Aston Colony, Oxfordshire

Aston Colony - 15

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Aston colony

Present day Westfield House was once called St Joseph's during the period when twenty Basque children were housed there during 1937-39.
The building, now a school, is in Aston, near Bampton in Oxfordshire.

Alonso Corral, Rosa (11), Alonso Corral, Vicente (8), Antolin Cordovelle, Teodoro (11), Antolin Cordovilla, Mauricia (14), Antolin Cordovilla, Victoria (9), Ayuso Cuesta, Isabel (14), Benito Moral, Leandro (8), Bilbao Eguiluz, Angel (12), Caceres Izquierdo, Antonia (12), Caceres Izquierdo, Felicitas (9), Caceres Izquierdo Ma Luisa (15), Elorza Saiz, Ma Angeles (14), Elorza Saiz, Santiago (13), Garcia Viso, Joaquin (9), Gomez del Olmo, Faustino (12) [1939], Gonzalez Juaregi, Ma Nieves (8), Gongueta, Mercedes (?), Goni, Ma Camino (?), Julian Gonzalez, Guadalupe (13), Laines del Val, Ma Cruz (12), Laines del Val, Francisco (9), Laines del Val, Luis (10), Lorenzo de Mingo, Antonia (13), Lorenzo de Mingo, Juan (11), Maiz Esteban, Carmen (14), Maiz Esteban, Enriqueta (15), Merodio Aurrecoechea, Ma Jesus (7), Pena Perez, Araceli (12), Pena Perez, Jose Ramon (7), Pena Perez, Ma Felisa (15), Porte Guadalupe, Bernarda (14), Pozas Egido, Antonia (10), Saenzmiera Ortega, Tesera (13), San Atilano Martinez, Jose (9), San Atilano Martinez, Ma Begona (14), Santamaria Garcia, Luis (13) [1939], Santamaria Garcia, Ramon (12) [1939], Smitch Lejarazu, Amelia (12), Smitch Lejarazu Ma Dolores (8), Smitch Lejarazu, Victoria (7), Vega Aznar, Luisa (12).

(The numbers in brackets are the ages)

On Thursday 17th July 2003, a blue plaque was unveiled by Cora Portillo at Westfield House, Aston, near Bampton in Oxfordshire. This was to commemorate the use of the house (then called St. Joseph's) as a haven for 40 Basque refugee children between 1937 and 1939. The plaquw, commissioned by the Basque Children of '37 Association : UK, also acknowledged the contribution of local volunteers...
Colin Carritt, of the International Brigade Memorial Trust, did sterling work in organising...

(Taken from BCof37A:UK Newsletter Aug. 2003)

    The former children's home in the village of Aston, near Bampton, is now housing 40 Basque children, who arrived there on Wednesday.
    A large crowd gave the little visitors a good welcome: there were 25 girls and 15 young lads who seemed a little disturbed by their journey from Southampton or by their new surroundings.
    People who had volunteered to look after the children welcomed them, these including Mrs. W. Dalgliesh, Miss Ruth Early, Miss R. Early, Miss Dickinson, Mrs. List, Mrs. Bezant, the Rev. J. Lopes, Mr. G. Bovington and Mr. F.G. Bovington.

It is very probable that a numer of Basque children, now in camp at Southampton, will be accommodated at Witney shortly.
The prospective Independent Progressive candidate for North Oxon, Mr Patrick Early, one of the leaders of the scheme, has stated that the Southampton camp is being dispersed and the Joint Committee for Spanish Relief is anxious to find homes for the children in groups of 40 and 50. Enquiries haven been made on the possibility of securing suitable buildings in the Witney district.
We understand that a large number of voluntary helpers have expressed their willingness to assist the scheme. But the raising of the necessary funds is presenting a problem at the moment.

Basque children
at Aston
Refugees Happy in New Home

Basques for Witney?
Dispersal of Refugee Children

    Only one teacher Maria Teresa Mayoral and a girl of about 17 are at present in charge of the party, but thevolunteer interpreters came with the coach of children and were busily engaged. These were undergraMr. P. Adams (st. John's), Mr. D.H. Clibborn (St. Edmund Hall) and Mr. J.O. Vere-Stead (Keble).
    Many articles are still urgently needed for some of the little refugees have only their clothes, and have to keep in underwear, the boys being particularly ill-clad.
    The children appear very happy and the work for them appears all the more worthwhile when their sincere appreciation is clearly evident.

(Witney Gazette, Friday June 25th, 1937, p.3)

A Witney warehouse and a number of other buldings have been under review
and a meeting was held last evening, at which several people representing organisations such as Toc H, the Witney Women's Institute, the Mayor of Oxford's Spanish relief Fund and similar bodies were present...
(Witney Gazette, Friday June 18th, 1937, p.6)

After St. Joseph's closed in 1939, most of the children returned to Bilbao. However, a few of those that remained were sent to different homes. The picture above show a group of young women who were moved to Whitney. Cora and Luis Portillo are 7th and 8th from the left.

Blue Plaque for Aston Colony