CoScan Magazine 2014/1

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Confederation of Scandinavian Societies of Great Britain and Ireland Contents:

CoScan and societies 2 From the Chairman of the Editorial Board 3 Message from the President 4 Chairman’s message 4 Obituaries 7 Anglo-Danish Society: Lisbeth Ehlers 11 Manchester Swedish Meetup Group: Tony Bray 13 Nordmanns-forbundet: Norgesskolen: Lisbeth Bø Håverstad 14 News in brief

Language and culture 15 Guest writer: The Revd Canon John Toy 18 Scotland’s first Vikings in Ardnamurchan: Peter Addyman 20 Interview on the Viking exhibition in London: Kåre Odgaard Gade 22 1814 - Annus Mirabilis: Per Steinar Raaen 26 Anna Sophie’s Kitchen: Anna Sophie Strandli 27 From the bookshelf, presentations and reviews: Ian Cumpstey, Eva Robards, Harriet Podmore, Mark Elliott Travel awards 32 CoScan Trust Fund 2014: Brita Green 33. Prize winning report: Rosie Hoggmascall 34 Other arctic expeditions - report extracts 36. Swedish healthcare: Joseph Malone

Contact details 38 Member Societies 2014 39 Executive Committee 40 Trust Fund, Editorial Board, CoScan Patrons

Next deadline for contributions to the Magazine: 1 October 2014 Send to [email protected] From the Chairman of saint’ of YASS), and Peter Addyman draws our attention to recent discoveries the Editorial Board of a Viking boat burial in Scotland. Additionally, of course, there are the Iain Robertson usual features such as Anna Sophie’s Kitchen and contributions from those who have been given CoScan Travel Awards. It has been my privilege to serve as chairman of a board consisting of such gifted people. However even the most gifted people cannot produce material out of nowhere, so I hope that all our readers will consider whether they might have something to say which would interest our readership. We look forward Regrettably, this will be my last to receiving your contributions. submission as Chairman of the Editorial Board. Why, it may be asked, withdraw New to the Editorial Board after so short a time? The answer is that life as a retired person can become Dr Louise Sørensen is a Research very complicated (don’t believe the Associate at the University of Sheffield. myth about retirement being a golden Louise has a background in Scandinavian autumn!). I find that there are so many languages and history and is particularly demands on my time that I cannot fulfil interested in how we uncover the them all. I will not be leaving the Board, experiences of ordinary people in the however, just playing a more minor role. past. Her PhD thesis investigated English And there is good news: Louise phrasebooks and ‘teach yourself’ manuals Sørensen of the University of Sheffield for Scandinavians in the 19th century. Centre for Nordic Studies has agreed Following that she worked on Ola to join us. The editorial work will Nordmann Goes West, a project applying continue to be done by members of virtual world technology to research the Board, and Brita Green has agreed into Norwegian emigration to America to take over to chair our meetings. in the late 1800s (see CoScan Magazine Some articles in this issue look back 2013/2), and a project that explores the to the Viking age. One covers the current experience of those who have come across exhibition at the British Museum, which the North Sea to live in the UK in modern some of our readers will have seen, while times. Until August stories can be sent to: another features a recent rune-stone [email protected]. discovery in Orkney. Our guest writer Above all, with Louise on the Board, John Toy tells the complicated story of the we will have a good injection of youth a 11th century St Sigfrid (who is the ‘patron new ideas.

2 Message from the President

Mark Elliott One of the excitements of CoScan is our constant change of venue. Last year, at this time, I was able to write of the joys of Tallinn in Estonia. 2014 was a year for the Annual General Meeting to be a home fixture, and the Norwegian Scottish Association (NSA) nobly took on the task of arranging a programme for us in their home city of Edinburgh. Around fifty of us, representing development process, and a new recruit thirteen different societies, were gathered for the magazine’s Editorial Board. Our for the occasion. Almost as if we were in finances are reasonably healthy, and a foreign city (and there were inevitably we are beginning to attract advertisers a few comments to the effect that it might and perhaps even sponsors. There indeed soon be so, with the Scottish was real debate on some issues, and a referendum less than five months away measure of constructive disagreement. and the outcome in the balance), we Most encouraging of all, perhaps, were welcomed at a diplomatic reception was the brief statement from a new given by the Norwegian Consul-General, society, the Manchester Swedish, a bare taken around some of the main historical two years old. Its founder told us that sites and viewpoints by a highly- half of his 200-plus members are under professional guide (an NSA member), 35, recruited through the social media and presented with a bag of local and meeting often just for the pleasure delicacies. Even the sun shone, now and of the company. Groups of this kind, then. We met old friends and made a few with a Scandinavian/Nordic interest, are new ones, in a very happy atmosphere. (he said) now much more commonly But what struck me most was the found. There is real hope for a vigorous st warmth of our formal meeting, the future, if CoScan can adapt to the 21 AGM. I heard comments from some of century way of doing things – and we those not familiar with CoScan events are very willing to learn new ways. As about how interesting it all was, and at always, we need new blood, new people the same time how relaxed. Things are to take CoScan forward. As always, clearly happening – nine new member we shall be delighted to hear from societies over the last 24 months, anybody with ideas. I am increasingly a new-look website well on in the confident that we shall find them.

3 Chairman’s message We are sad to report the death Eva Robards of three people who worked with dedication for CoScan.

Poul Hougaard Nielsen (1936-2014) by Mark Elliott

Of Poul Nielsen’s long and active life, It’s good to be Scandinavian in the only five years were devoted to his work UK these days. Wherever you look, at the centre of CoScan. But in that short there is something Nordic to find: in time he drove forward a new initiative film, literature, music, food. Nordic to expand CoScan’s membership, with Noir has become a household name and unremitting and productive vigour, and even has its own magazine, and in the won universal respect. The news of his TV series Scandimania earlier this year death in January 2014, after some years Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall explored fighting against ill health, saddened us all. ‘the happiest countries in the world’. Poul was elected to CoScan’s Riding on this interest in the North, Executive Committee at the Oslo we can be proud to present ourselves and Conference of October 2005, and at our activities. But at the same time, we the first committee meeting two days should be aware that we can make our after the AGM volunteered himself for own presence stronger by collaboration. the new role of Membership Secretary. Part of this is knowing what’s going on in CoScan at the time was reeling from the other CoScan organisations, but also joint decision of the five Nordic Embassies events are valuable. Since the last issue of in London to cease their annual grant the Magazine there have been two events to us of £250 each, and developing the to which CoScan fellow members have concept of individual membership was been invited: Lucia in York Minster, seen as one way of bridging the financial and the Scandinavian Day at the British gap. Increasing the number of affiliated Museum. There may be more to come, societies was also vitally important. Poul’s but above all, let’s keep in contact! new role was crucial for our survival. He tackled it with a determination and persistence which became legendary. Danish by birth, he tended to focus his efforts most sharply on Danish

4 organisations and individuals, with Director of Cabico Ltd (distributor of immediate and considerable success. European cakes in the UK). His work took But no potential target was forgotten, and him travelling around the country, which failure to reply to an approach from Poul made it possible sometimes to catch simply meant that he went on trying. our Scarlet Pimpernel. When caught, His sustained effort was extraordinary. he was full of enthusiasm and ideas, Receipts from members and member many of which have been implemented. societies in 2006 were double those of In this Magazine he appeared in 2005, and the increase was maintained. print in both issues of 2013: in 2013/1 When Poul decided to retire from his with a photo showing where the Danish post in 2010, at the AGM coinciding flag fell from the sky in the battle of with CoScan’s 60th Anniversary lunch Tallinn in 1219 and in 2013/2 describing in London, the pattern of CoScan’s the pleasure of æbleskiver and how to membership had been transformed. make them. The last meeting of the Through all these trials Poul was Editorial Board to which he came was a charming and friendly companion, only a short time before he eventually had to capitulate to the cancer he had constant in his attendance at CoScan bravely fought for years. We shall functions, scrupulous in correspondence miss him – he truly was a great Dane! – the ideal colleague. He will be missed greatly by very many, and not least by his friends in CoScan.

Jens Peter Rasmussen (1953-2013) by Eva Robards

Like a Scarlet Pimpernel, Jens Peter Rasmussen was everywhere. He was a member of two of our Societies: the Anglo-Danish Society and SKOL (Scandinavian Klubb of Lincolnshire). He served on the Council of the Anglo- Danish Society and, for example, I saw him co-hosting an event at the Danish Embassy last summer. For CoScan, he was on the Executive Committee, and he was the first recruited member of the Editorial Board of this Magazine. Beside all this, he had his business to run: as Photo: A W Robards

5 Dagmar Dahl Cockitt Tony and Dagmar were both long- standing committee members of the (1946-2013) Midlands Scandinavians, and Dagmar by Brita Green was its chairperson for many years. Right from its inception, the CoScan Just as the December issue of the Trust Fund caught her interest and she Magazine was going to press, we raised considerable sums of money for it received the sad news that Dagmar over the years. In the Magazine 2008/1, Cockitt had died, much too young. she wrote about her twenty years plus Dagmar was born on the island of of fundraising, in the hope of inspiring Mors in Limfjorden in North Jutland on others: ‘It became an annual tradition 25 May 1946. She was only two when that we invite members of the Midlands her mother died giving birth to Dagmar’s Scandinavians and our friends for some twin sisters. After spending a year as nice food and good company.’ It could an au-pair in London, Dagmar went be morning coffee with home-baked to Ribe to study to be a teacher (1966- breakfast rolls and Danish pastries, 70). She must have had a soft spot for with a ‘Bring and buy’, or it could be England, because she returned the year an evening do with a Scandinavian after finishing her training, this time buffet, combined with a raffle. She to Birmingham, where she worked in summarises: ‘A little hard work, a lot of the Danish Food Centre. She met Tony enjoyment, and the pleasure of sending Cockitt in May 1971, and they married a very nice cheque to the Trust Fund.’ two years later and had two daughters. Dagmar had joined the Trust Fund subcommittee in the early 1990’s, and she took over as treasurer in 2006. Recently, she had willingly begun to take on more and more of the administrative tasks. She was a positive and thoughtful person, always a delight to work with, and we miss her greatly, as a colleague and a friend.

6 Societies

Anglo-Danish Society by Lisbeth Ehlers, Hon. Secretary

The History. The Anglo-Danish Society was founded on 17 December Dame Margot Fonteyn, Victor Schiøler 1924 with the encouragement of and many more spring from the pages. Queen Alexandra, the eldest daughter The Society’s latest royal gala dinner of Denmark’s King Christian IX. The took place in 1999 at London’s Guildhall to Society’s royal patrons are HM The mark our 75th anniversary. 17 chairmen will Queen and HM The Queen of Denmark. have served the Society when we celebrate HRH the Duchess of Gloucester GCVO is our 90th anniversary on 3 December 2014 protector of the Scholarship Programme. in the presence of our Royal Patron, Queen Alexandra was the first to HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. sign the Society’s guestbook on 11 April 1925. She died at Sandringham on 20 The Events. Today the Society arranges November that same year. Her son, King about six annual events for members George V, signed on 4 February 1926, and their guests. These are mainly of a followed by King Christian X, Queen cultural nature and take place at venues not Alexandrine and Crown Prince Frederik easily accessible to the public. Thus we of Denmark – our first royal patrons. have been privileged to visit the gardens The Society was founded to further at Highgrove House, Madresfield Court understanding between our two nations near Malvern, Arne Jacobsen’s famous following the first World War, and what St Catherine’s College in Oxford, the fun it must have been to take part in the Møller Centre at Churchill College in big annual dinners, lunches and lectures Cambridge. The dinner and concert in where guest lists read like pages from early February at Drapers’ Hall in the City Who‘s Who. Members from our two of London has become a popular tradition. royal families and dignitaries from the The 90th Anniversary programme worlds of Politics, the Armed Forces, includes a dinner on 18 June at the and the Arts were also always present. Regimental Headquarters of the Princess A famous ballet dancer, Dame Adeline of Wales’s Royal Regiment at The Tower Genée-Isitt, became our first lady chairman of London, whose Colonel in Chief is HM (1931-1933) and regularly entertained The Queen of Denmark, and on 7 October members in her London home. Names we revisit The Yehudi Menuhin School in like Lord Alexander, Clement Attlee, Stoke d’Abernon in Surrey for a guided Sir Anthony Eden, Christmas Møller, tour and a concert by the pupils.

7 But the most important purpose of our accordance with the Terms, that part Society as a charity is the support we give to of the Fund not allocated was donated postgraduate students from Denmark and to The British Legion Widows’ Fund. the UK to study in each other’s countries: For over a decade the Society has benefited from the generosity of The Ove Arup Foundation which finances an annual The Scholarships. It is thought scholarship of £2000 for postgraduate that the Society’s charitable work dates studies within the built environment. back to the time after WWII when The Since the inception of the Scholarship Anglo-Danish Fund paid for British Programme the Society has awarded 322 children suffering from tuberculosis scholarships: 204 to Danish and 118 to to travel to Denmark for treatment at British graduates (at present these are Danish sanatoria. An article in the £2000 each). To mark the Society’s 90th Society’s magazine from June 1953 anniversary a special scholarship will be indicates that 38 children had been cured awarded. The Scholarship Committee and were able to return to England. is currently in the final selection The first two Anglo-Danish Society process for the 2014/2015 awards. scholarships were granted in 1959 A 90th anniversary fundraising thanks to a gift from the Lord Inverforth campaign is planned to ensure Endowment Fund. The awardees were that the Anglo-Danish Society can a Danish and a British graduate who continue providing unique educational wished to continue their further education opportunities for ambitious young in the other country. The Scholarships women and men so that they can make amounted to £250 each, which at that their contribution to the world we live in. time enabled a graduate to study for a period of 6-8 months. An annual gift The Society works closely with the Danish from the above Fund was received until Embassy and KFUK (Danish YWCA) June 1992 when the capital (£28,435) in London. It also maintains close was donated to the Anglo-Danish Society. contact with CoScan and other Anglo- In 1995 the Society was entrusted Danish and Scandinavian organisations. with the sum of approximately £140,000 by the Royal Danish Embassy to create a trust fund to give British postgraduates the opportunity to further their studies in Denmark for a minimum of 6 months. This money arose as a surplus Page 9. In the Great Court, with Viking from collections both in the UK and Exhibition posters on the wall behind, from left: Denmark to give British veterans the Eva Robards, Gareth Williams, Finnish opportunity of participating in the 50th Ambassador Pekka Huhtaniemi with his wife Anniversary Celebrations in Copenhagen Liisa, Alexander Malmaeus (Chairman of Anglo Swedish Society), Lady Dales and Sir Richard commemorating the Liberation of Dales (Chairman of Anglo-Norse Society), Riitta Denmark. The Denmark Liberation and Christian Williams (Chairman of Anglo- Fund ceased to exist in 2005, when, in Danish Society).

8 Co-ordinating the Scandinavian Day at the British Museum (Lisbeth Ehlers cont.)

I cannot think of many exhibitions in recent times receiving as much publicity as the present Vikings, life and legend. Because of its Viking connections, the Anglo-Danish Society was asked in September 2013 to be in charge of co- ordinating a Scandinavian Day at the Lisbeth giving a visitor guidance. British Museum. This would consist of Photos on pages 8 and 9: © DWF Hallett a special lecture by Dr Gareth Williams, the curator of the exhibition, who had The first task was to agree a date with the also been involved last year in the Viking British Museum. It is always much more exhibition at the National Museum in fun to see an exhibition while it is still Copenhagen. A number of our members new and fresh. We settled for Thursday had already heard Gareth Williams in 20 March in the Stevenson Lecture 2011 give an illustrated presentation Theatre of the Clore Education Centre ahead of the 2014 exhibition, so the event (CEC), which seats around 140 people. was certain to attract great attention.

9 The programme would start with elevenses The morning of the event was chaotic. at 10.30, followed by a lecture at 11am. The Great Court is crowded at the best After a little over an hour for lunch, timed of times, and instead of registration and entry tickets would allow access to the distribution of tickets taking place at the Exhibition, and the whole event would entrance, guests were asked to go down finish at 4 pm. The British Museum to the CEC. It was not easy to see the would be informed of the number of notice, and in fact most guests did not acceptances one month before the event. spot it. Attired in red and white like a Detailed emails were sent out to Danish Flag for easy recognition, I found our sister organisations, and CoScan myself dashing in all directions to gather became the first to announce the date our bewildered flock. A few lambs went and the programme. This helped to astray; I am sure the invading Vikings were spread the News. I had great support nothing compared with the marauding in the early days by receiving early crowds in the two exhibitions halls. reservations from three organisations, We were greatly honoured that the which brought the numbers up to just Finnish Ambassador and his wife, Pekka under 100, and that was before we had and Liisa Huhtaniemi, would attend, even advertised the event in detail. and elaborate plans had been made by I visited the British Museum a the Museum for Dr Gareth Williams couple of times to familiarise myself to meet His Excellency outside the with this huge establishment. My second Museum at 10.30. There Dr Williams visit was with Elin Stone, Chairman of would accompany the couple inside Danish Women’s Association. She and to be photographed and take them I agreed how we were going to receive down to the CEC to be introduced all the guests with our national flags and to the chairmen of the Scandinavian fanfares, but unfortunately this had to societies and other guests. By 10.45 be altered. A quote from Robert Burns, Bill Hallett and I were worried about the ‘The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ non-appearance of our special guests. men gang aft a-gley’ springs to mind. Happily they were downstairs, where As the deadline approached, numbers they became united with the welcoming changed constantly; Graham Hughes, committee just in time to go in to Gareth the Anglo-Danish Society’s treasurer, Williams’ excellent illustrated lecture. became keeper of the LIST. On the By strange coincidence, a week after last Sunday morning I received a our visit to the British Museum, I was cancellation which I offered to the Anglo- invited to a service at St Edmundsbury Swedish Society, whose chairman, Cathedral, named after Edmund, King Alexander Malmaeus, introduced me and Martyr, who was cruelly slain to The Anglo-Nordic Times and to its by the Vikings in 869 at Hoxne, only photographer D.W.F. (Bill) Hallett, a matter of miles from my home in who came down from Northampton Suffolk. I thought a lot about Edmund and recorded the event in amazing and the Vikings during that service. pictures (photos available on request). [See also interview with Gareth Williams on p. 20]

10

Manchester Swedish Language Meetup Group by Tony Bray internet, I couldn’t find any Swedish lessons locally, but I did discover on The Beginnings. I have been going meetup.com, that there were four people on holiday to Sweden for many years; waiting for a Swedish Meetup to start in my family and I really enjoy everything Manchester. (Meetup is a website which about Sweden – from the buzz of the helps anyone organise a local group major cities, to relaxing in the beautiful or find one of the thousands of groups archipelagos. At the end of 2010, I already meeting up face-to-face.) I joined decided that I needed to improve my and waited a while, but nothing happened very basic Swedish. Searching on the so I decided to start a group myself. As there isn’t a suitable Swedish venue in Manchester, I chose the next best thing – a Danish bar. For the first couple of meetings, I duly sat at a table at the appointed time, with a Swedish flag on the table, waiting for the throngs of people to appear. Although I was never completely alone, it was a close call for the first three meetings – there was just me and one other. Slowly but surely the group grew and grew – within two years we were 100 members and now we’re just over 200. The Group Now. When I started the group, I had no idea what to expect. I tried to keep it as informal as possible, but didn’t know whether it would develop into a drinking club or, at the other extreme, whether we would spend our time discussing the finer points of Swedish grammar. Photo: Tony Bray

