Catalogue Number
NMLH.2011.14.1
Object Name
Fan
Title
Spanish Civil War fan
Place
Spain; Manchester; Oldham; London; Liverpool; San Francisco; Vale of Leven; Santa Monica; Toronto: Milwaukee: Dover, NH
People
McKnight, W. M; Pearson, Fred; Silvert, Sidney; Ridings, H; Macintosh, A; Bookes, Marcus Harry; Stubbs, Albert; Brannen, J; Borino, F; Winnick, W; Charlesworth, A; Kane, Thomas; Abrahams, Basil; Tisa, John; Crecco, Manuel Pavlos; Martin, Dick; Arnott, James; Pilson, E; Gonzalez, Manuel Bonmati; Taylor, Bob; Wilson, Frank. C; American, Joe; Chega, William; Ave-Lallemant, Robert; Matison, Mat; Villa, Faustino.
Events
Spanish Civil War
Date
1938
Description
The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) began with a military rebellion launched against the democratically elected Popular Front government. The rebellion was supported by the Spanish armed forces, conservatives, Catholic church and fascist groups within Spain. Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy also supported the coup and provided economic and military aid to the rebels. In response, tens of thousands of volunteers from across the world volunteered to fight to defend democracy in Spain. Among their numbers were around 2,500 British volunteers, just under a quarter of these sacrificed their lives for the cause. Fred Pearson was a volunteer from Manchester who purchased a fan whilst in Spain. On one side is a floral pattern, on the other is a list of handwritten names from fellow volunteers who he met. Many of these signatures are from men who lived in the north west of England. The following list includes a few of volunteers whose names are on the fan:
W. M. Mcknight - Liverpool; MI5 reports suggest he was recruited for Spain on the 21/1/1938
Fred Pearson - Manchester; MI5 reports suggest he sailed to Spain on 20/7/1937 and returned in December 1938. Believed to be from Rusholme
Sidney Silvert - Manchester; Says on the fan that he was a machine gunner who arrived on Feb 7th 1937. MI5 repots suggest he left Newhaven for Dieppe on 6/2/37 and returned to Manchester in December 1938. Believed to be from Cheetham
H. Ridings - Manchester;
A. Macintosh - Platting, Manchester; MI5 reports an Albert Macintosh (Lancs) was fighting with the International Brigade in February 1938 and returned to Manchester in December 1938
Marcus Harry Brookes - Manchester; Online roll of honour reports a 'Harry Marcus Brookes, KIA July 1938 at Gandesa'. MI5 reports suggest Marcus. H. Brookes as a suspected recruit for Spain in 22/1/1938
Albert Stubbs - Manchester; MI5 reports suggest he was with the International Brigade in Spain in July 1938 and returned in Decmber 1938. Believed to be from Wythenshawe
J. Brannen - Levenshulme, Mancheter; A Jim Brennan is reported as coming from Kingsway, Manchester
F. Borrino - Old Trafford, Manchester; MI5 reports suggest that by August 1938 he was presumably fighting in Spain and that by Decmber 1938 he returned to Mancheser. A handwritten note also says, "identical with Franck?"
W. Winnick - Fallowfield, Manchester; MI5 reports suggest that Wilfred Winnick sailed from Calais on 23/4/1937 and returned in Decmeber 1938. 'Wolfe' Winnick learned first aid in Spain with Syd Booth (from Beswick) and worked in a scrapyard after the war where he was aided by a Republican POW Felix Selvi, who married a fellow Platting YCL member Freeda Clynes
A. Charlesworth - Oldham; Born in Delph and was a member of the Socialist League. He left for Spain in December 1936 and MI5 reports sugest he came home on 16/10/1936 only to return to Spain on 15/1/1938 before finally departing Spain in Decmber 1938. Served in the RAF in WWII.
Thomas Kane - Scotland;
Basil Abrahams; Jewish volunteer whose real name was Basil Minsk, AKA David Abrahams. He was a scout for the second company as is reported in his statement regarding Overton's disciplinary hearing (Harry Pollitt's papers). Captured at Jarama, returned to England in May 1937 and was back in Spain within 6 weeks. Later served with the XV IB staff
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