In October 2024, I was invited by the North East Volunteers for Liberty group to present the Solidarity Park project in Catalunya and do a sculpture workshop at their annual event commemorating the International Brigades. It was a very windy day on the Hartlepool peninsula, but we braved the northern weather, and the event was a great success.
By Rob MacDonald
I was delighted to make new friends and network, but there was a bigger surprised for me for after chatting with Julio Romero Johnson—originally from Spain and now based in Sunderland—and Jamie Tucknutt, who had written a book on the Sunderland brigadiers and the ships involved in the Spanish Civil War, as well as the dedicated historian Tony Fox organiser of the North East Volunteers for Liberty group, an exciting new project was born.
Two key things became clear. First, the strong connections between the Sunderland International Brigades and the Ciudad de Barcelona—the ship sunk during the Spanish Civil War that inspired the Solidarity Park project in Catalunya. Second, the glaring omission of a memorial to the International Brigades in the historically significant, working-class city of Sunderland.
With this in mind, we took it upon ourselves to launch Solidarity Sunderland, with the key goal of creating a community-driven monument in Sunderland…..
Two Sunderland shipyard workers
William Lower and Robert Mackie, both shipyard workers in 1930s Sunderland, struggled to maintain steady jobs and were actively involved in the National Unemployed Workers Movement (NUWM). Both were staunch anti-fascists, fighting locally before taking the bold step to join the struggle for international socialism in the Spanish Civil War as part of the International Brigade.
Together, they travelled aboard the ship Ciudad de Barcelona when crossing the Pyrenees was not possible. Tragically, William lost his life when the ship was torpedoed by an Italian submarine supporting Franco. Robert survived the attack but died just six weeks later, serving in the British Battalion of the XV International Brigade, at the Battle of Brunete.
Their sacrifice is commemorated at the Solidarity Park monument on the beach of Malgrat de Mar in Catalunya, created with the participation of over 700 people and indirectly involving thousands more. The monument celebrates the memory of all international brigadiers who were aboard the Ciudad de Barcelona and the people of Malgrat that went to save them. Every year, their legacy is honoured through an international anti-fascist arts festival and an educational program engaging both local and international students in a historical memory arts project.
However, William and Robert, along with more than twenty other volunteers from Sunderland who served in Spain, are yet to be honored in their hometown.Solidarity Sunderland seeks to commemorate not only those who fought and died but also the many who supported the Spanish people in various ways: raising funds, collecting and sending food and medical aid, breaking blockades(and the ships involved), aiding refugees, and caring for Basque children. These people displayed remarkable humanity and a progressive vision to stand against oppression—a legacy that demands recognition and action in our own era.
Sunderland’s proud Shipping heritage will be central to the memorial campaign; we will commemorate the Sunderland ships such as the SS Brinkburn, SS Coquetdale and SS Thorpehall, men such as Captain Smith of the SS Coquetdale and Captain Andrews of the SS Thorpehall who broke Franco’s naval blockade of Bilbao. We will also look at Angel Perez Martinez who came to Britain as a Basque refugee, was cared for on Tyneside and became a shipbuilder in Sunderland. Many will remember Frank Graham, who published popular scholarly accounts of local history and culture from the 1960s until his death in 2006; he was the first Sunderland volunteer to arrive in Spain.
It is vital to equip younger generations with the history of those who resisted the rise of fascism and far-right ideologies in the 1930s. Sunderland’s volunteers recognised the Spanish Civil War as a pivotal moment to change the course of history in favour of the working class. At the core of their efforts was genuine international solidarity, uniting people across languages and borders in a shared struggle.
Solidarity Sunderland aims to organise artists, historians, brigade families and activists to campaign for a significant memorial to Sunderland’s international volunteers. With a focus on community participation and engaging young people, the group seeks to ensure that the lessons of this important historical moment resonate with future generations. Educational institutions, students, trade unions, and young workers are all encouraged to get involved in this effort to counter far-right ideologies and foster unity in our communities.
Join Us
A meeting to discuss plans for commemorating Sunderland’s volunteers will be held:
Date: Saturday, 5th April 2025
Time: 10 am – 12 am
Location: Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens / Everyone is welcome—no matter your skills or experience, your contributions and ideas are valued. For more information, email us at SolidaritySunderland@gmail.com
Click here to find out more about Outa-Space workshops and how we use Education, History and Art to create meaningful projects.
- Solidarity Park International Project – Malgrat de Mar, Catalunya and worldwide.
- Periphery is the Centre Community empowerment projects – Gothenburg Sweden.
- Hull School of Art and Design Educational Programme – Kingston upon Hull, UK.
- Hull College Promo Video for Rob MacDonald Art Residency
- Surrey Solidarity UNISON memorial project– Woking and Reigate UK.
- Sunderland Solidarity Community Monument – Sunderland UK.
- Murdered for Painting Historic Memorial – Stockholm Sweden.
Outa-Space 