The Welsh Norwegian Society
Open to all with an interest in Norway
NEWSLETTER Issue 3 Volume 8 Winter 2004
[image] The rebuilt Norwegian Seaman’s Church in Swansea.
[image] Mrs Carol Matson from west Wales, who grew up in Norway, visiting the Church.
Dear members
Once again we have made a good start to our year and it was nice to see so many of you at the AGM. It was obvious that you all enjoyed the refreshments and being able to wander about chatting to friends afterwards.
October’s meeting was well attended and Peter’s film of Norway 1940-45 was not only interesting, but also led to discussion and personal stories from that time.
I am glad that Carol and Tony met Jane Davy while on their cruise holiday and were able to invite her to visit us in November to give her illustrated talk called ‘From Vikings to paper clips’. Let’s hope that she will visit us in the future for talk two!
One last but important comment Karen on behalf of all of us we send you our best wishes for a complete and swift recovery from your recent traumatic experience
Averil Goldsworthy, chairman
Dear members
I’m taking this opportunity to wish all society members compliments of the season. I am sure that everyone found something of interest in the various society events that took place in the past year. We look forward to next year (2005) which will be a year of important anniversaries. There will be many celebrations in Norway on the centenary of Norway’s independence from Sweden. Also next year is the 60th anniversary of the end of World War Two and the liberation of Norway after long years of occupation. Closer to home, Cardiff will be celebrating its 100 years as a city. Lastly the Welsh Norwegian Society is 10 years old next summer. I hope that the society will be able to share in some of these events. I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful new year – god jul og godt nyttår!
Peter Person, president
Mervyn Amundsen 1927-2004
It was with great sadness that we heard of Mervyn Amundsen’s death in August. Although we had only known Mervyn since the rebuilding of the Norwegian Church, he and his wife Jean became our friends.
Mervyn’s great, great grandfather was a Norwegian seaman who left his ship to settle in Swansea, where Mervyn was born in 1927. He was an optician by profession and started out working for an optician in Swansea. From there, he moved to Waltham on Thames where he met Jean in 1950. They were married in 1952 and soon after moved to Cardiff. Mervyn then worked for Dixey’s in Park Place where he eventually became manager. He remained there until his retirement in 1988. After his retirement he became involved with the church rebuilding programme. He took meticulous measurements and many photographs of the old church from which he used to make detailed scale models. One of those models was on display at the opening of the rebuilt church and is now in the Norwegian Seamen’s Mission in Bergen. Indeed, Mervyn’s hobby was model-building. His constructions showed painstaking attention to detail, especially the wonderful models with matchsticks. Mervyn’s health had deteriorated in recent years and towards the end of July he was admitted to hospital. He died on 25th of August and was cremated at Thornhill crematorium on 3rd of September. Stan and I will remember him as a gentleman in both senses of the word. Our thoughts are with Jean his wife, and their son and family.
Ellen and Stan Wayne
The Norwegian church in Swansea
by Mary Allen
It was good to hear that the Welsh Development Agency have ensured that the Norwegian church originally in the Prince of Wales dock in Swansea has been saved from demolition. The historic church was carefully dismantled and rebuilt across the road from its original site. Specialists Davies Sutton Architecture, based at Pontyclun, were anxious to restore the church to its appearance before the 1950s when it was given a modern rendered coating.
They enlisted the help of Mrs Gjertsen who lives in the city’s Uplands and whose parents came from Norway. Her father Lars Knudson had his own ships chandler’s in the city. Mrs Gjertsen was born in Swansea and was christened in the church, confirmed there and met her late husband there in 1954. He was on the Olav Ringdal tanker which had come in to discharge its oil cargo and caught fire there. The repairs to the ship meant that his stay was extended and the couple married two years later.
The church continued as an active seaman’s church until the 1970s. As shipping declined, the mission to seamen could not afford to keep a minister in Swansea, so the Norwegian community paid to keep the church open. The reverend Vivian James, who spoke excellent Norwegian, led the church for 20 years but it eventually closed a few years ago.
The church was very important to the Norwegian community and the sailors who came into the docks. There were very strong links between Norway and Swansea and many businesses in the city were started by Norwegians.
