Remembering Basque legacy in Wales

A commemoration of the Basque Children in Caerleon

In 1937, nearly 4000 Basque children were evacuated to locations across the UK to escape the horrors and atrocities of the Spanish Civil War. This year commemorates 75 years since the creation of small Basque colonies of South Wales.

One of these colonies was at Caerleon, where over 50 scared and anxious children’s lives would be changed forever. Many local people felt their plight and the children received huge support.

Manuel Moreno, Chairman of the Basque Children of ’37 Association, explains that after the bombing of Guernica and Bilbao, many children had to be evacuated to safety. He said that the key to the colonies like Cambria House was the “the wonderfully supportive and enthusiastic care and empathy given by the people of Wales.”

If you’d like to find out more, here are some useful links and publications:

The Basque Children of ’37 Association was set up in 2002 with the aim of reuniting the children of the evacuation and their decedents and to educate and preserve their history and stories.

Manuel Moreno is the Chairman of the Association and is the son of Salome Moreno, who, together with her two sisters, Carmen and Amparo, were part of the original group of evacuees. His grandfather died in 1936 defending the Spanish Republic against the rise of fascism.

Cambria House was the home for the evacuees until 1939 when they moved into 18 Cross Street, Caerleon, now the Pendragon House guesthouse. There is a sign erected on the front of the house by the Caerleon Civic Society to remember the story of the Basque Children.

A complete story of how Wales gave shelter to the Basque Children can be found in Fleeing Franco by Hywel Davies.