Summer 1999

BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEE IN MADRID

John Dew, Minister of the British Embassy, Madrid, sent a thank you card to our Chairman for taking members of the British MP's Select Committee on a VIP visit to Spain, around Old Madrid. The cross section of politicians were given a guided tour of the Hapsburg and Bourbon quarters of the city of Madrid at the end of May.They were treated to some of the best, non-tourist tapas taverns in Old Madrid, sampling delicious food from Central Spain, Andalusia and Galicia plus cider and chilled summer wine (very popular when the temperature reaches the high 90's!). The Wellington Society has, since it was founded in 1979, been called upon to give similar services to embassies and their visiting VIPs and resident ambassadors. "Why?" asked the British Ambassador in 1989, when told by our Chairman that the tour was over!

THE WELLINGTON SOCIETY 20 YEARS ON

The Wellington Society celebrated its 20th anniversary this last 18 June (anniversary on the Great Duke's victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, 18 June, 1815, south of Brussels). Present at the Cafe de Oriente, Madrid were most of the Founding Members (some who had made long trips to be with us all) plus writers from the leading national Spanish newspapers of El Pais and Diario 16, the BBC correspondent in Madrid and Tom Burns of the Financial Times (actually he reminded us that he was indeed present at our first dinner back in 1979 so really he is a Founding Member!). We were treated to a one man show of Don Quixote in the Plaza de Oriente with the Royal Palace illuminated in the background! Then tapas and drinks in our favourite Asturian tavern (not in any guidebook!). We finished our celebrations in the cavern where once the Moors & Jews of the 10th century drank their fill. A fitting end to our first twenty years as a historical society..."Viva la Wellington Society!" and thanks to all who came.....long may we continue!

WELLINGTON SOCIETY IN SALAMANCA JULY 22 1999

At 4.20pm on the 22nd July, 1812, in the village of Arapiles, 7 kms south of the Spanish University City of Salamanca, Lord Wellington commanding almost 50,000 British, Spanish & Portuguese troops, stopped Wellington munching on a cold chicken leg (some historians say it was a piece of cold mutton but even today the locals declare it was fowl!)..took up his telescope, observed that the French Commander, the dashing Marshal Marmont, was extending the left of his army..."By God! That will do!" exclaimed Wellington. What followed was to prove the most brilliant victory for His Lordship over the French in Spain. Not only did he add SALAMANCA to his list of victories in the Peninsular War (1808 to 1814) but just two weeks later Wellington liberated the Spanish capital....being at the head of his Allied Army that sunny morning, 12 August, 1812.

Our air conditioned bus arrived at the village of Arapiles slightly later than was planned (toilet and refreshment stops being the reason as the sun got higher). The Mayor, Sr.Don Blas Jimenez, greeted us at the Town Hall and presented our members with booklets published mainly from EC donations, invited us all to drinks at the little bar and there we all toasted "El Rey de Espan~a!" followed by "Viva Wellington!"

Lunch was at the MESON ARAPILES and the owner, Don Julio and his hard working wife, Don~a Margarita, served up the finest fresh salads and the biggest T-Bone steaks in all of Spain. After Sherry (La In~a) and white wines (Marques de Caceres, 1997) and delicious chilled fruit we bade our farewell.

In Salamanca we had a late afternoon tour of the city followed closely by a reporter for Radio Nacional de Espan~a (copies in English available in September for our members) and Frank Smith of the BBC, London. Photos of the tour will appear in our next webpage update. For members wishing to learn more of Salamanca, its magnificent museums, restaurants, tapas bars, where to stay and how to get to Arapiles, please email our Chairman on Chairman@wellsoc.org