On 1st September a small group of society members as well as past members of the congregation of the church were met by a representative of the WDA and shown around the rebuilt church. She explained that the church was shortly to be taken over by a glass company but there would still be opportunities for visitors to the premises when they opened a small coffee shop. During the visit a member of the East Side Historical Society, Ken Edwards, joined the group. He was keen to film the inside of the church as part of a developing docks project for his society. It was interesting to hear that he had entered the church for the first time in the early 50s. He’d gone along with an electrician to re-flex the chandelier that hung from the ceiling. He remembered that it was a ship’s wheel and at the end of the spokes were fixed lampholders. He had lived in the Saint Thomas area of the city and had passed the church every day on his way to work and remembered seeing the large fir tree outside the church every Christmas.
Recently Father Helge Petterssen attended a funeral in Swansea of a member of the old congregation of the church and paid a visit to the rebuild church he reported back that the church appears to be empty so more information on its use will be mentioned in the next newsletter.
Norwegian lessons norsk undervisning
Mike Down is offering to give beginners Norwegian lessons on Saturday afternoons between 1500 and 1800 beginning in January 2005. He will use up-to-date Norwegian language tutorials as used at the University of Westminster and an hour or so of watching television programmes, sometimes with subtitles. There will be no exams to begin with. The lessons will be informal with pupils working through the tutorial books and homework will be given. Each session will cost £5 for three hours. Each class will accommodate 5 ‘stykker’. Anyone interested should contact Mike on [number redacted]
International High School of Hordaland in Cardiff and the Vale
Grand Reunion
We propose holding a reunion of students, families, teachers and friends of former students, Friday 24th of June to Sunday 26th of June 2005 contact Brenda Gibbons
Roald Dahl Museum & Story Centre Coming to Great Missenden
The Roald Dahl Museum and a Story Centre will soon be opened in the heart of Great Missenden, the village that was Roald Dahl’s home for 36 years. Fourteen years after his death Roald Dahl’s stories are as popular as ever. This new venue will allow visitors to discover more about this classic author’s eventful life through archive film, photographs and hands on displays. There will be information about how writers’ work and J.K.Rowling, Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson and Benjamin Zephaniah are among those who have already contributed to these exhibits.
Roald Dahl’s widow, Felicity Dahl, acquired the site some years ago and a charity was set up in 2001 to oversee the Museum. Since then there has been a lot of planning, talking and listening to make sure that the Museum delivers what visitors want and that it is an asset to the local area. An example of the development work has been piloting events with families and the School Users Group that has met several times to shape the programme for schools.
The building work is transforming a series of grade Il listed buildings into three ‘scrumdiddlyumtious’ galleries. The building of this venue for family fun is due to be completed by the end of the year. After that, the galleries, shop and café need to be fitted out. This will include installing a pair of ‘chocolate’ doors and building a replica of Roald Dahl’s writing hut. During this phase, staff will run a few test activities for schools, families and adults, plus a sneak preview for some local residents. The opening of the doors to the public is scheduled for April 2005.
The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre will focus on creative writing and using the Roald Dahl Archive to tell the author’s life story. Its aim will be to inspire a love of creative writing which will continue something that Roald Dahl cared very deeply about, as this quote shows:
“I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.”
Roald Dahl, 1989.
For more information, take a look at http://www.roalddahlmuseum.com
(Felicity Dahl has kindly provided this material for use in our newsletter, as well as the images below).
Lifetime achievement award for Ewart Parkinson
By Mary Allen
Since the last newsletter when we celebrated the decoration of Mr. Ewart Parkinson, President of the Norwegian Church Preservation Trust, with the St. Olav’s Medal, Ewart has received yet another very important honour. He has become only the second person to be given the Royal Town Planning Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his prolific and award-winning career.
Ewart, a former director of Environment and Planning for the old South Glamorgan Council and the city’s first Planning officer, was at the centre of Cardiff’s renaissance as a capital city and was responsible for the Centreplan in the 1970s which led to the major redevelopment of the city centre. The idea of a link road around the city was his concept. He was selected as leader for the concept team for the Millennium Stadium, delivered in time for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. He has also played a major part in the regeneration of Cardiff Bay, including the construction of County Hall.
He is also a planner and engineer of international repute. He broke new ground in relations with China and the former Soviet Union, and has led many planning study tours all over the world. His international work was recognised by being made an Honorary Life Member of the International Federation for Housing and Planning.
Ewart’s contribution to young planners too has been invaluable. His tefs ability and enthusiasm to ‘get the job done’ can be seen clearly in all
his work, and a constant throughout his written work has been a drive for planners to understand the goals and social needs of communities in order to meet their objectives.
Appropriately, the presentation of the award took place, in front of family and friends, in the Glamorgan Chamber in Cardiff University. The award was presented by the Minister for Planning, Environment and Countryside, Carwyn Jones AM.
