The Welsh Norwegian Society
Open to all with an interest in Norway
NEWSLETTER Autumn 2005
Norway: 100 years as an independent nation
Cardiff: 100 years as a city
Cardiff: 50 years as the capital of Wales
Welsh Norwegian Society: 10 years old
Photo: 10th Anniversary Cake served at the Midsummer Garden Party
Dear Members,
We all know of the importance of the year 2005 in the Norwegian calendar and we all wanted to make this year’s 17th May an extra special day.
When we learnt that three Norwegian ladies were coming from Norway to be with us for these celebrations, we were all delighted. It was like ‘putting the icing on the cake’. The ladies, Edith, Signe and Sissel, all had strong connections with the original Seamen’s Church in the West Dock and it was with special pleasure that members such as Peter Persen, Ellen Wayne and Ebba Lovering could once again be reunited with friends from the past (see the photograph on the back cover).
A little bit of history: On 11th December 1930, Erling Stray married Edith at the Norwegian Church, Cardiff. Both were from Kristiansand. A few years later, identical twins, Edith and Signe, were born to them and were baptized at the Church. Edith and Signe as small children were with their mother in Norway visiting family when the war started. They remained there throughout the German occupation. Their father was still in Cardiff. By the 17th May 1946, the girls were once again reunited as a family and again regularly attended the Cardiff Norwegian Church. If you still have the Summer 2002 Newsletter, you will see a photograph of them, also Sissel and her little sister Inge.
We were neighbours and playmates as children and have kept in touch all our lives. We share a strong friendship.
Sissel Skalpe and her sister Inge were the daughters of Pastor and Mrs Rasmussen, also from Kristiansand. The family lived in the Church House, Prestegården‚ Cathedral Road. Their father Rolf did wonderful work during the war looking after the needs of the many Norwegian seamen, giving them care and support as they were unable to get back home: He and his wife provided ‘open house’ to many of these men, old and young. Cardiff became their second home.
After the war, Rolf Rasmussen was given a gold medal by the King of Norway in person, for his work with the seamen.
For three years, Sissel attended Howells School before finally returning to Norway. We made a nostalgic visit to the school and took some souvenir photographs this summer.
As a society, we send them our best wishes, and hope that they can visit us again one day.
Averil Goldsworthy (Chairman)
Welsh Norwegian Society Dates for your Diary
Wednesday 19th October: A Film about the Vikings
Wednesday 16th November: A talk by The Polar People (Arctic travel company)
Saturday 10th December: WNS Christmas Party
For other events at the Norwegian Church, see ‘Notes From A Small Cupboard’ (page 10)
News from London
contributed by Elizabeth Rokkan
Farewell to Helge
On Sunday, 22″ May, 300 parishioners attended Helge Pettersson’s last service at the Norwegian Church in Rotherhithe, and many speeches were made at the Church coffee held afterwards to say farewell. Among many tributes, Helge’s pioneering work for ecumenism was emphasised, borne out by the presence of his fellow clergy, representing not only the Scandinavian churches, but also the Roman Catholics and the Church of England. He had served at St. Olav’s since 1988.
If anyone wishes to write to Solveig and Helge Pettersson, this is their new address in Spain: Sjomannskirken i Torrevieja, Calle Ravel 4, Urb. La Siesta, 03180 Torrevieja, Spain. _
Tarald Brautaset leaves London
The Norwegian Ambassador Tarald Brautaset and his wife are also leaving London for Norway, after a five-year tour of duty. They will be greatly missed, especially for their hospitality at the Residence in Palace Green, where they have hosted many receptions and dinners. Ambassador Brautaset has previously worked in Paris and Brussels, as well as at the Foreign Office in Oslo, where he will now return. His successor will be Ambassador Bjarne Lindstrom.
New Seamen’s Chaplain
On Sunday, 5th June, Torbjorn Holt was installed as Seamen’s Chaplain in charge of the Seamen’s Church in London. Holt was also licensed to serve in the Church of England by Archdeacon Michael Ipgrave. Representatives of the other Nordic churches were present, as well as of Southwark Cathedral.
Grand Gala to celebrate Norwegian Centenary
A Grand Gala Dinner Dance at the SAS Portman Hotel in London celebrated the Centenary of the Dissolution of the Union with Sweden in 1905. Ambassador Brautaset gave a speech and a Norwegian band was flown in for the occasion.
Newsletter Contributions
Please send items for the Newsletter to Mary Allen [address redacted]
Ail items will be considered for publication, but it may be necessary to edit articles on occasions.
The Roald Dahl Museum & Story Centre
The £4million Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre opened to the public on Saturday, 11th June 2005 in Great Missenden High Street.
An old coaching inn and yard has been transformed into a series of galleries that immerse visitors in the world of Roald Dahl.
The galleries tell the story of Dahl’s life and work through film, objects and interactive displays.
Dahl was determined that all his papers – manuscripts, photographs, ‘Ideas Book’, business and personal correspondence – should stay together, and they are able to disclose amazing facts, including the news that Dahl was a fervent Cardiff City fan!
The Museum promises to serve a dual purpose, firstly as an interactive playground where young people will be able to play while learning and, secondly, as a research tool where visitors will have access to an unparalleled documentation of Dahl’s life and work. ,
The museum opens with a temporary exhibition of recently discovered family photographs taken in the early 1940s by Dahl himself, while a permanent exhibition includes over 900 letters written between Dahl and his mother, from his school days until his death.
The Story Centre gallery houses a replica of Dahl’s legendary garden shed, where he wrote undisturbed. The original shed stands at nearby Gipsy Hill, where Dahl lived until his death in 1990. His granddaughter, Sophie, was allowed occasionally into the hut and she recalls how sacred the place felt, almost like a church.
A series of writers-in-residence will be on hand to work with visiting groups to develop creative writing ideas, and the Education Officer will liaise with teachers to provide tailor-made school sessions. The museum is open for school and private visits six days a week (not Mondays).
For further information phone 01494 892192 or email [address redacted] or visit the website http://www.roalddahlmuseum.com
Mary Allen
News from Norway
Articles translated by Elizabeth Rokkan
Under the headline ‘Majestic Opening of Bridge between Sister Nations’, Bergens Tidende (11th June 2005) reports the ceremony at the new bridge on the Norwegian-Swedish border at Svinesund. King Carl Gustav of Sweden and King Harald of Norway congratulated each other, while the north wind whipped up the water below them and threatened royal headgear. Over the years Svinesund has attracted shoppers on both sides of the border at times of shortage or of high prices on the one side or the other.
This year’s Centenary in Norway has given rise to extended debate about the Constitution. On June 6th the University of Bergen Faculty of Law hosted a Seminar on the Storting and how it functions. No concrete suggestions for alterations were made, but the participants agreed that a thorough debate was necessary on political accountability and the Constitution. Professor Frank Aarebrot of the Department of Comparative Politics pointed out that in a parliamentary system areas of responsibility should be made clear, and this was not the case at present; for example, general debate had come to be initiated by the media and not by members of the Storting. Associated Professor Karl Sevig of the Law Faculty asserted that the Constitution lacked references to internationally recognised individual rights or rights to social security.
Another event, to be arranged in Bergen’s Grieg Hall in November, is a Constitutional Conference, backed by the University, the Trades Union Congress (LO), representatives of business (NHO), the Norwegian Business University, and Sparebanken Vest. Questions to be debated are: ‘What significance does European integration and the expansion of the European Union have in relation to Norwegian sovereignty?’; and ‘How should political and administrative accountability be shared between national, regional and local levels of government?’
The result of an opinion poll carried out by Norsk Respons from May 30th to June 1st was that a large majority of the Norwegian population believed that the Storting was contravening the Constitution by having incorporated all EU directives into Norwegian law since 1994.
