"I can give an example of tolerance. I hardly expected in this part of Spain to find a Protestant cemetery near the General Cemetery of the place". Diary of Thomas Sopwith, 1864.
With this statement, Thomas Sopwith, first vice-consul of Linares, he referred to the English cemetery of the town. To understand the reason for its construction, we have to start from two incidents:
Establishment of the cemetery
Given the above mentioned situation, family and colleague of Remfry Santiago, who died in 1855, decided to locate its grave close to the south wall of the cemetery built in this same year.
Lately, it was proceeded to surround the space that bounded this burial to avoid possible damage and desecration. Finally, Tonkin and Kendall (influential personalities linked to Linares Mining Company, created by UK agency Taylor & Taylor, a pioneer in the development of the mines of Linares) managed the necessary steps to take control of the land and, thus, define the limits within which will be the English Cemetery, since the mid-sixties of the nineteenth century to nowadays.
Cosmopolitanism of the English cemetery
The tolerance is felt in the legal corpus of the Revolutionary “Sexenio” beside the consolidation of economic liberalism advocated by the Bourbon Restoration, it makes that foreign immigration didn't stop until the first third of the twentieth century. This leads to a range of consequences:
Spanish civil war
Both events, Spanish civil war and the establishment of the Franco regime, along with the decline of mining since the thirties of the twentieth century, did flee to foreigners settled here during this decade; and their progeny.
However, falangist and local ultra-catholic of the regime of Franco wanted to destroy the last vestiges of Protestants in Linares, collective who was the victim of persecution and harassment of all types, as well as any persona non grata for Franco.
Friendship between Franco and Churchill
The friendship between Franco and Churchill, resulted in the following consequences:
The “corralillo”
The “corralillo” was a separate space and it has an individual entrance inside the cemetery of Saint Joseph. There were buried in deplorable conditions undesirable’s people for the regime: besides to local Protestants, suicidal and people execute by firearm.
Reflection of the past
The tombstones in this cemetery show something more than a chronological succession of burials. We can unravel the British idiosyncrasies along 102 years (1855-1957):
At the present time, it is a space owned by the Assemblies of Brethren of Linares, only and exclusively. Like formerly, the use of English cemetery it’s related to the field of private property.
Points of interest- Influx of immigrants from Northern Europe, especially Britain. The liberalization of mining and other sectors such as railways since 1849 is conducive to the coming of entrepreneurs and experts. They come to try their luck in the extractive sector; investing heavily and applying technology. This implies, of course, the demographic growth of a population that also wants to see fulfilled their spiritual longings and funeral needs.
- Religious intolerance. The Elizabethan, purely religious, law did not allow individuals from other branches, that was not Catholicism, to spend the same funeral privileges than other indigenous supposedly Catholic population. That is, bury the "municipal" city cemetery.
Establishment of the cemetery
Given the above mentioned situation, family and colleague of Remfry Santiago, who died in 1855, decided to locate its grave close to the south wall of the cemetery built in this same year.
Lately, it was proceeded to surround the space that bounded this burial to avoid possible damage and desecration. Finally, Tonkin and Kendall (influential personalities linked to Linares Mining Company, created by UK agency Taylor & Taylor, a pioneer in the development of the mines of Linares) managed the necessary steps to take control of the land and, thus, define the limits within which will be the English Cemetery, since the mid-sixties of the nineteenth century to nowadays.
Cosmopolitanism of the English cemetery
The tolerance is felt in the legal corpus of the Revolutionary “Sexenio” beside the consolidation of economic liberalism advocated by the Bourbon Restoration, it makes that foreign immigration didn't stop until the first third of the twentieth century. This leads to a range of consequences:
- From the ideological point of view, the Masonic Lodges and gatherings become spaces where local and British debate on various topics, including politics.
- Respect to the economy, many British immigrants of both sexes figure on the lists of taxpayers, allowing them the privilege of voting in order to maintain their status quo.