11 I have been absolutely delighted at thanks to other people in the group who how the group has evolved. Although the help, we also have many social events main objective was to get a group of people throughout the year: boat trips, meals out, together to practise their Swedish, we now crayfish party, cycle rides, concerts, etc. also meet to catch up with good friends. If you are thinking of starting a The age range is diverse – from students similar group in your area, please and au pairs in their teens and twenties, feel free to contact me. And if you’re through to pensioners. Roughly half are ever in Manchester, please do RSVP Swedes and half are learning Swedish, via the website and pop along and from complete beginners through to join us – you’ll be most welcome! fluent speakers. We also have as members Lithuanians, Poles, Mexicans, Russians, Koreans, Norwegians, Danes, Finns – we You can read more about us here: even welcome people from Yorkshire! www.meetup.com/Manchester-Swedish- It’s very informal – people just Language-Meetup-Group have a chat about whatever they want, and you can contact me here: in whatever language they want. We [email protected] or on my mobile meet every two weeks at a bar and, 07778 648082

your children a NORWEGIAN GIVE summer of FUN and LEARNING! Norgesskolen July 13 – August 1, 2014

Norwegian Language Norwegian Celebrations Friendship The Outdoors

Give your children three weeks We celebrate 17th of May – in Friends from all over the world Beautiful nature, camping, of intensive language training the middle of July sports, games and fun

For more information: www.norgesskolen.no [email protected] Telephone: +47 23 35 71 70

12 Norway’s Democracy!’ During their Norgesskolen 2014 stay in Norway, the students will enjoy a

talent night, camping and kayaking trips, by Lisbeth Bø Håverstad celebrating both the 17th of May and a Norwegian Christmas in the traditional Norgesskolen is a three week way, but in mid-July. We will also take a summer school located outside Oslo. day trip to Oslo, with various programmes For twelve years, youngsters between and guided tours. the ages of 9 and 18 have been coming Norgesskolen provides children to Tomb (Østfold county) to learn the with a wonderful Norwegian summer Norwegian language, history and culture. experience as well as good independence All of them have in common training. Students develop close bonds a connection with Norway, with children of similar backgrounds, but often because their parents or with important differences – a basis for grandparents have Norwegian roots. lifelong friendships. Last, but certainly The vision for Norgesskolen is to not least: participating in Norgesskolen give the children an opportunity to is a small contribution towards become secure about their Norwegian globalisation. Norgesskolen provides the identity, and learn as much as possible opportunity to experience diversity and about Norwegian language and improve multi-cultural understanding. culture, as well as creating friendships and networks that last for a lifetime. Norgesskolen is a part of the organisation Nordmanns-Forbundet/ Norwegians Worldwide. We emphasize that the teaching and the experience as a whole will be of the highest quality possible. The teaching is based on the official Norwegian curriculum of the so called Knowledge Reform (Kunnskapsreformen) of 2006. As from 2014 the students at Norgesskolen are given the chance to prepare for Bergenstesten, a test of Norwegian – Norwegians Worldwide, founded in advanced level – which is required in 1907, works to maintain the contact order to study in Norway. Norgesskolen between Norway and Norwegians has had students from 55 countries during residing outside of Norway through eleven years and many of them have its magazine Norwegians Worldwide, come from the United Kingdom. Every the summer school Norgesskolen, the year the school has a different theme annual trip in Norway Norgesreisen and this year it will be ‘Celebrating and personal contact with members.

13 Anglo-Scandinavian Hertfordshire Anglo- Society, Newcastle Scandinavian Society

In January Elisabeth Brown died in is 50 years old in February, having Sweden, at the age of 88. Elisabeth and started as Anglo-Scandinavian Society her late husband Joe were pillars of the in 1964. Society for many years, as members and also as presidents. In the year 2004 they decided to move back to Sweden and left a large gap in the Society. They spent some happy years with family and relatives on Orkney Norway the Swedish west coast. Friendship Association Another longstanding member, th Ditte Prest, died on 4 May. She was has celebrated its 35 anniversary. Last also an individual member of CoScan. year they entertained an impressive Very well liked and highly respected, number of Norwegian guests (400). surely they will both be missed. On 26 September 2013, ONFA member Donnie Grieve made a fantastic discovery. He was at his daughter’s Finn-Guild farm in Orphir, Orkney, searching for stones for building when he turned over Ossi Laurila has handed over to a stone and saw a runic inscription. His Helena Halme who is now the new daughter, who is an archaeologist, was Development Director. Ossi served for able to transcribe it and found that it was 13 years as General Secretary and for an inscription in Latin, which translates 15 years as Editor of Horisonttii. For as ‘who art in Heaven, hallowed’. The his work Ossi has become Knight of next step is to try and find out more the Order of the Lion of Finland. The about where the stone came from. medal was presented by Ambassador Meanwhile, Donnie is keeping his eyes Pekka Huhtaniemi at his Residence. peeled for the missing part of the stone.

Runes found in Orphir. From the autumn 2013 Newsletter by Orkney Norway Friendship Association. Printed with permission.

14 York Anglo- Language & Culture Scandinavian Society (YASS) St Sigfrid

The major event in our calendar this by year was the very successful Lucia in The Revd the Minster. Around 750 people came to Canon enjoy the experience. A boys’ choir from John Toy Stockholm joined our local singers, and Guest writer charmed everyone. We are very grateful Every 15 February the Church of to the sponsors who made it all possible. England celebrates Sigfrid, Bishop, The collection taken was divided Apostle of Sweden, 1045. This reflects between the Minster and YASS, whose the Scandinavian medieval tradition share was donated to the Trust Fund. of an English missionary bishop who played a crucial part in bringing John Christmas has joined the Christianity to Norway and Sweden CoScan Trust Fund as its treasurer. in the first half of theth 11 century. Most probable is that he was a typical It was with great sorrow that we missionary bishop of the time, wandering learnt in March that Paul Sigsworth around with the king, preaching and (1956-2014) had lost his battle with establishing churches, probably not cancer. He will be greatly missed. Paul, fixed as the bishop of any one place. a modern languages graduate, came to The sources, however, are so many work in the York chocolate industry in and varied that Sigfrid is one of the his early twenties. He soon joined YASS, most difficult issues of this period of set about learning Swedish and quickly Scandinavian history, so much so that became a fluent speaker. It was not long there may have been two, or even three, before he was on the committee, where Sigfrids at slightly different periods. The most reliable and near- he served on and off over the years, in the contemporary evidence we have is from 1980’s as both secretary and chairman. Adam of Bremen, writing about 1070. It was Paul who organised our summer The passage dealing with Olav Haraldson walks. He was the easiest person to work of Norway (later St Olav, killed 1030), with, always willing to take on jobs, states: ‘He had with him several bishops always happy to find a way. It was very and priests from England, with the help much thanks to Paul’s hard work that the of whose exhortations and teaching he 1982 CoScan conference in York, with himself turned his heart to seek the Lord its Viking theme, became such a success. and he commissioned them to guide his subjects. Among them were Sigfrid,

15 Grimkil, Rudolf and Bernhard, famous where Christendom was a novelty. for learning and working miracles. At the In Denmark he was met by the king king’s command they also visited Sweden, and the nobles of that country and by Gotaland and all the islands that lie another, well known for his piety and beyond Nordland and preached there…’. holiness. With the king’s safe-conduct Adam later records that Bishop Sigfrid he went by difficult routes toä V rend was among those present in Bremen in [south-east costal area of Sweden]… At 1030 for the funeral of Bishop Turgot of the place the Swedes call Växjö is now Skara. Confirming the tradition of his built a stone church in honour of God work in Norway, the later bishops’ list has the Father and this saint. This church is Sigfrid as the third Bishop of Trondheim. still a cathedral and seat of a diocese.’ The next evidence comes from There is of course no King Mildred 130 years later when the Swedes were of England, nor Sigfrid Archbishop of anxious to establish their freedom York, and this account has generally been from the ecclesiastical overlord-ship discounted as having only slight basis of Hamburg-Bremen and were writing in history, although it was influential lists of bishops of their sees showing at the time. Sigfrid heads the medieval the connection with England. In 1205 bishops’ lists as the first Bishop of Växjö. the Acts of the blessed Sigfrid states: Mildred could be a mistake for Ethelred ‘King Olov in Sweden [this is Olov II (978-1013), perhaps a deduction from Skötkonung, 994-1022] is a heathen and the adjective ‘the mild one’ (mildr in Old worships idols. He has however heard of Norse) applied to him (later replaced by his Christianity but knows nothing of Christ enemies with ‘the Unready’). Recently since he had not been strengthened in the a suggestion has been made that Sigefer, faith by any missionaries. Therefore he Bishop of Lindsey (north Lincolnshire) turned to his friend and near-companion, may have been considered for the vacant King Mildred in England and asked archbishopric of York in 1002, but him to send him a missionary. With this instead undertook the Swedish mission. request in mind King Mildred gathered Later in the 13th century another legend a council of priests and told them of the of St Sigfrid was written, according to Swedish king’s need. Since for three which Sigfrid left his three nephews, days none of the present indicated that Unaman, Suneman and Vinaman in they were willing to go as missionaries charge of the church in Växjö while he to the Swedes, who were well-known for went to preach in Sigtuna (Uppland). their cruelty, Archbishop Sigfrid of York While he was away, there was a pagan stood up and declared in a long speech reaction and the three men were martyred that it was God’s will that these people and thrown into the lake. On his return should come to the Christian faith, and Sigfrid retrieved the heads and the three at everyone’s approval he undertook the heads became the arms of the diocese task. After certain preparations Sigfrid and are to this day. If this slightly later and his companions left England and legend of the three nephews is regarded after a few days landed in Denmark as totally unhistorical, it was suggested