Reported in På Høyden (On the hill), University of Bergen (6 June 2005)
In a recent interview the Swedish political scientist Olov Ruin (a friend of assassinated Prime Minister Olov Palme), who has studied Swedish politics for more than 50 years, decried the fact that the solidarity that had existed in the 60’s between the Nordic countries had declined. At that time Nordic cooperation had been practised on all levels. He considers that cooperation has been more recently confined to the Nordic members of the EU, but that the celebration of the Centenary of the Norwegian Constitution has again drawn attention to the old links between Sweden and Norway. He finds it somewhat absurd that Sweden has now decided to make June 6th a public holiday for the first time in its history, perhaps imitating Norway’s 17th of May. It is a paradox that a country that has never been particularly interested in the question of national identity should suddenly start to celebrate itself. He concluded by remarking how sad it was that Norway was not a member of the EU.
Reported in På Høyden (the week of 6th June 2005)
“Snug and Cozy”
That is what seamen say about the reading room in Cardiff.
Translated by Professor John Greve, from an article written by Pastor Skoglund in April 1957, probably featured in the Seaman’s Mission Magazine.
“Away from home, we have a home here,” wrote a seaman in the church’s guest book. This phrase would also stand for the feelings of the many here. Thanks to the church’s Women’s Union, the reading room has acquired a more homely touch than before. It has a new carpet that covers just about all the floor, new curtains and door drapes, all in attractive colors. Pot plants hang in the windows, and there are flowers and flags on the tables. While much of the interior is old and a mixture and much-used, the overall impression is still, as many have expressed it, pleasant.
Snug and cozy is the total effect when the seamen have settled into comfortable chairs, found the newspapers, and sit absorbed in them or play games such as Kurong and Chinese Jacks, which were received as Christmas presents from Honnefoss Seaman’s Mission.
When the coffee tables are set with nice cups, which were a gift from the church’s Women’s Union, and the seamen are invited to have a good cup of coffee, a warm mood is created.
After coffee, it frequently happens that some of the seamen start washing up, which is done swiftly and with good humor in the newly painted kitchen. The kitchen was modernized last year, also paid for by the church’s Women’s Union. Additionally, the reading room passageways and toilets were painted free of charge last autumn by four seamen, using paint given by a ship. This shows the goodwill and consideration that the church enjoys here.
The church’s Women’s Union has about 20 members, mostly Norwegian, but there are also some British women, so English is just as likely to be spoken as Norwegian. The association meets regularly every fortnight in the Prestegården (The Manse), but in the run-up to the annual sale of work, they meet every week.
At the meetings, the members work diligently on articles or prizes for the sale. All the women are interested and are totally committed to the Women’s Union, which supports the church.
The association elects a new chairman every year. In 1955, Mrs. Greve was chairman. She and her husband are now moving to Liverpool, where Mr. Greve is to take over the Hiring office. In 1956, Mrs. Gerd was chairman, and for 1957, Mrs. Gerd Raper has been elected.
There are always plenty of tasks for the association, especially in connection with the church and the premises. So, when the grand sale in November is over, the church will certainly reap the benefits of the association’s input and efforts.
The Norwegian Seaman’s Church
by Harry ‘Shipmate’ Cooke
Steepled, white, and filled with God,
the church upon the quay
sits dreaming of its yester years,
of sailors, of the sea,
of blue-eyed maids, of flaxen braids;
and folk from Northern lands
and tales of wind-swept oceans,
and distant, foreign sands.
Pious congregations, who worshipped
year by year,
Norwegian, Dane and Lutheran,
heads bowed in Viking prayer.
Winter days and snowballs,
children’s shouts of glee
Christmas time and strudel,
pretzels round the tree.
News of distant shipwrecks,
vigils through the night.
Pastors and their sermons,
candles…brides in white.
The choir’s voice has faded now,
the organ’s voice is stilled,
and silence fills the empty pews,
once sailors’ families filled.
So dream your dreams of bygone days
whilst cuddled to the shore,
and when the world is young again,
we shall live it all once more.
