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 less than 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 Ballentine Perera, Paula Galliano, Aileen Gordon, Louis Montiel, Tina Orciel, William Serfaty, Annette Tunbridge, Paul Tunbridge, Tito Vallejo Smith, Philip Valverde & Jackie Vila.

The photograph used to illustrate this series online is reproduced by kind permission of the Gibraltar National Archives.

The recording of the late David Hoare is included by kind permission of GBC.

‘Going South’ is performed by Philip Valverde and was written by Frank Valverde

The Gibraltar Stories theme music is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds

Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston