News and Blog

A booklet detailing the role that Islington played in the Spanish Civil War is now available to download as a PDF (see below). 

By Marshall Mateer (IBMT Film Coordinator)

Many IBMT members will already know the story of the three garment workers from Stepney in the East End of London – Nat Cohen, Sam Masters and Alec Sheller – trade unionists and members of International Labour Defence and the Communist Party.

They were on a cycling holiday in Spain when, on hearing of the outbreak of fighting in Spain on 17 July 1936, rode straight to Barcelona where they joined the Republican militias.

The following appeal has been received for funds to make a documentary about the new play telling the story of the International Brigade volunteers from Hull…

We are trying to make a documentary about ‘Ocho’. ‘Ocho’ is a fantastic piece of work that tells the story of eight men from Hull who joined the International Brigade to fight in the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. It is perfomed by students from the Archbishop Sentamu Academy in East Yorkshire.

We were saddened that the representative of Ajex (Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen & Women) walked out of our commemoration yesterday (1 July 2017), which honours the International Brigade volunteers in the Spanish Civil War.

Martin Sugarman has attended this annual event over many years in order to lay a wreath on behalf of Ajex at the memorial to the International Brigades on London’s Southbank.

We understand that Martin took exception to statements made in a speech by one of our guest speakers, Tosh McDonald, President of the train drivers’ union ASLEF.