Harry ‘Shipmate’ Cooke, was born in Liverpool in 1921 and has lived for some 60 years in Cardiff docklands. He went to sea at the age of 14 and spent 20 eventful years in the merchant navy. Although he settled down to life ashore, working in the Cardiff Dry Docks, the sea is his first love and writing is his second love.
His book ‘How I Saw It’ is part of a series of community histories and life stories, written by local residents, and published by Butetown History and Arts Centre in Cardiff Bay.
The book is available on http://www.amazon.co.uk at £5.99.
I Remember That ‘Special Place’
by Tony Jellings
On a rare visit to Swansea in 2004 to attend the funeral of the last surviving elder of the Norwegian Seaman’s Church – 97 year old Mrs Astri Slaymaker – my sister, who still lives in the city, showed me a number of newspaper cuttings from the Evening Post relating to the conservation and resiting of this grade two listed church.
My mother and my wife’s parents were all Norwegian and settled in Swansea in the late 1920s. My wife and I were christened together as new-born babies in 1932 in the Norwegian Church, were confirmed there together in 1949 and married there in 1960. Three of our children, on home leave from Africa, where I was working, were also christened there.
When, in the 1960s, the decision was taken at the head office of the Norwegian Mission to Seamen in Bergen to close the church, because shipping traffic into the port of Swansea had been reduced to a trickle, members of the Norwegian colony appealed to the powers that be in Norway and it was agreed that they might rent the church for a peppercorn rent.
My father-in-law, Eric Benneche, a lay preacher, was authorised by the Bishop of Bergen to conduct communion services, christenings and funerals and was supported by my own father, who became secretary of the church steering committee.
So, my own and my wife’s connections with the tiny church are strong and our memories vivid.
[I remember one Christmas time during the Second World War, when we were young children, how the church used to heave with what seemed like hundreds of Scandinavian merchant seamen on shore leave. It was a haven from the perils of the North Atlantic convoys, where they enjoyed the friendship, comfort and warmth of an evening in the church’s large reading room or billiards room, being served by members of the congregation with waffles, and being provided with entertainment by the younger members, who were persuaded and cajoled into singing or reciting – myself included.
I remember the huge Christmas tree around which we linked arms and walked, singing Norwegian Christmas carols. I remember the presents, organised by the Mission, being opened by each sailor with a kind of wonderment and often tears in their eyes.
I remember the clanking and hissing of the lumbering steam locomotives, as they hauled their wagons along the rickety railway lines immediately outside the church and down into the docks, emerging from the smoke and gloom of the blackout like dark and threatening monsters.
I remember the regular air raids, with the docks as the prime target of the Nazi bombers.
I remember the ladies of the night slinking and sidling into the entrance of the church reading room, with scarlet fingernails beckoning and enticing the sailors to join them for a different kind of entertainment.
Alongside these memories, I remember clearly the special occasions during the year, like the celebration of Norway’s National Day of Independence on 17th May, when the church was decorated with freshly picked, newly sprouting, birch tree branches and, seemingly, a myriad Norwegian flags. We sang patriotic songs, ate party food, listened to loyal speeches to King and country by some of the elders, and when a great time was had by young and old alike, the ladies resplendent in their colourful national costumes and the men in their smartest Sunday-go-to-church best.
I remember the frantic annual church bazaars, which our mothers and other ladies of the colony, at their weekly sewing classes, had worked towards during the year, knitting, sewing, painting and embroidering to raise funds for the church.
And, finally, I remember the simplicity and peace of the Lutheran services themselves, accompanied always by the out of tune, creaking and ancient organ and the eagerness of the seamen to be welcomed into the Christian family to receive a blessing and, where sought, forgiveness from the resident pastor.
The church was no architectural masterpiece, with its original corrugated iron cladding, latterly rendered with cement, and with its crazily tilting steeple about to topple onto the ground level.
But it was a special gathering place for the Norwegian community in Swansea and for the thousands of Scandinavian seamen who, over the years, passed through its doors to worship and socialise.
