Captain Lars Berg and The Marthe Andrea; the 19th century Norwegian timber trade with Cornwall
Fowey Town Hall
13 April 2024. 2pm
Cost: £5 for FHHS members, £8 for non members.
Contact: via Ticket Tailor https://buytickets.at/foweyharbourheritagesociety or pay at door.
Captain Lars Berg and The Marthe Andrea; A case history about the 19th century Norwegian timber trade with Cornwall. A talk by Dr. Julie Pinkney.
The chance finding of an 1859 newspaper report of the inquest into the suicide of a Norwegian ships captain, Lars Berg, at Restronguet near Mylor, sparked the interest of the speaker. Keen to understand the events that had led to this suicide, she contacted the National Maritime Museum in Oslo to find out more about his brig, the Marthe Andrea. This led to a collaboration with a Norwegian Emeritus Professor of History, who became equally eager to research both the man and his ship. A fascinating maritime tale unfolded that demonstrated the significance of the Norwegian timber and ice trades with Britain during the 19th century. Their research traced the history of the Marthe Andrea, including where she was built, her previous owners and captains, her routes and cargoes, until her final voyage. They discovered the life story of her final Captain, Lars Berg, where he lived, how he became a co-owner of the brig, why he took his own life, and what became of his family afterwards. This talk describes the vital maritime links that Cornwall had with Norway during the height of the shipping industry.
Dr. Julie Tomlinson lives in Cornwall where she works as an NHS Consultant Nurse and an independent historical researcher. She is particularly interested in the history and archaeology of the Viking Age and in Cornish maritime history. Julie has held substantive and honorary academic positions and has published widely. She is currently an Associate Researcher with the Institute of Cornish Studies, University of Exeter, and is an Honorary University Fellow with Plymouth University.
Illustration courtesy the Haugar art museum in Tønsberg, Norway