16 in a Saga of St Olav about a Bishop Sigurd who for a while served as bishop of Trondheim (Norway) and he seems not to have distinguished between the Sigurd who was court bishop for Olav Haraldson, and the Sigurd who was court bishop to Olav Tryggvason (995-1000) thirty years earlier. The issue is further complicated by William of Malmesbury in his work on Glastonbury Abbey which records the death of a Sigfrid there at the time of King Edgar (957-975): ‘On April 5th St Sigfrid, Bishop in Norway, monk of Glastonbury. He donated four copes, The seal of the Chapter of Växjö, still in use, two of them with lions and two mantles’. with the heads of St Sigfrid’s nephews Unaman, So then, whatever was the exact Suneman and Vinaman. history behind these 10th and 11th some eighty years ago that the names of century Sigfrids, an English St Sigfrid Sunaman, Unaman and Vinaman may be figured largely from 1100 onwards in a distant memory from England of some the traditions, particularly of Sweden. Anglo-Saxon martyrs: the Chronicle of He headed the list of many named John of Oxenden records ‘At that time English early missionaries, most of them [9th century] Sunneman and his brothers bishops, who supplemented the Rome- were killed, the first inhabitants of the authorised missions from Hamburg- sacred place of St Benedict at Hulme’. Bremen. Contacts between Britain and The story of this saint becomes Scandinavia have been continuous more and more complicated when other over many centuries but few, or none, legends are considered. One relates more significant than when many of the that Sigfrid spent much time with King pagan Vikings, having been converted to Olov Skötkonung in Husaby, c.1008, Christianity in England, returned home where the king was baptised by Sigfrid bringing with them bishops and priests to in a spring. Sigfrid also appears in the encourage the much-feared Scandinavians medieval bishops’ lists for Skara diocese. to become part of Christian Europe. The last source to mention is a 15th century one which says that Sigfrid died as an old man in 1045, and was buried in Växjö, where his relics were at that time. The reason why there may have been John Toy was Chancellor more than one Sigfrid is that different of York Minster up to his retirement. sources tell of one of that, or a very He has lived in Sweden and is similar, name from different periods. an authority on medieval Swedish The Icelandic poet Snorre also wrote liturgies.

17 Scotland’s

First Scandinavians

A Viking boat burial at Ardnamurchan documents one of the first Norse settlers Reconstruction drawing: Sarah Paris in mainland Scotland. Norse, settlement sites that have been by Peter Addyman progressively revealed over the years Scotland’s Northern and Western Isles in excavations, hoards of Viking age and shores, like most parts of Northern metalwork buried with the intention of Europe, began to feel the brunt of Norse recovery but never recovered, chance expansion in the last years of the AD finds, and, of course, Viking age graves. 700s. The first documented raid was the Unlike the local Pictish inhabitants sacking of the Celtic monastery of Iona in the settling Vikings were pagans, given 795. Soon after settlement followed in the to burying their dead in distinctive ways north and west, contributing a distinctive and with distinctive grave goods. One Scandinavian strain to the culture of particular type of burial – in a boat set what eventually became Scotland. in a boat-shaped hole in the ground – There are place names of Scandinavian is reminiscent of the great ship burials origin, dialect words derived from old of Norway and Denmark in the Viking age, and is peculiarly evocative of

Team members Oliver Harris and Helena Gray excavate the Ardnamurchan Viking sword. Photo: Dan Addison. To the left: X-radiograph of the sword by Pieta Greaves, AOC Archaeology

18 the sea-faring traditions that made Bay area from earliest times to the the attacks on Scotland possible in present, identifying ancient sites and land the first place, and lay behind the sea- uses, excavating where relevant, and linked Scandinavian earldoms that creating a story of the area through time. eventually developed around the western During the survey a low-lying mound and northern seaboards of Scotland. was noted on the foreshore which seemed Several such boat burials have been to be of some antiquity because traces of found in Scotland in the past, most post-medieval fields seemed to respect it. recently in 1991 at Scar on Sanday in Excavations started in 2006 and were Orkney. Here, in a grave exposed by completed in 2011. They revealed that a coastal erosion, three people, a man, an boat-shaped hole had been dug into the elderly woman and a child, had been laid shingle of the foreshore. A boat some out in a 7.15 metre boat and accompanied 5 metres long and 1.5 metres wide, by distinctive and rich grave goods. An represented by over 200 iron rivets, even richer grave, with coins of about had then been placed in it. Within the AD 850, was excavated in 1882-83 in boat had been laid the body of the the sand dunes at Kiloran Bay on the dead person, evidently a man, and an north west coast of Colonsay, evidently extensive set of his kit. This comprised of a man and his horse buried under everyday personal items such as his a boat that must have been as much as flint strike-a-lights, and his whetstone 9 metres long. The boat, in each case, for sharpening blades. There was also a was represented by the iron rivets which set of the weaponry typical of a Viking fix together the strakes of a clinker- warrior: an axe, a sword with decorated built boat (that is, one with sides built hilt, a spear and a shield boss (the domed up of overlapping planks) typical of the iron fitting at the centre of a shield that Viking age. Groups of such rivets have accommodated the hand grip). Textiles been recorded with other Viking burials preserved by mineralisation adhered to from Scotland, often in early excavations the scabbard of the sword, indicating before their significance was understood that the buried person was clothed, and – which suggests that boat burials there was a ring-headed bronze pin, may have been relatively common. perhaps to secure his clothes or a shroud. Recently another Viking age boat In addition he had a drinking horn and burial has turned up – discovered during a pan with a metre-long handle and a a well-organised archaeological study hammer and tongs, presumably for use of Swordle Bay on the north coast of in metalworking, perhaps indicating that the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, the most he was, amongst other things, a smith. westerly part of mainland Scotland. The boat was then surrounded by The Ardnamurchan Transitions Project, a stone kerb, filled with stones and carried out by a consortium of scholars probably covered with a mound of from several universities and commercial stones, subsequently much eroded. and charitable archaeological The aggressive soil conditions at the organisations, seeks to study the Swordle Swordle Bay site had destroyed almost

19 all the physical remains of the person buried in the boat, leaving only two molar Gareth Williams on the teeth and three fragments of bone. The Viking exhibition at the teeth were enough to provide samples for stable isotope analysis which suggested British Museum that the buried person had not grown Excerpt from interview up in Scotland – more likely in coastal by Kåre Odgaard Gade, Norway or perhaps in Ireland. The sword, Press Attaché with an inlaid hilt and guard and silver at the Danish Embassy and bronze wrapped bands, had a five- lobed pommel and a slightly dropping hilt guard which are typical of Norse What should people expect from the swords of late 9th or early 10th century. exhibition? This remarkable new find therefore gives us a vivid picture of one of Well, I think what is different about Scotland’s first Scandinavian colonists this exhibition from other exhibitions – probably a Norwegian, clearly a man on the Vikings is that people think of of prestige, a warrior, a metal smith, Vikings as a purely Northern European probably a farmer, and certainly a sailor phenomenon. Everyone knows that – that is, someone typical of the Norse Vikings came from Denmark, Norway settlers of Scotland. Probably he died and Sweden. Most people know that around or soon after the year 900 – and they had an impact on places like his community thought it proper to place Britain and Ireland and around places him at rest in sight of the sea he once in Northern Europe. What we try to do sailed in the boat he once rowed with with this exhibition is to emphasise that the objects that had defined his status in the Vikings had global connections. life. It is a reasonable supposition, too, Their culture spanned four continents. that he was laid to rest not far from the That they made it as far west as place where he lived – and hopefully the North America is well known. It is less marvellous Ardnamurchan Transitions well known that they made it as far Project will soon find that too. south as Morocco and as far east – in terms of their connections at least – as To read more see Current Archaeology 280, July 2013, 18-24, or visit www.ardnamurchantran- Central Asia and the Middle East. … sitionsproject.co.uk So for example, I think it will be a surprise to many people that the most common inscription in Scandinavia from the Viking Age says ‘There is no God but Allah, He stands alone, He has no partner’, because there are thousands of Islamic silver coins, all of which carry that Islamic statement of faith. The trading links with the Middle East

20 and Central Asia were enormous. The chess pieces made after the Viking age, whole idea of using precious metal as probably in Norway. At that point the Isle currency wasn’t there in Scandinavia at of Lewis in Western Scotland was still the beginning of the Viking Age and it part of Norway. We think the Viking Age seems to be led by trading links with the stopped at 1050 or 1100, whatever date one coin using economy of the Arab world. wants to put on it, but up to 1266 Western Equally, in the beginning of the Scotland was part of Norway. Up to 1469 period Scandinavia had an entirely Shetland was part of Norway – or indeed different belief system. Contact with Denmark as well at that point, because of Western Europe led to Christian missions the joint throne. So we finish by making and then Christianisation, which had the point that the Viking Age didn’t just

