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The Lee Mansion is the site of the plaque recognizing Diego de Gardoqui.

Museum plans commemoration for Diego de Gardoqui

October 18, 2023 by Benjamin Pierce

The Marblehead Museum invites residents to gather outside Lee Mansion on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 11 a.m. for the unveiling of a new plaque commemorating the contributions of Spanish Government figure Diego de Gardoqui to the Revolutionary Cause through Jeremiah Lee.

The two surviving letters of Lee pertain to his relationships with the Spanish government. As a wealthy colonial trading merchant, Lee conducted business with many Spanish-based traders, including de Gardoqui. As it became apparent that war with the British was on the horizon, Lee made it his priority to acquire weaponry.

“From what we can tell, de Gardoqui and the Spanish government worked hard to provide the colonists with arms and ammunition,” Marblehead Museum Executive Director Lauren McCormack explained.

McCormack added that de Gardoqui continued to assist in the American Revolution even after Lee’s death in 1775.

“A lot of times when we study the Revolutionary War and we think about the American allies, we think of the French,” McCormack said. “But the Spanish were also allies of the Americans.”

The event and plaque are sponsored by Iberdrola, a multinational electric utility company based in Bilbao, Spain. Iberdola originally reached out to the museum in 2019, believing the collaboration would bolster both organizations’ research into Spain’s involvement in the American revolution. The entire process was ultimately delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but McCormack is looking forward to finally recognizing this lesser-known historical intricacy.

“The reason they wanted to display a plaque in Marblehead and specifically the Lee mansion was because of the letters that exist where Lee exchanges with de Gardoqui,” McCormack said. “We thought it was a very interesting and relatively unknown history.”

The event is free and open to the public. Speakers include members of the museum, Iberdrola, and Consulate General of Spain in Boston Ana Durán de la Colina.

  • Benjamin Pierce

    Ben Pierce is the Item's Swampscott and Nahant reporter. He graduated Cum Laude from Marist College in 2021 with a Bachelor's degree in Communications and Sports Journalism. He also has experience covering Marblehead and Peabody for the Item. Ben is an avid Boston sports fan and in his free time enjoys video games, swimming, and watching Tom Brady highlights.

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