongst which were the militants General Torrijos, Don Manuel Flores Calderon and Don Evaristo San Miguel who were looking for support for the Spanish revolutionary movement.  Through the friendship he had struck up with John Sterling,Torrijos was introduced to Robert Boyd, a former officer in the Britsh army in India and who had fought in the Greek war of independence.  Boyd was as passionate in his actions as was Torrijos and committed himself, both physically and financially, to help the Spaniard win back liberty for Spain.    Supported  by the so-called “Cambridge Aspostles”, and on hearing of the Irishman’s pledge to help, Torrijo immediately went with a committee to see Robert Boyd to accept his offer, “Your offer is accepted and we give you our most heart-felt thanks for your generosity and heroic decision, in the hope that one day a free Spain will be able to thank you in the way fitting for a great nation”. 

From that day onwards, Boyd never left the side of either Torrijos or of Flores Calderón.  First from London and then from Gibraltar, together they coordinated the conspiracy and on the night of the 30th November, 1830, they left Gibraltar to begin their revolution in Spain.  Robert Boyd under order from the King, was shot alongside Torrijos and Flores Calderón on the beaches of San Andrés in the city of Malaga. 

His grave can be found in the protestant cementary in Malaga, otherwise known as the English cementary.  It is a gothic obelisc surrounded by railings and upon which is engraved, “In the memory of Robert  Boyd Esquire, of Londonderry, Ireland.  Friend and fellow martyr of Torrijos, Calderón etc.. who died in Malaga in the sacred cause of freedom on the 11th December, 1831 at 26 years of age”.

In 2004, the Torrijos 1831 Association established an annual tribute to Robert Boyd in the English cementary in Malaga and to which the group invited three members of Boyd’s family who travelled from France and England to attend the ceremony.  A street in Malaga has also been named after him.
 

Written by Jesús Castro

Translated by Rachael Harrison

Sponsored by www.costaluzlawyers.es