Curator Gareth Williams Photo: © Kåre Gade stop – the connections have continued. an impact not just on belief but also on … There is a glamour to Vikings. society. So these interactions – what The Vikings as a concept is very much a did the Vikings learn from others, what 19th Century invention. The term wasn’t did they leave behind them elsewhere, really used before that. The notion we and how did mixed cultures grow up? have of Vikings, both in Denmark and the ... The last item you come across is United Kingdom, is very much a product a group of the famous Lewis chessmen of that romantic period. The Vikings have – one of our own treasures. These were horns on their helmets because to 19th

21 century writers and artists any barbarian in the exhibition. For example we show a is bound to have horns and wings on his series of the grave goods from women’s helmet and a big beard – they wouldn’t graves and look at both the things they look upon it otherwise, even though have in common and the things that differ. there is no historic foundation for that. There are shared elements of Viking ... And when you look at it there is a lot identity which are the same wherever and of common contact and heritage before, there are other things where they change, during and after the Viking Age. It’s not depending on who they’re mixing in with. surprising in that sense that they were The Vikings were great adaptors. able to blend in almost seamlessly into I think that one of the things that the areas where they settled in Eastern we find interesting is that they were England. We can see it from the place capable of doing so much and changing names there, we can see it to some extent and adapting. But the fact that they from the objects that turn up – they mixed were able to get to so many different in much more easily than perhaps in other places, I think impresses people. areas like Ireland and Russia where there One of the things that is a theme wasn’t the linked language and where throughout the exhibition is the fact that material culture was much more different. what really enabled the Viking Age to But even there, they mixed and blended happen was Viking ships. We got Roskilde in, and I think it’s that adaptability of the 6, the longest Viking ship ever found, as Vikings that is fascinating – the way that, the physical centerpiece of the exhibition. when you look at the Vikings in Russia, Printed with permission. Normandy or Greenland, you get different patterns. There are some things that you see in common in every part of the Viking world and that’s something we bring out

1814 – Annus Mirabilis by Per Steinar Raaen

The title of this article is a quote by was an appropriate way of describing the priest-in-charge at Akershus Castle in the events: during an extremely eventful Oslo, Claus Pavels, who summarised the year, Norway was first handed over from year in his diary on 31 December, 1814. the Danish to the Swedish king in January, Claus Pavels referred to a concept shared then the country developed a modern by most people in the early 1800s, that and revolutionary constitution during a what actually took place in 1814 was so few weeks in April and May, elected a far beyond imagination, that ‘miracle’ Danish prince King of Norway, fought a

22 short war against Sweden in the autumn British attack and subsequent conquest of and, finally, the Norwegian parliament the combined Danish-Norwegian naval voted almost unanimously in favour fleet in Copenhagen in 1807, Denmark- of a union with Sweden in November, Norway joined the losing side in the electing the Swedish king Karl XIII as Napoleonic wars, and when Napoleon was king of Norway. Annus mirabilis, indeed! defeated in the battle of Leipzig in 1813, Moreover, the modern constitution had

Riksforsamlingen på Eidsvoll 1814 Painting: Oscar Arnold Wergeland survived, and 1814 has since then been the Danish-Norwegian king realized a defining year in the history of Norway. that he unfortunately had few friends. So what did actually happen? As so Meanwhile, Sweden had lost Finland often in the history of Norway, the course to Russia in 1809, and the Swedes had of history is a result of both internal and appointed the French marshal, Jean external factors. The short version goes Baptiste Bernadotte, one of Napoleon’s like this: Norway and Denmark had been former generals, as their new crown prince, a united kingdom since the Middle Ages, since the Swedish king Karl XIII was old with the king sitting in Copenhagen, and weak and without heirs. Bernadotte ruling Norway by his clerks. Since 1660 took part in the battle of Leipzig and the king had absolute power, appointed by was somehow promised Norway as a the grace of God. Largely because of the compensation both for the loss of Finland

23 and for the war effort against Napoleon. King of Norway. A Norwegian During the final weeks of 1813, when constitution was subsequently to be marching west and south towards the final created in the power vacuum before battle against Napoleon with his allies, Bernadotte could reach Scandinavia, Bernadotte suddenly marched a minor because of his involvement in the final part of his army north, towards Denmark, settlement with Napoleon at Waterloo. and conquered Kiel, which was Danish. The Norwegian elite supported the With his rapid strategy he demanded prince’s proposals, but could not accept complete Danish capitulation, and in the that he would be appointed absolute king oncoming negotiations the Danish King by the grace of God, as had been the was forced to hand over Norway to the custom in Denmark. If he were to be King Swedish King. A 400 year union with of Norway, this had to be realized within Denmark was over! Luckily for Norway, the concept of a constitutional monarchy; immediately after the peace treaty was the king was to be elected by the will signed, Bernadotte rushed south to join of the people, not by the grace of God. the allied forces before the final battle Prince Christian Frederik finally against Napoleon, leaving only a small agreed to this and summoned a relatively and relatively powerless military force representative constitutional assembly of to take care of things in Scandinavia. 112 men at Eidsvoll, who, in the course Hardly anyone in Norway knew about of a few weeks, finally and unanimously this, and the news of the capitulation signed a new constitution for Norway and the results of the negotiations hit on 17 May, 1814. Prince Christian Norway as a bomb in January 1814. Frederik was elected King of Norway. The Danish king, Frederik VI had sent The Norwegian Constitution of 1814 his cousin, prince Christian Frederik, to has been described as the most radical Norway in May 1813 to run the royal and revolutionary in Europe at the time. business in Norway on the king’s behalf. Quite a few of the ‘Constitution fathers’ Another reason for Christian Frederik’s were highly educated men, they had journey to Norway was most certainly studied law and other disciplines at the an act of precaution, in case anything University of Copenhagen, many of them were to happen to the union between under the same tutor: Professor Schlegel. the two countries. When the news of They were familiar with the ideas of the the capitulation reached the prince, age of Enlightenment; they had studied he reacted very swiftly, summoning the ideas of Montesquieu, they had read some of the foremost men among the the French Déclaration des Droits de Norwegian elite to a meeting in February l’Homme, and they knew the American at the mansion belonging to one of his Declaration of Independence. Many of friends and advisors, Carsten Anker, at the representatives at Eidsvoll actually Eidsvoll outside Oslo. At this meeting, brought drafts of a new constitution to prince Christian Frederik presented his the meeting. This is probably the main idea of a silent revolution, by sabotaging reason why the constitutional work the Kiel Treaty and appointing himself at Eidsvoll went quite fast. We also

24 know that the work was accompanied Norwegian parliament elected the by a lot of food and drink, up to more Swedish King Karl XIII as King of than a hundred bottles of imported Norway and accepted the new version wine to each main meal. The speed can of the constitution, only slightly changed also be illustrated by the fact that the compared to the May version. Bernadotte representatives of the three northernmost was later to become King Karl Johan, counties never came to Eidsvoll, since when Karl XIII died in 1818. Diplomacy communication and travel conditions and statesmanship on both sides had were too poor for them to make it in time. prevailed! A most difficult political Towards the end of May Bernadotte process involving all the Scandinavian returned to Sweden. He could not accept countries had come to a peaceful end. what had happened in Norway, and time had come to use military means to make the Kiel Treaty come true. Bernadotte, one of the cleverest among European generals, crossed the border of Norway with an experienced and well equipped army. The newly elected king Christian Frederik of Norway understood that this could not last very long; he withdrew his troops and invited his Swedish adversary to negotiate the conditions of a future union on the basis of the new Norwegian constitution. This was not acceptable for the Swedes, since they claimed the right to Norway on the basis of the Kiel Treaty. In this deadlock came another surprising element in the annus mirabilis; Bernadotte offered armistice and further negotiations on the basis of the new Norwegian constitution! The armistice was then signed in Moss on 14 August, Per Steinar Raaen is a historian at and has since been called a strategic Stiklestad National Culture Centre, masterpiece by Christian Frederik. Norway. The last two years he has During the subsequent negotiations spent in Great Britain. about the conditions of the union, it was imperative for the Norwegian negotiators to save as much of the Constitution of 17 May as possible. Understandably, Bernadotte was equally anxious about the consequences should the negotiations fail. Anyhow, on 4 November, the new

25 Anna Sophie’s Kitchen by Anna Sophie Strandli 6 lemons (24 in the original recipe) + In the spring of 1814 the 112 men finely grated zest of two lemons and at Eidsvoll would not only shape the juice of all six + ½ litre of water. Norway’s new Constitution, they ½ litre of white wine (e.g. Blue Nun) should also be provided for over a 1 or 2 dl of sugar (not mentioned in period of nearly six weeks. In 1814), 3 eggs and 1 tsp cardamom. Norway there were shortages of absolutely everything, but no Mix all ingredients in a (steel) pan expense was spared and enormous over a gentle heat. Whip until the amounts of food, wine and spirits mixture thickens and very slightly had been purchased. bubbles. Pour into a bowl and cool Eidsvollsmennene argued and (over a cold water bath) while complained, not least of ‘sour red stirring. Refrigerate and serve as wine’ and ‘the monotonous meat desertdessert or or as as a a drink drink with with or or without without a a soup, roast veal and bread pudding'. dash of alcohol. The 1814 variant of The Danish Prince, Christian the Italian Limoncello, only with Frederik, who had brought his own that extra touch of cardamom to this French chef Beauvin, would invite delicate and light lemon-drink-soup. delegates to his banquet table where there was an abundance of ‘lækre Citron Spieser’. 12 men were invited at athe Kage time, by alphabetic principle, regardless of position and rank, and these highly uncommon Royal receptions are seen as an early sign Pastry: 175 g flour, 80 g butter, of equality; an exercise in practical 2 tbs cold water, 1 pinch of sugar. democracy. Knead and leave the dough to cool, Much effort has been made to roll out, place in a greased tin, 3cm reconstruct the 1814 menus and above the edge and blind bake. adapt them to 2014. Many of the Filling: 6 egg yolks, 125 g sugar, recipes contained a lot of spices and 125 g butter (melted and cooled), lemons were used in large quantities 4 tbs thick cream, 4 lemons and and excessively as flavouring. The 4 egg whites. sweet and aromatic Amalfi-lemons. Whip egg yolks and sugar well. Add Citron Suppe lemon juice and zest + the butter and the cream. Stir over a warm water bath until thickened. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold them in. Cool and pour into the tin. Bake onat 120°C until core temperature reachesreach 70°C. 70°C.

