Beck Valley Books

Signed by local Author, First Edition. 80 page book. The exodus of some twenty thousand Basque children from the Basque country at the height of the Spanish Civil War is a remarkable but still little known story. Nearly four thousand young victims of Francos aggression were brought to England, in the face of the reluctant government, by the unyielding efforts of the Basque Childrens Committee led by such movers and shakers as the Duchess of Atholl and Leah Manning. The children were dispersed to over eighty colonies throughout this country. The book examines the colony of children housed at Hutton Hall, Guisborough, where they were cared for by a dedicated team of volunteers under the leadership of the redoubtable Ruth Pennyman. The book covers the busy day to day routine of their life at the Hall, their interaction with various groups of visitors, their activities outside their lovely country home, including a series of concerts given not only locally but also in Norfolk, the Lake District and on one occasion, in Switzerland, and their regular visits to the homes of the volunteers and other well wishers. A comprehensive account is given of how a viable new life was created in 1937 to 1939 by the combined efforts of the children and their carers, an inspiring and unexpected achievement.


ISBN:
Publisher: Peter Tuffs
Published Date: 2009
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
First Copy: Y
Signed: Y
Price: £7.50