[Text of Norwegian National Anthem]
[English translation]
[Text of Welsh National Anthem]
[English translation]
Norway Revisited, June the 1st to 23rd 2004
by Ellen Wayne
In June, Stan and I set off on the first leg of our journey to Norway. As the ferry was sailing at 1:30 PM the following day, we had arranged to stop overnight in Cullercoats, just up the coast from North Shields from where the ferry would be sailing the following day. This also gave us time to meet up with some of my relatives and to have a fish and chip supper in one of the restaurants down by the fish quay – a delight not to be missed!
We set sail for Bergen the following day under a clear sky and a very calm sea. The crossing was uneventful and after a good night’s sleep we were able to enjoy sailing up the coast to Bergen, first calling in to Stavanger and Haugesund for passengers to disembark. We arrived in Bergen at 2:45 PM. As we sail under the Askøy bridge and around the point into Bergen harbour, I always feel that I have come home. I love the sight of Bergen with its colourful houses and the old buildings along the quayside and the whole surrounded by the seven mountains.
My father came from Bergen. Consequently, as a family, we have visited Bergen since my brothers and I were babies. My brother John and I had also spent 18 months with our grandparents when we were young children and came home with Norwegian as our first language.
Our first week in Bergen was a busy one. We were staying with Ingeborg and Reider Rasmussen. Ingeborg’s grandfather was my grandfather’s cousin. His name was Martin Hannesdal and by trade he was a master stonemason. After the war he was employed on the rebuilding of the 13th century fortress, Bergenhus, inside which is King Hakonshallen. It was a model for all Norwegian palaces and its Great Hall was where the kings were crowned. On the same site is the 16th century Rosenkrantz tower. An explosion in the harbour in 1944 destroyed the tower and fortress, but both were restored between 1961 and 1964.
We visited Ingeborg’s sister, whose husband Per-Arne sang with one of the first choirs to visit the church in September 1992. Another day we visited the Televåg museum on Sotra. I’m sure that you will remember Egil Christopherson who was in Cardiff last September. He is the curator of the museum. Unfortunately he wasn’t there the day we visited. We were disappointed because Stan and I had the pleasure of having him and Trygve Sörvågs to our home for lunch when they were in Cardiff.
On our second week we set off in the car to spend a week touring. We headed out of Bergen and took the road leading to Norheimsund. Driving up over from Kvamskogen, there are numerous hytter which are used in the summer for quiet and restful weekends and in the winter it is a skiing resort. We drove on until we reached Samnanger, where we stopped for coffee in Bjorkheims restaurant. Years ago this was a small café and is now a thriving restaurant, garage and campsite. Martin Hannisdal had a hytte there on the edge of the fjord. It is an idyllic place. Nowadays his daughter lives in a large house built on the same site. We called on Anna-mor before leaving Samnanger and what a shock she had to find her cousin from Wales standing on the doorstep.
The drive along the Hardangerfjord is always impressive. When the weather is fine you can see the mountains stretching into the distance with snow on the top looking like icing on a cake. We stopped to see the waterfall at Steinsdal and to have lunch, after which we drove through Norheimsund which is a pretty tourist resort on the edge of the fjord. We had to get to Kvandal, where we were catching the ferry over to Kvinsarvik. It was now time for us to find somewhere to stay for the night. When we travel in Norway we always stay in camp sites and go prepared for every eventuality. As we rounded a bend, there was the sign we were looking for: hytter. This campsite was just six hytter on a farm. We were told to take our pick, the keys were in the doors and the cost was NK300! The cabins were very basic, and the washhouse and toilets not much better. However, they were clean and it was somewhere to lay our heads for the night. The following morning we found that three American ladies and a German couple who were travelling together occupied two of the other cabins. The Americans were enchanted with Norway but found it very expensive!
We left Ringöy after breakfast and headed for the Hardanger vidda. Gone are the days of negotiating the hairpin bends: now it is up through a tunnel. Not nearly as exciting or as scenic, but that is progress, and the tunnels are a masterpiece of modern engineering.
The weather had now turned decidedly chilly and we were glad to have our fleeces ready to put on. We stopped to view the mighty Vöringfoss, which plunges 180 metres into the valley below. The spray as well is a sight to behold because, in the sun, it produces lovely rainbows. Standing on the viewpoint, I always go weak at the knees looking down into the tremendous drop into the valley below.
