Christian Brothers Memorial – Line Wall Boulevard

The Christian Brothers Memorial is a monument located on Line Wall Boulevard. It was erected to commemorate the contribution of the Christian Brothers to the education of generations of Gibraltarians from their arrival in the 19th century and departure in the late 20th Century.

A simple inscription at the top of the column reads:

Christian Brothers

1835-1837

1878-1977

With Gratitude

Gibraltar

The first two Christian Brothers, Brother Edward Patrick O’Flaherty and Brother Mark Thomas Anthony arrived in Gibraltar on 28th October 1835 and set up a school at Gunner’s Parade (now Governor’s Parade) but due to problems between Brother O’Flaherty and the Junta of Elders the first mission ended in failure.

The Christian Brothers returned on the 12th January 1878, after first receiving a memorandum of guarantee, signed by Bishop Scandella, which safeguarded the interests of the Order and granted them wide scope to the Brothers. Brother Stanislaus O’Brien arrived in Gibraltar as Director, accompanied by Brothers E. O’Dea, A. Harrington and B. Cusack.

Our Lady of Lourdes School Castle Road.

The Christian Brothers soon became very well-appreciated by the community and a deputation of citizens pressed Dr Scandella to apply to the Superior General of the Order in Dublin for additional Brothers, which resulted in the arrival of four new Brothers in August 1878.

The first school opened by the Christian Brothers in Gibraltar that same year was a high school in Commercial Square to replace St. Bernard’s College whose premises at Europa Main Road was transferred to the Loreto Nuns.

In 1881, the Christian Brothers moved their school to City Mill Lane and in 1886 obtained a freehold property at Line Wall Road on the site of the present NatWest building. This educational establishment for both primary and secondary education remained in use until 1940 when the population was evacuated.

The Christian Brothers also took over the running of other schools such as St. Joseph’s in the South District in 1879 and in 1884 opened a new school at Sacred Heart Terrace. Another school was opened in 1889 on the vacant premises of a former Anglican School.

Monument Christian Brothers Line Wall Road.

1951- Christian Brothers at the Gibraltar Grammar School Bro. Foley is second from the right

The Christian Brothers opened their first Boarding School in Scud Hill in 1893 which was known as St. Stanislaus which attracted students from various parts of Spain as far as Madrid and even from Morocco. The College closed down in 1897 due to a lack of suitable and adequate accommodation. Several years later a building adjoining the Line Wall School was purchased (now the Calpe casino) which provided accommodation not just for the Christian Brothers but also for around 30 boarders.

However, that same year a new boys’ school was opened in Castle Road called Our Lady of Lourdes (now the ex-premises of St. Bernard’s First School). The building had been financed by a Gibraltarian benefactor, W. Escauzier who had made his fortune in America.

The repatriation of the evacuees brought with it wholesale changes to the education system in Gibraltar with the introduction of secular teaching being a top priority to replace the pre-war education system which had largely been in the hands of the Roman Catholic Church. A petition was presented to the Governor pressing for the retention of the Christian Brothers as part of the new educational plan. In the end, the Christian Brothers and Loreto Nuns were retained mainly due to the fact that Gibraltar faced a huge shortage of qualified teachers and most, if not all, of those employed in education during the war were in fact unqualified teachers. By the end of 1944, arrangements had been made for both the Brothers and Nuns to return to the Rock. On the 23rd April 1945, the first eight Christian Brothers arrived. Bro. J. N Fearon became the new Headmaster of Sacred Heart School whilst Bro. W.D Foley took over the boys’ department at Plata Villa.

In 1950, the Gibraltar Grammar School moved to the Sacred Heart Terrace with the brothers still in charge and the building was extended in the 1960’s. Comprehensive education was introduced in Gibraltar in the 1970s and the school eventually closed and the building was closed too in 1977 and abandoned.

Similarly, the Christian Brothers’ run Lourdes School at Castle Road was transferred to the new school at Bayside in 1968 which together with St. Jago’s Secondary Modern School, the Gibraltar Grammar School and the Gibraltar and Dockyard Technical College would subsequently merge to form the basis of the Boy’s Comprehensive School in 1972.

The Christian Brothers received the Freedom of the City on the 25th June 1977, and left Gibraltar shortly after. They numbered only five at the time of their departure. 

The Christian Brothers had educated generations of boys, and the people of Gibraltar showed their appreciation of the brothers through many ceremonies and celebrations. One newspaper headline read, ‘Selfless Service to Generations of Gibraltarians’.