It was a very special place.
Tony Jellings has very kindly given permission for this article, which was originally published in the South Wales Echo, to be reproduced in our newsletter.
His son recently visited the Norwegian Church in Cardiff and gave Karen information about his father.
Tony Jellings lived in Swansea for 23 years, studying for his Honours degree at Swansea University, where he was President of the Students Union for a year. He worked overseas for many years as a member of a multi-national company, and was subsequently based in London, where he was appointed head of human resources.
Tony is now retired and lives in Brighton with his wife Lisken.
News in Brief
Royal News
King Harald has returned to official duties after heart surgery. His first day back in June coincided with the country’s celebration of its Centennial. Royalists broke out in Spontaneous applause as his open car rolled down Oslo’s main boulevard on the way to Parliament.
Palace officials have announced that Norway’s ‘crown couple’ is expecting a new royal heir in December. The first authorized biography of crown princess Mette-Marit Tjessem Hoiby will be published in 2006.
Norwegian gossip weekly Se Og Her claims that Princess Martha Louise and husband Ari Behn are expecting their third child. Princess Martha Louise gave birth to the couple’s second daughter, Leah [sadora, five months ago. Newspaper Dagbladet’s web site reports that the palace has refused to verify the story.
(Source: Aftenposten)
A-ha to play Cardiff
They have sold 25 million albums, have been in the top ten eight times, and are still touring internationally. A-ha, the 1980s pop idols from Norway, are appearing in the Cardiff International Arena on Sunday, 1 1″ December. The group has a huge following and their hits include ‘Take On Me’.
Sophie Dahl’s RSPCA T-shirt
Sophie Dahl is among a list of celebrities selected to design exclusive T-shirts to show their support for the RSPCA. Sophie’s T-shirt features the words ‘When I was a little girl I had a goat called Lily who I loved’. The T-shirts are available exclusively from http://www.moreTvicar.com priced at £20, with £10 from each sale going to the RSPCA.
Exciting exhibition of Welsh Landscapes
WNS member and artist Rowan Huntley has been exhibiting her new work in Cardiff throughout August and in Llanberis in September. This colourful exhibition has been staged specifically to benefit the Council for National Parks, the national charity that works to protect and enhance the National Parks of England and Wales and areas that merit National Park status. ‘Eternal Landscape’ is a stunning collection of paintings featuring the Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia and the Pembrokeshire Coast.
Sir Chris Bonington, an honorary life vice president of the CNP said ‘This exhibition is an exciting and innovative way to highlight the importance of our National Parks and the vital work of CNP. Visually captivating, Eternal Landscape celebrates the diversity and beauty of the Welsh National Parks and uniquely demonstrates the essential need for the continued protection of these and other areas.’
(Cardiff Post, August 2005)
Notes From A Small Cupboard
A regular report from the Norwegian Church Cultural Centre
by Karen Allen, Centre Manager
World Raily Champions visit Norwegian Church
Norwegian Petter Solberg, and his Welsh co-driver Phil Mills, former World Rally Champions (2003), and winners of Wales Rally GB in 2002, 2003 and 2004, paid a visit to the Norwegian Church on 15″ September before heading off to the Millennium Stadium for the Official start of this year’s Wales Rally GB. As a world-beating Norwegian-Welsh partnership, Petter and Phil seemed the perfect people to invite to the Norwegian Church during our year of celebratory events to mark Norway’s centenary. We were delighted that the Subaru team agreed to fit us into their tight schedule and even arranged to bring one of the Subaru rally cars to the Norwegian Church. Both drivers seemed to genuinely enjoy their visit to our little bit of Norway in Wales. Photographs will be on the Subaru website http://www.swrt.com and we hope that we will also feature in a documentary being made about Petter Solberg; to be broadcast on Norwegian TV. .