We continued on our way across the Hardangervidda, with snow on both sides, and mountain lakes still with patches of ice. This is one of Norway’s most extensive national parks with breathtaking scenery and sub-Arctic flora and fauna. At one point there is even a glimpse of a glacier in the distance. We stopped for coffee at the Haugerstoll hotel, a modern well appointed place 1000 metres above sea level. Eventually we drove down into a valley with warm sunshine. We carried on through Geilo, Gol and Fagernes, until we reached Beito, where we decided to stop for the night. It is such a beautiful area. We found accommodation on a farm that caters for skiers in the winter. We had an apartment to ourselves which would accommodate a dozen skiers in the winter. The area is a big skiing resort.
The following day we continued on through Gudbrandsdal and Romsdal to Åndalsnes. We drove through some very barren and grey countryside. It was almost like being on another planet. There was very little flora, mainly rocks and boulders strewn around us as though there had been a great volcanic explosion. So desolate, yet it had its own craggy beauty. It remained barren and wild until we came into Gudsbrandsdal, with its prettier countryside.
By the time we reached Åndalsnes the weather had changed and there were grey skies and a cold wind again. We booked into a large campsite on the edge of the fjord. This site consisted mainly of caravans with just a few cabins. This seems to be the norm now for the larger campsites. Unfortunately there was only a small caravan left by the time we booked in, but we decided to take it for two nights. On our second night there we were disturbed by heavy rain drumming down on the caravan roof. It was not much sleep that night.
In the morning we set off through the Troll valley and up the Trollstigveien with its many hairpin bends, passing the fantastic waterfall, which was an even more dramatic sight after all the heavy rain. At the top of the mountain we were once more back in the snow, plus mist and fine rain, making driving a bit more hazardous. However we made good time and eventually dropped down into Geiranger in time for lunch by the side of the fjord. We watched passengers disembarking into launches from a large liner anchored offshore. It reminded us that three years ago we had done the same thing when we took a cruise up to the North Cape to celebrate our golden wedding.
From Geiranger we carried onto Stryn. Here we were able to rent a lovely modern cabin with all mod cons. It was situated a few metres away from the bank of a fjord which, due to the heavy rain, was creeping up towards the cabin. We had read the instructions in the cabin and what to do in case of fire, but there were no instructions on what to do in case of a flood! However, by the second morning it was beginning to recede.
We were now on our final run to Bergen. We set off early because this was going to be our longest run. It had been quite chilly overnight and we could see that there had been a fresh fall of snow on the mountain tops. We drove through Vik and up Vikfjellet, where we parked at the café on the top, not only to admire the splendid view, but also to partake of the delicious waffles with rømme (sour cream) and strawberry jam. How could we miss such a treat?
With renewed energy off we went again to Balestrand and then the ferry over to Vangness. We didn’t have time on this trip to visit the “Iron Man”, a 12-metre high statue of Fridtjof that stands above Vangnes. Kaiser Wilhelm II gave this in 1913. He loved sailing down Sognefjord in his yacht. Now his statue stands gazing down the fjord that the Kaiser loved so much.
We had to keep going if we were going to reach Bergen by nightfall. We headed for Voss and Dale, eventually arriving back in Bergen tired but full of wonderful memories. Although we have done the same trip a number of times before, we never tire of it, because each time we always see something new.
Our last few days in Bergen were spent shopping and visiting museums. We also visited Betty Wagner Larsen, who originated from Cardiff. She married the nephew of Shetland Larson and has lived in Bergen since 1945. Although in her eighties, Betty remains active and, despite the arthritis in her hands, still manages to play the piano to accompany a choir. I remember Betty playing the piano to accompany her mother who was a well-known singer. They both used to come to the old church to entertain the seamen during the last war. It was there that she met and married her her husband, Alf. Betty’s flat overlooks Bergen harbour and she has a good view of the “English” ferry. When we sailed for home, she came out onto her balcony to wave goodbye with what looked like her large white towel.
I always have a lump in my throat leaving Bergen. It is hard saying goodbye to our relatives and friends and wondering if this perhaps might be our last visit. As we were due to sail, we went up on deck to get her final look at Bergen, when who should we see but Mary Allen. We couldn’t believe our eyes for a moment and Mary was equally amazed.
After a very rough crossing (not many passengers at breakfast that morning!) we arrived back home in Cardiff on 23rd June, weary but full of memories.
[Picture: Ellen in Betty Larsen’s Kitchen in Bergen]
[roundup of items from the Norwegian press omitted here]
From the Archives
The following extracts are from Duncan Longden’s records and are taken from a project produced by the pupils of Fitzalan High School at the time when plans were being made to rebuild the Norwegian church.