26 in my translations. There are normally From the bookshelf also one or two chorus lines in every stanza, which would have been sung Old Songs of the North by backing singers or by the audience. Ian Cumpstey The subject matter covered by the on his ballad translations ballads is wide. Most of the ballads included in Warrior Lore are songs of The mediaeval Scandinavian fighters and heroes. Other well-known ballads represent a treasury of folkloric ballads feature stories of the supernatural, material that is less well-known outside with elves, mermaids and so on; even Scandinavia. These narrative folk-ballads humorous ballads were common. There were part of an oral storytelling tradition is a riddle ballad with a mixture of combined with musical performanace. questions from Christian themes and from Some of the ballads were widely known, nature. A violent beating awaits those and variants of a particular ballad were who cannot answer, and there is a reward often recorded in Swedish, Danish and/ for those who can. There are ballads of or Norwegian, or in different regions love, and the consequences of loving the of the countries. The earliest known wrong person. A historical ballad tells of manuscripts with texts of the ballads in the seizing of the daughter of the King Swedish are from the 1600s, and some of Sweden from the convent at Vreta. Danish manuscripts are slightly older. It is interesting to note that skiing The origin of the genre seems to have features prominently in two of the been rather earlier than this, sometime ballads. In a ballad translated from around the 1300s. In the early-to- Norwegian, King Harald Hardrada mid 1800s, an increasing literary and challenges Heming to ski on a mountain cultural consciousness in the Nordic so steep and high that he thought that countries led to interest in this style skiing it would be impossible. But of ballad, and folklorists were able to Heming is up to the task, and the story – record contemporary versions of the which shouldn’t be viewed as historically ballads, and also collect and print the accurate – doesn’t end well for Harald. texts of the old manuscripts. Similar ballads were known in English, and there was even some crossover in content. Heming skied on Snarafell, The Two Sisters (or The Cruel Sister) His skis they turned on high. is a relatively well-known example The King he thought he seemed to see, in both England and Scandinavia. The stars falling out of the sky. The ballads would have been Heming the young he could run on his performed by a singer. They rhyme, skis so well. and the most common structures have either two or four lines per stanza. I have aimed for the same rhyming patterns

27 The mediaeval Scandinavian ballads are The Englishman. Can part of the Nordic heritage, and Warrior Lore gives an English-speaking audience love go the distance? a take on this lesser-known aspect of old Scandinavian culture. Review by Eva Robards

To move country is something that cannot be taken lightly, even if passion opens the door to contemplating the unthinkable. This book by Helena Halme deals with a wide range of problems that can arise. The storyline may appear simple: girl meets boy, they fall in love and – hopefully – they will manage to live happily ever after. Interwoven is a palette of complications. Kaisa already has her life panned out when she meets the Englishman (Peter). This includes being engaged to be married to a steady Finn with a forceful mother. How do you pick up courage to cut the bonds to your previous life? How can you continue your professional career? How can you establish yourself in an Warrior Lore, a collection of ten unknown environment, far away from all Scandinavian folk ballads in illustrated that is known and even taken for granted? paperback, published by Skadi Press Are you about to make a serious mistake 2014. ISBN 978-0-9576120-1-3. that you’ll regret for the rest of your life? The book is set in the 80s, so emails and cheap flights don’t exist. Instead the lovers write frequent letters, have to plan Ian Cumpstey read chemistry at Oxford their telephone conversations carefully, (MChem, DPhil), and then moved to and save up money for those rare occasions Sweden (2003), where he stayed until when they can meet in person. Naturally, 2010, eventually becoming Associate doubt is looming about the prospect Professor (Docent) in organic chemistry of a life together, misunderstandings at Stockholm University. He now lives in can easily happpen, and vulnerability England and is an associate member of is huge. But a relationship depends the Swedish-English Literary Transla- not only on the interaction between tors’ Association. lovers – there are also family and friends, and their views and actions.

28 The Tomtes of Hilltop Stream Review by Harriet Podmore, aged 13

This is the third book written by Brenda Tyler, following The Tomtes of Hilltop Wood and Hilltop Farm. Jamie and Emily from Hilltop Cottage are visiting a pretty stream in the heart of Hilltop Wood. They are hoping to see the beautiful otter that they saw last year. The stream is surrounded by delicate flowers and all manner of creatures great and small. But when they arrive Many of us who moved from a Nordic the stream is full of green slime, dead country to the UK some thirty years fish and the otter is nowhere to be seen. ago will be able to identify with Kaisa. Jamie and Emily call on their little This book largely tells our story. friend Lichen to help them save the stream and pool, and with the help of their Tomte Helena Halme, The Englishman: Can friends and their magic shrinking hats, love go the distance?, published by they can save the stream before it’s too late. Newhurst Press Nov 2013. Read this enchanting book with ISBN-10 0957371160, ISBN-13 978- beautiful illustrations by Brenda Tyler. 0957371163 I would recommend this book for ages 4-11, but it’s really a fantastic book for all. Other books by Helena Halme: Brenda Tyler, The Tomtes of Hilltop Coffee and Vodka, Published by Stream, published by Floris Books, Newhurst Press 2013, Kindle edition. 2014. ISBN 9781782500452 ASIN B00BQ1FNYA

The Red King of Helsinki: Lies, Spies and Gymnastics. Kindle edition. ASIN B00C416296. ‘Nordic Noir meets spy thriller.’

Helena is the Development Director of Finn-Guild.

Brenda is a member of YASS.

29 In practice, though, he finds signs The Almost Nearly of an increasing rich/poor divide, for Perfect People? example in fast-urbanising Denmark. A third is the rise of right-wing movements: the vocal anti-immigrant Review by Mark Elliott party in Denmark; a similar political party in Sweden, where the proportion of immigrants and asylum-seekers is Michael Booth’s just-published exceptionally high; and in Norway, book with this title (minus the question- despite the universal horror at Anders mark) is a really good read. I’m sure that Breivik’s antics, the success of the anybody with a Nordic passport will find Progress Party, now part of the governing things in it to take offence at. But as a coalition. None of these however mere Englishman I find it all rather fun. seems much to diminish a widespread The author examines in much detail the and growing multi-culturalism. assertion that one or all of the five Nordic The fourth is the importance of hygge, countries is/are the best and happiest a complex mix of clubbability, attention to place in the world to live, picks out some the niceties of social behaviour, generally of the oddities and what he calls the darker banding together against the outside side in all of them, and concludes… world and having a good time in a cosy well, let’s leave that to the end. sort of way. Easy to recognise when you Some obvious common threads meet it, as we all do; probably dangerous running through the region emerge for an outsider to say much more about. from the book. One is the tendency to be inward-looking and self-sufficient. Often this is the result of a hard climate and isolation, but there are local differences. The Finns are identified as the most silent – über-Scandinavian, Booth calls them; but the Swedes too are singled out for taciturnity coupled with a capacity for avoiding personal conflict. Another – and all of these overlap – is social equality, defined in one quotation from a Danish source as ‘few have too much and fewer too little’. Booth spends some time analysing the cult of understatement or inconspicuous consumption and modesty associated for example in Sweden with the word lagom, a kind of collective restraint – don’t boast.

30 Within this general picture, a careful of complacencyof complacency – not – muchnot much attention attention to and rather penetrating analysis of each of research and development or the the five countries reveals certain special manufacturing sector, a tendency to sit factors. In Denmark, which is given back and enjoy life. He repeats a Danish most space as the author has lived there story, conceivably even a true one, to the for years, the poor figures for educational effect that in a certain Norwegian food attainment, quality of health services, processing plant Swedish workers are and employment attract his attention. He employed to peel bananas – in Danish has a soft spot for Finland, which comes eyes, lazy Norwegians and exploited out best in some of these areas especially Swedes all in one anecdote. Sweden education, and whose history has been indeed seems to be something of a more challenging over the 20th century target, the goody-goody, high-achieving than most; he remarks that having big brother in the Nordic family. 200,000 lakes and an eight-month winter Booth’s analysis is a fascinating blend has naturally developed resilience in the of paradoxes – benign totalitarianism, Finnish character, and suggests that the he says, an almost Orwellian state apparent absence of a future tense in the made up of conforming individualists; Finnish language may have something to apparently courteous, but when boarding do with their pragmatism. Like Finland, or leaving trains apt to barge into the Iceland is in a sense on the edge – poised opposing stream of humanity with total on the mid-Atlantic ridge, it receives disregard for anything but their own rather more American influence, Booth convenience. Maybe years of residence says; the years of a US presence and in Copenhagen has warped his outlook. Iceland’s high-risk environment, together Whatever prejudices Michael Booth with almost an excess of homogeneity may have developed, his admiration for (‘too Nordic’), may have contributed the Nordic achievement is genuine. He to the extraordinary economic collapse shows his hand on the final page. Some of 2008. Booth quotes a Danish saying have spoken, he writes, of a closer Nordic about the Icelanders – ‘they wear shoes union of 25 million people forming a kind which are too big for them and keep of Northern alternative to the European falling over their shoelaces’. A sign, Union. Unlikely, maybe. But his final perhaps, that the Danish/Icelandic plea to his Nordic friends is – please don’t; relationship is not always harmonious. the rest of us wouldn’t stand a chance. Norway’s geography, with great distances and mountainous country separating isolated communities, Michael Booth, The Almost Nearly accounts in some measure for the national Perfect People, published by Jonathan passion for friluftsliv – the outdoor life. Cape London 2014. But even more obvious in recent years ISBN 9780224089623. is its extraordinary oil wealth, much of it sensibly invested overseas, but also in Booth’s eyes fostering a kind