- Of special interest is everything related to education, culture and religious proselytizing. That made that child of miners receiving free classes by protestant immigrants. This meant that both, parents and their children, embrace the faith of their employers.
Spanish civil war
Both events, Spanish civil war and the establishment of the Franco regime, along with the decline of mining since the thirties of the twentieth century, did flee to foreigners settled here during this decade; and their progeny.
However, falangist and local ultra-catholic of the regime of Franco wanted to destroy the last vestiges of Protestants in Linares, collective who was the victim of persecution and harassment of all types, as well as any persona non grata for Franco.
Friendship between Franco and Churchill
The friendship between Franco and Churchill, resulted in the following consequences:
- On one hand, the British Prime Minister tertiary to the international community in exchange for the dictator.
- On the other hand, and at the local level, the "openness" by the City Hall would result in not destroying the cemetery; but also ensure their preservation.
The “corralillo”
The “corralillo” was a separate space and it has an individual entrance inside the cemetery of Saint Joseph. There were buried in deplorable conditions undesirable’s people for the regime: besides to local Protestants, suicidal and people execute by firearm.
Reflection of the past
The tombstones in this cemetery show something more than a chronological succession of burials. We can unravel the British idiosyncrasies along 102 years (1855-1957):
- Cultural and religious influence of the British community on the rest of the foreign population, as we also find German, French and Swiss.
- Tombstones bilingual, in English and Spanish. This reflects a clear intention of bearing witness to their faith and their pass through Linares to the greatest number of people.
- Obelisks and St. Andrew's crosses reflect the importance that Freemasonry was in Linares.
- Botanical architectural elements (palms) and architecture of oriental inspiration. Those were indicators of colonialism practiced by the British Empire during the Second Industrial Revolution.
At the present time, it is a space owned by the Assemblies of Brethren of Linares, only and exclusively. Like formerly, the use of English cemetery it’s related to the field of private property.
Basic data
- Private cemetery
- evangelical - Protestant
- mainly British, German, Swiss, French and Spanish population
- area of 1497.38m2
- 65 graves of historical character
Important graves and monuments
- Bilingual tomb with a shaped Celtic cross (1904): It was raised by the mine engineer Reginal Boham Carter (Don Regino). It is speculated that it could be the ancestor of the American actress (but of British descent), Helena Bonham Carter.
- Masonic Graves at the English Cemetery (Late nineteenth century): Tomb with obelisk-shaped that belongs to two British-Masonic men.
- Outdoor of the English Cemetery (1860-1864): Door with slope-shaped, similar to the Egyptians and Oriental temples of antiquity. Something that was logical in the British colonialism.
Ownership
Evangelical Fellowship of
Linares
Managing organization
City Hall of Linares
Contacts:
English Cemetery
Brethren. Evangelical Community.
C/ Cambroneras, 27 - 23700 Linares (Jaén)
José María de Rus (administrator)
Tel.; (+34) 697 95 05 60
E-mail: josemariaderus@gmail.com
Miguel Palomares (administrator)
Tel.; (+34) 639 90 94 57
E-mail: josemiguelpalomares@yahoo.es
City Hall of Linares
Yaiza López Sánchez (Responsible of Tourism Area of the City Hall)
El Pósito de Linares. Museo Raphael y Centro de Interpretación de la Ciudad.
Iglesia, 5 - 23700 Linares (Jaén)
Tel.: +34 953 10 01 83 // +34 607 25 75 52
E-mail: turismo@aytolinares.es // ylopez@aytolinares.es
Juan Parrilla Sánchez (Technical of Heritage Area of the City Hall) Centro de Interpretación del Paisaje Minero. Antiguo Muelle de Carga de la Estación de Madrid.
Paseo de Linarejos, s/n. 23700 Linares (Jaén)
Tel.: +34 953 60 78 12 // 607 28 83 34
E-mail: turismo@aytolinares.es // jparrilla@aytolinares.es
Opening hours
Saturday: 10:00 - 13:00
View English Cemetery in a larger map.
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