Felicia Browne
Encyclopedia
Felicia Mary Browne was an English
artist
. She was the first British
volunteer to die in the Spanish Civil War
.
, Thames Ditton
, Surrey
, on 18 February 1904, she studied at the St John's Wood
School of Art and the Slade School of Art. Active in the Communist Party
and a member of the Artists' International Association
, in 1934 she won a prize for her design of the Trade Union Congress Tolpuddle
medal
.
and Spain
, accompanied by her friend Dr Edith Bone, a left-wing photographer. Their objective was to reach Barcelona
in time for the People's Olympiad
(the socialist riposte to the Olympic games
in Hitler's Berlin
). However, they arrived shortly before the military
rebellion
against the Spanish
republic
that heralded the start of the Spanish Civil War
(1936–9), and were immediately caught up in the violence that engulfed Barcelona
on 19 July 1936. Without hesitation, and fending off considerable discouragement from friends and party officials, she joined a communist militia
on August 3rd.
On 25 August 1936 Felicia was killed in action on the Aragón
front near Tardienta
, part of a band of raiders that attempted to dynamite
a Fascist munitions train
. The party was itself ambushed
and Browne was shot dead while assisting an injured Italian
comrade
.
Her friend and colleague Nan Youngman
, who was much affected by her death, organized her memorial
exhibition
In October 1936.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
. She was the first British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
volunteer to die in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
Early years
Felicia Browne was born at Weston GreenWeston Green
Weston Green is a village close to Thames Ditton and Long Ditton in the county of Surrey. It is just inside the southern part of the circle of the M25 near the larger towns of Esher and Sunbury-on-Thames....
, Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton is a village in Surrey, England, bordering Greater London. It is situated 12.2 miles south-west of Charing Cross between the towns of Kingston upon Thames, Surbiton, Esher and East Molesey...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, on 18 February 1904, she studied at the St John's Wood
St John's Wood
St John's Wood is a district of north-west London, England, in the City of Westminster, and at the north-west end of Regent's Park. It is approximately 2.5 miles north-west of Charing Cross. Once part of the Great Middlesex Forest, it was later owned by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem...
School of Art and the Slade School of Art. Active in the Communist Party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
and a member of the Artists' International Association
Artists' International Association
The Artists International Association or AIA was an organization founded in London in 1933 out of discussion amongst Pearl Binder, Clifford Rowe, Misha Black, James Fitton, James Boswell, James Holland and Edward Ardizzone, the first meeting took place in Misha Black’s room at the Seven...
, in 1934 she won a prize for her design of the Trade Union Congress Tolpuddle
Tolpuddle
Tolpuddle is a small village in the southern English county of Dorset, situated in the Piddle valley, eight miles east of Dorchester and 12 miles west of Poole. The village has a population of 331 ....
medal
Medal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...
.
Involvement in the Spanish Civil War
In July 1936 Browne embarked on a driving holiday to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, accompanied by her friend Dr Edith Bone, a left-wing photographer. Their objective was to reach Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
in time for the People's Olympiad
People's Olympiad
The People's Olympiad was a planned international multi-sport event that was intended to take place in Barcelona, the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia within the Spanish Republic...
(the socialist riposte to the Olympic games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Hitler's Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
). However, they arrived shortly before the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
against the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
that heralded the start of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
(1936–9), and were immediately caught up in the violence that engulfed Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
on 19 July 1936. Without hesitation, and fending off considerable discouragement from friends and party officials, she joined a communist militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
on August 3rd.
On 25 August 1936 Felicia was killed in action on the Aragón
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
front near Tardienta
Tardienta
Tardienta is a municipality located in Huesca Province, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 1,072 inhabitants.It is located on the Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line....
, part of a band of raiders that attempted to dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
a Fascist munitions train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
. The party was itself ambushed
Ambushed
Ambushed is the first album from hip hop group Da Bush Babees, with members Mr. Man, Babe-B-Face Kaos and Y-Tee. The group is famous for its affiliation with the Native Tongues. The album featured guest production from A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Salaam Remi, and a young Jermaine...
and Browne was shot dead while assisting an injured Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
comrade
Comrade
Comrade means "friend", "colleague", or "ally". The word comes from French camarade. The term is frequently used by left-wing organizations around the globe. "Comrade" has often become a stock phrase and form of address. This word has its regional equivalents available in many...
.
Her friend and colleague Nan Youngman
Nan Youngman
Nancy Mayhew Youngman OBE, was an English painter and educationalist: born Maidstone, Kent 28 June 1906; died Cambridge 17 April 1995. Youngman is remembered primarily as a painter, but from before the war to the mid-1960s she was an influential figure in art education, as a teacher, an author and...
, who was much affected by her death, organized her memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
exhibition
Exhibition
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within museums, galleries and exhibition halls, and World's Fairs...
In October 1936.