31 CoScan Trust Fund Wellborne, John Christmas and I met on 8 April to decide on this year’s 2014 winners. We had 15 strong applications to consider. They ranged from arctic Report by Brita Green exploration, anthropology, medicine, dentistry, composing, conducting and Sadly having lost Dagmar Cockitt art-curating to football and a guide from our group, as the deadline for expedition. Sweden, Norway, Denmark, applications was approaching, we Greenland and Finland are the countries were urgently looking for someone to be visited this year. We felt the quality to help. Fortunately, John Christmas, of applications was high and were as who has always been interested in generous as we could be. Having £3074 the work of the Trust Fund, agreed to in the bank, we decided that we would join the subcommittee and declared be able to spend a maximum of £2000 himself willing to do the treasurer’s job. on this year’s travel awards. We gave John and his Danish wife two grants of £200, four of £150, two became members of YASS in 1997, of £125, one of £115 and six of £100. and they have both served on the We should be able to look forward committee more than once. John, to some interesting reports next year. who is a fluent Danish speaker, says: We are grateful to the societies that have given us donations since our ‘I am a teacher and my job has tended last distribution of grants – Anglo- to keep us in England, although I took part Scandinavian Newcastle, Scottish- in a one year teaching exchange in Aarhus, Norwegian Glasgow, and York Anglo- Denmark, a lifetime ago. Our home is a Scandinavian Society. Special mention cross between Danish and English and must be made of YASS, which alone has we often speak ‘Danglish’ too. We have contributed over £1200 during the year. tried to retain as many Danish traditions Almost half of that was the Society’s as we can in our household, particularly share of the collection at the Lucia in the at times like Christmas and Easter. Minster service, the rest from sales and I helped organise the CoScan raffles, as well as a donation from funds. AGM in York two years ago and We cannot rely on such bounties every Karen and I attended the AGM year, however, and we appeal to other in Tallinn, Estonia, last year. societies to get involved and arrange There is something very positive special raffles, auctions or events, or about the applications for CoScan simply donate from funds. Please keep up travel grants from a very wide range your efforts. We are extremely grateful of applicants. I guess my professional to our generous monthly contributor for background in education can be brought his regular donations, and to CoScan’s into play here, and I hope to be able executive committee for theirs. DFDS to help fulfil at least some dreams have again kindly offered free crossings in the role I’ve agreed to take on.’ on the ferry – although presumably for the last time, as the final ferry-crossing We are very happy to welcome to Scandinavia is closing down in John onto the subcommittee. Alfhild September. 32 Chasing runaway tents went fishing in the fjords, climbed almost 1000m to the top of a glacier and on a by Rosie Hoggmascall few occasions had to dodge rock falls. The most entertaining experience, however, was unplanned and very Life as a seventeen year old is brilliant. unexpected. The icecap and its outlet There are so many opportunities out glaciers cause a microclimate in and there. I live some of my time in Brunei, around the base-camp valley that resulted some of my time in Windermere, and so in very strong winds one evening. Gusts going on an expedition to Arctic Norway were so strong that they blew away tents was one of those bold steps that had to and snapped guy ropes. We had to work be taken. At my age we are all supposed as a team to pin down tents that were to be doing things that are fulfilling, on the edge of being blown away, and adventurous, educational and essential secure down the safe tents with heavy to our UCAS statements so that we stand rocks and ice pegs. One moment you out from the crowd and everyone wants would be hammering pegs into the earth, to accept us onto their degree course. This the next you would be flying across the was not the reason I wanted to go – I just rocky ground in pursuit of a runaway thought it was cool and I really like rocks. tent. It was tense but exhilarating. During the expedition to the Nuvsvag The expedition experienced peninsula we explored the natural challenges during the first week. environment through scientific data A heatwave meant that the glacier collection and cross-country trekking. was melting rapidly and becoming We set up various camera traps, took increasingly unstable. In the end the hydrology readings every hour of the 24 leaders made the right decision that it was hour sunlit day, measured the strike and too dangerous to attempt to climb up onto dip of the underlying geology, and finally the icecap. We were all very disappointed we identified and logged over 60 spe- because it was what we all were looking cies of alpine flora and fauna. For forward to after a significant amount of adventure we trekked up mountains, training towards the ice climb. It was this

33 and the fact that the expedition was more studying geology at university who gave socially orientated that made it different me valuable advice on universities for to how I had imagined it. Having to live geology and the courses. The expedition with unfamiliar people, to work with the was expensive, and raising the money team, support them and also be supported to cover costs was a new challenge, but by them for three weeks was a large part there is no doubt that it was a unique of the expedition. It was a big part of the experience I will savour for many years. BES’s aims to develop your character, so we completed a personality test and found out what type of person we are. Rosie was not the only grant recipient It was useful to see how people interact to take part in a BES (British Exploring and to learn about their personalities as Society) expedition last summer. Here well as your own. The best thing was are some extracts from other reports: that we had the chance to write a small note to each of our fire members to tell them what we liked about them. Some Miranda Nixon. This summer I were funny, some deep and others spent an amazing five weeks in Arctic just really touching, and they gave me Finnmark, Northern Norway, with confidence about my personality. One the British Exploring Society. This person said that I am ‘the happiest girl expedition entails camping rough, they ever met’. Moreover, an individual exploring the area and carrying out meeting with the team leaders described experiments, the results of which would me in three words as ‘positive’, ‘helpful’ be sent back to universities in Britain. and ‘motivating’, which is reassuring. One day we had the opportunity For me, the big learning curve to go (safely!) down a crevasse. I was was taking chances and raising really excited to do this, as we’d heard funds. Fundraising was daunting but so much about them, and seen loads on incredibly valuable. When signing up our climb up the glacier. Going in was I concentrated on the gain from being like abseiling, plus crampons! You just in the arctic, and I did not think about had to lean back and walk down the ice how my appreciation for things at home face, and trust that you wouldn’t slip. would grow: I can now appreciate Being inside a crevasse has to be one simple, daily things that are invaluable of the best moments of the trip for me. such as a shower and a flush toilet. You could see the layers in the ice and I still look forward to gaining a how deep the cracks really go down. full experience of cold conditions, in The further down you went, the more future still to be planned expeditions to blue it seemed to get. I was blown away cold places. I hope to pursue a career by the experience. I never knew that a in geology, and thus the fieldwork hole in some ice could be so beautiful. experience and knowledge gained were The bursary I received from CoScan invaluable and beneficial for applying helped a lot with my fundraising for this to university. What I did not expect was trip. Thank you for helping me to explore meeting a huge number of trainee leaders such an amazing part of Scandinavia.

34 Esme Hotston Moore. One surreal their old school’s facilities to shower in, experience was swimming in glacial for the sake of the other plane passengers. lakes, as it chilled our bodies and washed We hosted a final celebration with them, off at least some of the ingrained dirt (that where we enjoyed the local delight of we otherwise hoped was tan) from lack of halibut (a fish found in nearby waters) and showers and other home comforts. One shared our talents. Expedition members particular morning we were crazy enough and locals alike sang and shared traditions, to find the guts to not just wade but including the village shaman. With the actually swim in the sea, which we found help of his neighbour’s translation, he to be surprisingly bearable (all things spoke of connections to nature and his relative of course) and perhaps even feelings about the area, before adding comparable to a chilly day in Britain. passion in a spiritual drum ritual. From time to time we interacted Once again, I would like to thank with the local community. They lent us CoScan for their generous grant which their boat for marine sampling, helped made all of this possible for me and organising our complicated travel plans has left me with so many unforgettable there, stored the equipment for next memories. year’s explorers, and finally they gave us

Esme climbing out of a cravasse

35 England has much to learn from Swedish healthcare

by Joseph Malone

I am a final year medical student at the University of Liverpool and have just returned from my four-month Medical Erasmus Exchange Programme at the Karolinska Instititute, Stockholm, Sweden, from December 2012 until April 2013. This was a wonderful experience, Photo: Esme Hotston Moore which has really opened my eyes. On reflection, I think this has been the best Edward Lavender. Although we had learning experience throughout my seen reindeer down in the villages on the entire time at medical school. I’d like way to base camp, at mountain camp we to say thank-you to the Co-Scan Trust saw our first evidence of wildlife in the for supporting me in this incredible trip. valley (apart from animal scat): a colony I undertook three rotations, each four of Arctic terns, which I spent a relaxing weeks in length. The first was a month in evening watching. Also at mountain Karolinska Hospital, Solna, in the Breast camp there was a beautiful turquoise and Endocrine Surgical department. lake, its colour known as glacial flower, I rotated through all areas of the and gigantic boulders which had been department shadowing the surgeons and deposited in previous glacial retreats. This, seeing my own cases where possible. The together with a view of the whole valley, surgical attitude towards postoperative demonstrated the incomprehensible scarring really amazed me. All surgical size of the glacier once, and how teams I encountered took real time and much it had shrunk; thoughts which I care to leave patients with the minimum grappled with for the rest of the trip. scarring possible, using hidden sutures Overall, everyone enjoyed the trip, beneath the skin with fine gauge thread. and for me, the experience broadened my This has never been the case from my personal view of the Arctic, personalising experience of English surgery, save some of the huge environmental issues for the obviously cosmetic operations today, being able to see them in action I have witnessed. This attention to and their impacts, including global detail showed a real compassion for the warming, linking glacial retreat and the impact of the operation on each patient. effect of rising carbon dioxide levels on I was based for one month in marine life. This has inspired me to help Huddinge Hospital at the Infectious raise awareness of these issues. Disease department in the unexplained

