Talk:Catalan Bay
I have found this on the Catalan wikipedian entry for Catalan Bay, I traduce literally:
"The name <<Catalan>> is due to the 350 Catalan’s battalion who participated within the Anglo-Dutch expedition who conquered the rock, on 1704, during the war of Spanish Succession. Was on Catalan Bay where this battalion landed and stayed to defend the place. Some Minorcan emigrants came also after the Treaty of Utrecht, in which Phillip V of Castilia ceded Gibraltar and Minorca to the Great Britain."
Is it that true? If it's so, it should be remarked on this article.
Indeed, it is consistent with the fact that La Caleta, the traditional name given to this place is Catalan. In Spanish would be "Calita" instead of "Caleta". It is only a speculation, but I wonder if most of the inhabitants of this place would have a Catalan origin instead of Genoese. It was a quite common misunderstanding at that time to confuse Catalans with Genoese sail men by the similar way they were dressed. Maybe those Catalans and Minorcan (Catalan speakers too) took advantage of this misunderstanding to hide their origin after the war, to prevent themselves from the rage of their neighbouring Spaniards, who would consider them as traitors.
I've found few references about this fact, not even in Gibraltarian sources. Has anyone better information?