Memories about the church:
Mrs Ann-Marie Petty from Canton: “I used to give voluntary help to the church, working on fruit stalls, handing out fruit to the sailors. The church was more like a social club where everyone got together. We had coffee mornings where Norwegian waffles were sold. We were very famous for them.”
Mrs Vera Hunt from Splott: “My sister was married to a Norwegian living in Cardiff and encouraged me to go to the church as she was involved with the seamen’s mission. The church was very important during the last war. Every Tuesday and Thursday we had a get-together. The ships which were in from Scandinavia would join us for coffee and waffles and find out any news from home if possible. When they returned to the ships, prayers were held to wish them a safe voyage.
Notes From A Small Cupboard
A regular report from the Norwegian Church Arts Centre by Karen Allen, Centre Manager
Highlights of Autumn Winter 2004
It has been an interesting time at the Norwegian Church Arts Centre. In early September, members of the Welsh Norwegian Society and friends were given an opportunity to visit the newly reconstructed Swansea Norwegian Church. Thanks to Lynn Alderdice of the Welsh Development Agency. (See also the article on page 3.) In some ways it was an interesting time to visit, seeing the building looking so perfect and new, but I know some of the group felt sad at seeing an empty shell of a building with no signs of the former life of the Norwegian church. Lynn reassured us that the new owners are interested in maintaining a flavour of the building’s heritage in its new life as a stained glass artist studio. We were joined by two members of Swansea’s Norwegian community, Ellen Gjertsen and Ethel Fjælberg, who later entertained us with some of their memories of the Norwegian Seaman’s Church over a cup of coffee, and also two members of Swansea’s Latvian community, Mr and Mrs Likums. They too had some interesting insights into the life of the church. We hope that Ethel, Ellen and Mr & Mrs Likums will be able to travel to Cardiff for future social events.
September continued in this interesting vein. The following week we were all invited to an entertaining promotional presentation given by Erik and Neil of the Norwegian Coastal Voyage Company, Erik’s pride in his hometown of Tromsø shining through at every opportunity. Just a week later, Shuna and I were photographed by Anne Bergseng, a reporter from VG, one of Norway’s national daily tabloid newspapers, while we were setting up the hall for the Scandinavian Crayfish Party on Saturday 18th September. The article and photographs were later included in the Travel Tips section of the newspaper in October. The Crayfish Party itself was a great success and the gathering included members of the Norwegian, Swedish, Latvian and Finished communities.
In early October we were honoured to host one of only three concerts being given in the UK by the Karl Seglem Band, thanks to financial support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the Arts Council of Wales. Karl is a well-known musician and composer in Norway, but so far relatively unknown in Britain. They played to a large, enthusiastic crowd at the Norwegian Church and Karl later wrote to say that it was the best of the three concerts on their UK tour.
At the recent Christmas Tree Lighting event, which was a lovely occasion, we were all very impressed that Pelenna Valley Male Voice Choir had learnt the Norwegian version of Silent Night – their musical director Mike Thomas had been coached, over the phone, by Father Helge Pettersson!
The tree lights were switched on by Katie & Sophie Crole and Zoe Davis of Porthcawl Primary School. Their school has been working on a project about Norway and we are planning to host an exhibition of their work at the Norwegian Church next year, as part of the Norway 2005 centenary celebrations.
Sadly it was the last time that Helge Pettersson will be joining us in his capacity as Sigmannsprest of the Norwegian Seaman’s Church and Mission in London. Helge and his wife Solveig will be moving to south east Spain in 2005, where Helge will be the Pastor of a newly consecrated Norwegian Church near Alicante, with over 10,000 Norwegians in the parish! We wish them well and hope they will keep in touch.
God Jul!
Photo caption: Father Helge Pettersson of the Norwegian Seamen’s Church and Mission in London and Rev Derek Dowdeswell of Lightship 2000 join Karen in the ‘cupboard’ just before the tree lighting ceremony (it was a tight squeeze!)
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P. Parkinson, E. Parkinson, K. Allen, M. Allen, Father H. Petterssen and E. Lovering after the Christmas Tree ceremony, where Father H. Petterssen officiated for the last time before moving to Spain.
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P. Persen, A. Goldsworthy, B. Persen, E. Walker, D. Deeks and G. Edwards at the W/N Society Christmas party.
Welsh Norwegian Society 