An Audience with Joachim Rønneberg
At the time of writing this, final preparations are being made for Joachim Rønneberg’s visit to the Norwegian Church. Joachim Rønneberg is one of the most celebrated heroes of the Second World War and we are truly honoured that such a great man has agreed to come and talk about his involvement in the daring secret mission to sabotage Hitler’s atomic bomb programme. His visit will be one of only two public appearances in the UK, the other being organised by the North East branch of the Norwegian British Chamber of Commerce. This is a good opportunity to thank Magne Haugseng of the NBCC for all his help in organising Joachim Rønneberg’s visit to Britain and also Norsk Hydro for their generous sponsorship.
Forthcoming Events
Tuesday 27th September 8pm
CHRISTIAN WALLUMRØD ENSEMBLE
Christian Wallumrød piano Nils Økland fiddle & Hardanger fiddle
Arve Henriksen trumpet Per Oddvar Johansen drums
‘About as near to perfection as you are likely to hear’ Jazzwise
Tickets £12 (concessions ¬£10) from BBC NOW 0870 013 1812
Friday 21st – Sunday 23rd October
SCANDINAVIAN DANCE & MUSIC WEEKEND
Presented in partnership with Pentreffest. Beginners & improvers welcome – great fun!
Contact [email redacted]
Sunday 30th October 8pm
SWAP
Hugely popular Anglo-Swedish quartet, returning for a fifth appearance at the Norwegian Church. Tickets £12 (concessions £10) from BBC NOW 0870 013 1812
Friday 18th, Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th November, 10am – 5pm daily
CHRISTMAS MARKET
Sunday 27th November
CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY
Oswald Sidney Eide
12th April 1924 – 19th May 2005
Sid, as he was known to us all, died in May. He had been in failing health for some time and, after his last stay in hospital, he was transferred to Holme Towers, Penarth, for terminal care.
Sid had been a stalwart member of the Norwegian community for many years. His father was a Norwegian sailor, who married a Welsh girl and settled here in Cardiff.
I had known Sid since the early 1950s. He and Muriel, who was to become his wife, attended the old Seamen’s Church. After the Church was rebuilt, Sid enjoyed attending the Welsh Norwegian Society monthly meetings and the monthly coffee afternoons, as did Muriel until her untimely death in 1996.
After Muriel died, Sid appeared lost without her and, shortly afterwards, his health started to deteriorate, yet he managed to lead a full life. He belonged to a Rambling club and he did voluntary work in a Charity shop and the Beulah Church coffee shop. He also had a couple of holidays in Norway, visiting relatives there. The last one was taken last year, when he bought himself a new pair of gloves. (I had repaired his old ones for him until there were more darns than the original gloves!).
I am sure that we will all miss seeing him at our various meetings and events.
Muriel and Sid only had one son, Phillip, but they loved children and become foster parents to many needy children. So it was good that Sid lived long enough to see his new baby granddaughter, Cathryn.
Sid’s funeral service was held on Friday, May27th 2005 at the Beulah United Reform Church, Rhiwbina and his committal service at Thornhill Crematorium.
R.I.P. Sid
Contributed by Ellen Wayne
Alice Myrtle Jarman (nee Lindseth)
15th July 1905 – 27th August 2005
The death occurred in August of Alice Jarman, mother of WNS member Andrea Jarman. Alice celebrated her hundredth birthday in July in Lakeside House Nursing Home in Cardiff, where she had moved in February from the family home in Cyncoed.
She was the youngest of three children born to Swedish parents, who had emigrated from Sweden in the 1890s and had met and married in the USA. She attended the Swedish Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Ohio in her youth and she always regretted not speaking more Swedish with her parents to keep it up. She met her British husband-to-be in Cleveland, where he was working in the Cleveland Clinic on a research fellowship. She, herself, graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1930 with a B.A.
Alice sailed to Southampton in 1939 on the maiden voyage of The Normandie and she was married at Merthyr Mawr Church. Alice brought up three children in South Wales, moving to Cardiff in 1964.
