The Frontier Closure 50 Years On : Part 4 - Life behind the Frontier
”There was an absence in our lives… we didn’t understand and we grew up in a closed border Gibraltar” - Dr Jennifer Ballantine Perera
On 8th June 1969, Spain’s General Franco closed the land border between Spain and Gibraltar. Overnight supply lines were cut, families were separated and telecommunications ceased. This week, in Part 4 – Life behind the Frontier, I look back at the impact the frontier closure had on those who lived within the 3 square miles of Gibraltar, from adults to children. Those who stayed throughout the closed frontier years as well as those who moved away to enjoy greater freedom and opportunities elsewhere.
My thanks to all those who contributed to Part 4 : Ambrose Avellano, Dr Jennifer Ballantine Perera, Paula Galliano, Aileen Gordon, Luis Montiel, Tina Orciel, William Serfaty, Annette Tunbridge, Paul Tunbridge, Tito Vallejo Smith, Philip Valverde & Jackie Vila.
The photograph used to illustrate this mini series is reproduced by kind permission of the Gibraltar National Archives.
The recording of the late David Hoare is included by kind permission of GBC.
This episode features ‘Going South’ performed by Philip Valverde, my thanks to him for allowing me to use this recording for this purpose.
Other music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds
Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.
The Closed Frontier
(Photo: courtesy of the Gibraltar National Archives)
The original Spanish border gates, now on display at the John Macintosh Hall in Gibraltar.