36 fevers department ward. To my pleasant high prices. I was surprised just how many surprise, the placement turned out to be homeless people I encountered in the city. the equivalent of four weeks with Dr I was taken aback by the efficiency House, from the TV series House. My with which services ran. It seems Sweden supervisor there is a truly inspirational has a culture of rapid change to improve doctor, proof that medicine is still an productivity. Staff appeared generally occupation of logic and reasoning, rather very healthy and happy in their jobs. than simply following guidelines blindly. Shorter training periods for specialisation My last placement was one month of post graduation meant consultants often emergency medicine at Södersjukhuset looked significantly younger. Most Hospital in Södermalm. This is the largest impressive of all was the complete emergency room in Northern Europe and lack of work place hierarchy. I felt a exposed me to the poorer communities in tremendous sense of cohesion, all staff Stockholm and a surprising level of drug referred to each other by first name and and alcohol cases. It was interesting to it was common to see medical students see that despite a relatively high standard sat side by side with senior doctors in a of living for a European country and strict relaxed conversation regarding work. alcohol and drugs policies, substance Nature is of great importance to abuse was still highly prevalent. I the Swedish population. The close thought the attitude in general towards proximity of nature to the city of alcohol was much more moderate than in Stockholm really surprised me. At the UK, but there was clearly still a night weekends you often see a mad exodus time culture of excess in big cities such for the wilderness as people race to as Stockholm, despite the eye-wateringly their cabins for solace at the weekend. I was lucky enough to rent a cabin for 30 friends over a weekend, just before leaving Sweden. The wilderness closely surrounding the city is truly enchanting. I felt that the picture I took of a wheelchair-bound in-patient sunning herself outside the main entrance to Södersjukhuset hospital summed up the holistic aspect of Sweden’s healthcare service, in which great care is taken ensuring psychological and social factors are considered in every patient.

Photo: Joseph Malone

37 Member Societies 2014 Anglo-Danish Society – [email protected] www.anglo-danishsociety.org.uk Anglo-Finnish Society – [email protected] www.anglofinnishsociety.org.uk Anglo-Norse Society – [email protected]/[email protected] www.anglo-norse.org.uk Anglo-Scandinavian Society of Newcastle – [email protected] www.newcastleangloscan.org Anglo Swedish Society – [email protected] www.angloswedishsociety.org.uk Danish Church in London – [email protected] – www.danskekirke.org Danish Club – [email protected] – www.danishclub.co.uk Danish Cultural Institute – [email protected] – www.dancult.co.uk Danish Seamen’s Church in Hull – [email protected] – www.danishchurch.karoo.net Danish YWCA, London – [email protected] – www.kfuk.co.uk Devon & Somerset Anglo Scandinavian Society – [email protected] www.angloscan.org.uk Finn-Guild – [email protected] – www.finn-guild.org Finnish Church in London – [email protected] www.finnishchurch.org.uk Grieg Society UK – [email protected] – www.griegsociety.co.uk Hampshire Anglo-Scandinavian Society (HASS) – [email protected] www.hass.org.uk Hertfordshire Anglo-Scandinavian Society – [email protected] www.hertsscandinavian.co.uk Irish Scandinavian Club – [email protected] www.members.upc.ie/dorte.eriksen Manchester Swedish Language Meetup Group – [email protected] www.meetup.com/Manchester-Swedish-Language-Meetup-Group Midlands Scandinavians – [email protected] Nordic Horizons – [email protected] – www.nordichorizons.org Northants Anglo-Scandinavian Society – [email protected] Norwegian Church in London – [email protected] www.sjomannskirken.no/london Norwegian Scottish Association – [email protected]/[email protected] www.norwegian-scottish.org.uk Orkney Norway Friendship Association (ONFA) – [email protected] www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/onfa Scandinavian Klubb of Lincolnshire (SKOL) – [email protected] www.skol.org.uk

38 Scottish-Finnish Society – [email protected] www.scottish-finnish-society.org.uk Scottish Norwegian Society (Glasgow) – [email protected] www.norwegiansocietyglasgow.co.uk Scottish-Swedish Society – [email protected] www.scottishswedish.org Shetland Norwegian Friendship Society – [email protected] – www.com- munitydirectory.shetland.gov.uk/shetland-norwegian-friendship-society-i380.html Swedish Church in London – [email protected] www.svenskakyrkan.se/london University of Sheffield Centre for Nordic Studies – [email protected] www.nordic-studies.group.shef.ac.uk/home.html York Anglo-Scandinavian Society (YASS) – [email protected] www.yorkangloscan.org.uk Honorary members: Finnish-British Society (2003–2014) – www.finnbrit.fi Nordmanns-Forbundet (2004–2014) – www.norseman.no CoScan Executive Committee President: Mark Elliott, CMG, Wheelwright Cottage, High Lorton, Cockermouth, Cumbria CA13 9UQ, [email protected] Vice President: Peter Wright, OBE, JP, B.Sc, FRSA, 5 The Heights, Carline Road, Lincoln LN1 1JP Chairman: Dr Eva Robards, Shrubbery Cottage, Nun Monkton, York YO26 8EW, evaro- [email protected] Treasurer: Manja Ronne, 6 Baker Street, Gayton, Northants. NN7 3EZ, [email protected] Secretary: Lise Hodgson, 11a Herbert Grove, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS1 2AT, liseinga@ hotmail.com Membership Secretary: Peter Campbell, 8 Sandyloch Drive, Lerwick ZE1 0SR, Shetland, [email protected] Website Editor: Anna Sophie Strandli, Industrigaten 40, 0357 Oslo, Norway, [email protected] Youth and International: Helena M S Schmidt, Gustavsgate 1, 0351 Oslo, Norway, hele- [email protected] Kari Moss Wright, 5 The Heights, Carline Road, Lincoln LN1 1JP, [email protected] Norman Pike, FCA, Barna House, Church Lane, Bradley, Grimsby DN37 OAE, [email protected] Co-opted: Tony Bray, 14 Ridge Avenue, Marple Cheshire SK6 7HJ, [email protected]

39 CoScan Trust Fund Trust Fund Chairman: Dr Brita Green, 103 Long Ridge Lane, Nether Poppleton, York, YO26 6LW, [email protected] Trust Fund Treasurer: John Christmas, 22 Hobgate, York YO24 4HF, [email protected] Alfhild Wellborne, 7 Bath Terrace, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1UH, [email protected]

Chairman of the Editorial Board Iain Robertson, 1 Kensington House, Aldborough Way, York YO26 4US [email protected]

CoScan Patrons: Their Excellencies, The Ambassadors of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden

Scandinavian Embassies in the UK – press, culture and information

Denmark: Lone Britt Christensen, Cultural Attaché, 55 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9SR, Tel: 020 7333 0200, [email protected], www.denmark.org.uk

Finland: Pirjo Pellinen, Cultural Affairs Officer, 38 Chesham Place, London SW1X 8HW, Tel: 020 7838 6200, [email protected], www.finemb.org.uk

Iceland: Petrina Bachmann, Attaché, 2A Hans Street, London SW1X 0JE Tel: 020 7259 3999, [email protected], www.iceland.is/uk

Norway: Eva M Vincent, Head of Press, Information and Cultural Affairs 25 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8QD, Tel: 020 75915500, [email protected] www.norway.org.uk

Sweden: Ellen Wettmark, Counsellor Cultural Affairs, 11 Montagu Place, London W1H 2AL, Tel: 020 7917 6400, [email protected] www.swedenabroad.com/london

40 Discover one of Sweden’s Best-Loved Artists

CARL LARSSON’S HOME, FAMILY AND FARM Paintings from the Swedish Arts and Crafts Movement CARL LARSSON Carl Larsson is one of Sweden’s best-loved artists. His stunning watercolours of his home and family from the end of the nineteenth century are acclaimed as one of the richest records of life at that time. This beautiful gift edition showcases paintings of Larsson’s home, family and farm, providing a fascinating insight into the artist’s life and family, as well as his painting techniques. hardback with dust jacket | £20.00

Classic Scandinavian Picture Books in English

Astrid Lindgren

Available from florisbooks.co.uk45 and all good bookshops If you are not already a member: join CoScan! For information, please contact: Peter Campbell, CoScan Membership Secretary 8 Sandyloch Drive, Lerwick, Shetland ZE1 0SR [email protected]

CoScan Magazine

Editorial Board: Peter Addyman, Mark Elliott, Brita Green, Eva Robards, Iain Robertson (Chairman), Anna Sophie Strandli, Louise Sørensen, Alfhild Wellborne Printed by: Inc Dot Printing, York Front cover photo: Early summer, Swedish west coast. Photo: Brita Green Back cover photo: Prize winner Emma Houston (award recipient 2013)

ISSN: 1478-2081 © All rights reserved

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