Andrea recalls how she maintained some of the Swedish Christmas traditions by baking ‘pepparkakor’ biscuits (now available in IKEA!) and nut loaf, and decorating the table with Dalarna horses. She cooked waffles in Hengoed in the 1950s on her American waffle iron.
She led a very active live and travelled widely throughout her life. She even travelled to Jamaica when she was nearly ninety and stilf held a current passport on her death.
Some WNS members may recall meeting Alice at one of Ebba’s garden parties in recent years.
A RECIPE FOR PEPPERKAKER (PEPPERKAKOR IN SWEDEN)
Ingredients
5 fl oz syrup
11 oz sugar
8? oz butter
3 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1? tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground gloves
Approx 26 oz flour
Method
Bring to a boil: sugar, syrup and butter, let cool until lukewarm. Sift baking soda, flour and spices into the syrup mixture. Work the dough thoroughly – if needed add a little more flour (dough must not get too dry). Cover well and let cool in fridge overnight. Roll out the dough and cut out shapes. You can also use this dough to make a “Pepperkakehus” (a gingerbread house). Bake at 200C until light brown – be careful not to let the dough get burned – time varies from oven to oven.
Norway 1905-2005: 100 Years of Independence
To understand the significance of the centenary celebrations in Norway this year, we need to look back almost two hundred years to the time when Norway was in a union with Denmark.
For centuries Norway, Denmark and Sweden had been in and out of various political unions, and in 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark sided with France against the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom had been Norway’s chief trading partner, but now the British ended the trade. British warships blockaded Norway’s trade with other countries, and many Norwegians starved. Norway was cut off from Denmark by the British blockade and began to manage its own affairs. The Norwegians secretly began to trade with the British again.
Denmark was defeated in 1813 by Sweden, an ally of the United Kingdom against France. In 1814, in the Treaty of Kiel, Denmark gave Norway to Sweden. Denmark kept Norway’s island colonies: Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands.
The. Norwegians did not recognise the Treaty of Kiel. Later in 1814, they elected an assembly to draw up a constitution for an independent Norway. The constitution was adopted on May 17″, but Sweden refused to grant Norway independence. Swedish forces attacked Norwegian troops and quickly defeated them. In November 1814, the Norwegian parliament accepted King Charles XIII of Sweden as Norway’s ruler as well. Charles promised to respect the Norwegian constitution. In 1884, after a long struggle, the parliament won the right to force the Cabinet to resign. Until that time, the Cabinet had been responsible only to the King of Sweden.
During the 1890s, Norway’s merchant fleet was one of the largest in the world, but the Swedish Foreign Service handled Norway’s shipping affairs in overseas trading centres. Norway demanded its own foreign service, but Sweden refused. In May 1905, the Norwegian parliament passed a law creating a foreign service, but the Swedish king vetoed it. On June 7″, the parliament ended the union with Sweden.
Sweden nearly went to war against Norway. However, Sweden had to recognise Norway’s independence in September 1905, after a majority of Norwegians (except 184!) voted for independence. In November, the people approved a Danish prince as their King. He became Haakon VIL.
On 7th June this year, a celebratory concert was held at the Norwegian Church Cultural Centre and a number of WNS members attended. The evening began with a special reception and a talk by Alan Hall on the historical significance of the anniversary event. There followed a concert of music by four very talented young musicians, associated with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, including Mai-Britt Wagnild from Norway, accompanied by Alison Bowring, and also Hannah Gill on piano and Stephen Biggs on guitar, in a programme of international music, including Grieg.
Contributed by Peter Persen
Syttende Mai 2005
[picture]
Procession from the Wales Millennium Centre to the Norwegian Church, with Stan Wayne leading the way.
Karen Allen, Ellen Wayne, Ebba Lovering & Betty Persen serving hot dogs and waffles in the Norwegian Church
Friends Reunited: Sissel Skalpe (nee Rasmussen), Averil Goldsworthy, Peter Persen, Ellen Wayne, Edith & Signe Stray outside the Norwegian Church.
Welsh Norwegian Society 