ments see below
After leaving Ireland my ancestor arrived in the Swedish Empire (about 1710).
He decided to live on Kihnu, an Estonian island located about 25 miles from the port of P�rnu. His reasons being:
- The island had safe anchorages.
- Swedish ships (and the Swedish Royal Family) would use
P�rnu instead of Riga, dictated by the weather and wind.
From 1710 to about 1800 the family were involved in the brewing trade. Then due to a Russian charge of smuggling they were disinherited and became surfs. Following the Russian land reforms of 1855 they were allowed some land of their own.
Father's Parents
My Grandfather, in addition to fishing and farming, developed skills in boat building. He also skippered his own sailing vessel(s) - mostly two masted schooners.
His drawback was that he would easily get drunk and gamble (this made a great impact on my Father - he never touched a drop whilst at sea).
My Grandmother was Danish.
Both Grandparents survived World War 2, but I never knew them.
My early life
I was born in Ilford, Essex and any Estonian assimilation was dropped as the years went by - my life was quickly made uncomfortable becouse it was different or that it posed a threat; so I forgot anything Estonian, including the relatives that lived behind the 'iron curtain'.
One event that helped to broaden the divide was at the 1963 USSR exhibition in London.
The Russian/Estonian lady who manned the Estonian stand slagged-off my Parents becouse I couldn't speak Estonian.
click below
English (present day)
uk Graham Bartram
ee Antonio Martins/Ivan Sache
ie Vincent Morley
4ie Mario Fabretto