The Society was formed in June 1995 after the restoration and re-location of the old Norwegian Seamen's Mission Church to its new location in Cardiff Bay. The project was organized by the Norwegian Church Preservation Trust whose first president was Roald Dahl.
Until 1959 the church had been an active seamen's mission and for some 90 years Norwegian captains, sailors as well as landbased administrative staff had lived and worked in Cardiff, many of whom settled there for good. For the following 15 years these Norwegians and their families continued to come together under the umbrella of the church. Since 1974, however, when the church was de-consecrated, their numbers decreased, people had aged or had moved away. But their offspring, often of Welsh-Norwegian descent, were still living in South Wales. Eventually, some of them felt that the surviving bonds between Wales and Norway ought to be strengthened in response to an increasing interest in Norway and things Norwegian in the area.
Nowadays, the Society organises events like lectures and films with a Norwegian flavour, as well as events to celebrate traditional Norwegian festivals, such as Christmas, Norway's Constitution Day on 17th May and Mid Summer's Eve.
If you are interested in Norway or have family connections, the Society is a friendly and active group and welcomes new members. It normally holds its monthly meetings at 7.30pm on the third Wednesday of each month at the Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. The administrator will gladly attend to your enquiry at Tel. 029 20454899.
(Peter Birger Persen)
Editor's note: An example of the Society's members is their present president, Peter Birger Persen, born in Cardiff in 1929 of the Norwegian sea captain, Paul Birger Persen, and a Welsh/Swedish mother. He personifies the historic links between Wales and Norway. Another Norwegian offspring of this era, who became a 'South Walian', was Ellen Gjertsen, who was born in Swansea in 1923 of a Norwegian father and a Welsh mother. He managed the Lars Knutsen & Sons ships' chandlers in Swansea. Norwegian surnames are still current in the South Walian population, such as Olsen, Petersen, Hassel, Arentsen, Dahl, Eide, Lund, Brekke, Hegstad, Anderssen, Berntsen, Christensen, Eriksen, Gundersen, Hansen to mention but a few. Although they are not all members of the Welsh-Norwegian Society, the latter represents their past history of origin.
Programme of Society Events - 2007/8
Wednesday 19th. September 2007 - Annual General Meeting, starts @ 7.30pm
Wednesday 17th. October 2007 - Adam Munthe, 'An Expedition in Arctic Norway with the Sami', starts @ 7.30pm
Wednesday 21st. November 2007 - Emma Lewis 'Talk on the Newport Ship', starts @ 7.30pm
Thursday 13th. Decmeber 2007 - Jule Fest, Annual Christmas Party, starts @ 7.00pm
Wednesday 16th. January 2008 - Prof. John Hines and Dr.Denys Pringle 'Norwegian Seafarers in North Africa', Memorials of the 18th & 19th Century in Tunis, starts @ 7.30pm
Wednesday 20th. February 2008 - Sue Richards 'In Gudrid's Footsteps - a Voyage to Vinland', starts @ 7.30pm
Wednesday 19th March 2008 - Sarah & James Mayer subject to be announced, starts @ 7.30pm
Wednesday 16th April 2008 - Social Evening at the Church with the Norwegian Students from Atlantic College, starts @ 7.30pm
Saturday 17th. May 2008 - Annual Syttende Mai Dinner, starts @ 7.00pm
Sunday 22nd.June 2008 - St.Hans Garden Party, details to be announced
Contact: President 029 20753818 / Chairman 029 20702095