The border shaped La Linea’s history

The history of La Linea cannot be separated from the border. Long before the town formally existed, the area around what is now Calle Real had already become a centre of commerce supplying Gibraltar with vegetables, fish and a wide range of goods.

According to La Linea's municipal archivist, Jose Martinez, the town was effectively born in what is now Plaza de la Constitucion, just metres from the route into Gibraltar, where the first customs building would later stand.

"The city was born in this area because civilian population fleeing from the Napoleonic Wars came to this area as refugees, since the British Government helped France as allied. Once that war is over, many of those people decided to stay, precisely because of the opportunity that these dunes offered to them."

"Artisans, horticulturists, fishermen, and the most important group related to the border, merchants, decide to settle here."

Those early settlers laid the foundations of La Linea's economy, creating a prosperous bourgeoisie that eventually secured the town's independence from San Roque in 1870. At the same time, growing trade attracted workers whose livelihoods became intertwined with both sides of the border.

Spain's Treasury quickly recognised the importance of the commercial exchange.

"Before the first Aduana is erected in Plaza de la Constitucion in 1879, ordered by the Ministerio de Hacienda, a simple shed was used for control since the 19th century until the decade of 1860."

The first permanent customs building operated between 1880 and 1928 under the Carabineros, who were responsible for Spain's borders and coastline before those duties later passed to the Guardia Civil. In 1928, it was demolished and replaced by a larger building designed in a more Andalusian style, with tiled roofs and decorative ceramic features.

As commercial ties deepened, La Linea developed what Martinez describes as a process of "Britonisation".

"There was a very Victorian-styled dressed bourgeoisie, who acquired also the tradition of drinking tea."

"On the other side, Gibraltarians used to listen to zarzuelas, or coming to the bullfights here. As a curiosity, the Italian community settled on both sides."

The town expanded with villas that became popular among Gibraltarian families, many of whom maintained their official residence in Gibraltar while enjoying leisure time across the border.

At the same time, La Linea evolved into a commuter town. Workers arrived from across Spain to take jobs in Gibraltar, crossing the frontier every day.

"A huge rush of workers came in a very short time, because when you see the census, it grows from 8,000 to 10,000 people in the first years of La Linea as a proper town."

"When we analyse its figures since 1920, we see that it grows up to 65,000 inhabitants. That means a lot of work in Gibraltar due to the construction of the new commercial wharf, and these workers are commuters who worked in Gibraltar and slept in La Linea."

"So, this is a town of immigrants."

The workforce reflected every layer of society.

"When I mean all kinds of workers, I mean the owner-trader; the maid; prostitutes; military personnel; artisans. There was a great diversity."

"Diversity in trade, but also diversity of communities: Portuguese, Italian, British, Jewish…"

"It is curious how the daughter-town of San Roque reaches a population bigger than San Roque itself."

Rapid growth came at a cost.

"That time of peace and economic expansion provokes a brutal growing where the urban planning becomes a chaos because the town can't assimilate all its new inhabitants."

The influx of people also transformed La Linea's cultural and social life. By the late 19th century and into the 1930s, the town had developed a remarkable network of associations.

"Musical societies, tenants, carpenters, coal miners, for childhood protection, horticulturists, sports societies, unions, social societies, six or seven masonic lodges, the Circulo Mercantil…"

"La Linea becomes a very vibrant city. Unions of workers are very relevant at that time with an obvious British influence. Furthermore, cross-border workers in Gibraltar bring the UK unions' influence on La Linea."

Religious life was less prominent. Martinez notes that, despite a population of around 60,000, La Linea had only one church, the Immaculate Conception Church. A second church, El Carmen, was not built until 1940.

One of the defining moments in the town's border history came on March 8, 1928, during the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera.

The customs administrator ordered officials to prevent workers from bringing across essential goods they had traditionally been allowed to carry.

"Carabiners suddenly prevented the workers of passing products by order of the Aduana administrator. Thousands of people with their purchases started to grow tension."

"Then, someone threw a stone at the window of the customs' administrator on the first floor."

"Then, the carabiners opened fire. One old man and one kid fell dead. Indignation grew increasingly, and several people resulted injured."

The Mayor of La Linea, Andres Viñas, formally protested to the Spanish Government and organised a demonstration attended by thousands of residents. Following the incident, workers were once again allowed to bring certain essential goods across the border.

"This episode shows how the Spanish Government's interests and La Lineas' ones not always have run on the same page."

"The working population has suffered a lot here."

Martinez argues that the town has long sought special economic measures.

"Since the Ramirez Galuzo's time in office (the first Mayor of La Linea), the town started to claim for special tax measures, still not reached today, more than 150 years later."

"Ramirez Galuzo left it written down in his personal diary. We have the same problems cyclically repeated."

"Perhaps, Spain sometimes cares more beyond the border than about La Linea itself. Historically, there has been a lack of vision in Spain to become our town more competitive."

The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936 brought another defining chapter. More than 5,000 civilians crossed into Gibraltar seeking refuge as fighting spread across Spain.

Temporary camps were established and, for several months, Gibraltar accommodated thousands fleeing the conflict before many later departed by sea.

"I think those times still remain in the local retina due to the solidarity of Gibraltarians with La Linea."

When the civil war ended in 1939, the Second World War began. While much of Spain endured severe hardship, Martinez says La Linea experienced relative prosperity because of its relationship with Gibraltar.

"Spain was living in abject poverty, but La Linea was a different thing."

"There was no hunger. On the contrary, the town started a time of splendour with cinemas opening doors and people living quite well compared to the extreme poverty of Spain at the time."

Relations between the Spanish authorities and Gibraltar's Governors remained largely positive throughout the 1940s and early 1950s. Those were the splendour years for the town. That changed after Queen Elizabeth II visited Gibraltar in 1954, as political tensions between Spain and the United Kingdom intensified.

"The United Nations process began, and border controls are tightened."

On August 20, 1966, around 2,000 women workers were prevented from entering Gibraltar.

By then, many residents had already begun leaving La Linea in search of work elsewhere in Spain and abroad.

"In that moment, there is a gap in La Linea in many ways."

"There is an intellectual downturn in town, because many migrants are precisely the most open mind, and they leave."

"There is a break in family relationships due to the split of their members."

The situation deteriorated further on June 8, 1969, when General Franco ordered the complete closure of the border.

"Castiella was completely obsessed with Gibraltar."

According to Martinez, around half of La Linea's population — some 32,000 people — eventually left the town.

The lively atmosphere that had defined previous decades disappeared, replaced by families separated by the closed frontier, shouting to each other across the fence.

Spain's transition to democracy brought municipal elections in 1979 and the reopening of the border in 1982.

"La Linea did not get at that moment a plan for boosting its economy, to share prosperity as it is happening now. There was no plan for the town."

More recently, Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and shifting political circumstances have once again placed uncertainty at the centre of life along the frontier.

Martinez believes the prospect of a fully open border represents the natural continuation of a relationship that has existed for generations.

"We have been living always with a border, and I never felt myself as a strange in Gibraltar. It is a familiar place to us."

"It will have a visual impact, that's it."