To the Caribbean With Love: Meeting with Ilkka

The sole purpose of coming to Finland was to meet Ilkka, a distant relative who lives in Turku. Ilkka's grandmother was a first cousin of my great-grandfather. My great-grandfather was a German who emigrated to Australia. Ilkka's grandmother's mother was also German, but she married a man from Finland and came to live here. Ilkka and I didn't know each other existed until 2012 when Jean and I toured Europe. In my then blog 'The Malcolm and Jean Europe Tour 2012', I wrote blog posts about places my ancestors lived and worked in. Ilkka discovered my blog on the Internet, and contacted me. Since then, he has given us a mountain of useful family history information and mementoes.

Yesterday and today, Ilkka showed us around and talked with us in his home just four kilometres from our hotel. Jean came with us yesterday but not today as she has developed a sore throat. Yesterday, Ilkka drove us around parts of Turku, showing us the river Aura, the Turku (Lutheran) Cathedral, the Turku Castle, and a former rope factory. Today, he showed me a shipyard near Raisio, where large cruise ships bound for the Caribbean are constructed. Since Jean and I will soon sail on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, Îlkka thought it a good idea to show me this place. Ilkka also took me to Naantali, a Mecca for summer tourists on the banks of a nearby harbour. There is even a commemoration of the arrival in 1885 of the Russian Tsar Alexander III, and his wife and son, the future Tsar Nicholas II. Near this spot is an island called Muumi which boasts a popular theme park, Muumi Park. In the winter, however, Naantali is dead, and snow and ice covers the ground. We also stopped at Mobil, Ilkka's former workplace, and drove through the town of Raisio.

Back in Ilkka's home, we pored over much family history material, including the many descendants of Anna Luise Thode, my great-grandfather's aunt. He also showed me the original memoir of our ancestor, Elizabeth Webster Denton, a book he wrote about his grandmother, Helene Bruun, a book about his father who tragically was killed in the Second World War, and many photographs. Ilkka is also an avid car, plane and ship enthusiast. Ilkka's library is considerable, his home decorated beautifully with exquisite ornaments from well in the past.

The Turku (Lutheran) Cathedral in Turku

The river Aura - this time of year it's normally -20 degrees, the river is frozen, and people walk on it. Last year and this year, this has not been possible. Some believe it's global warming.

The river Aura

This is the old rope factory. I think Ilkka said it was the only one of its kind in Finland.

Ilkka and Jean on snowy ground near Turku Castle

Ilkka and Jean outside Turku Castle

This is Ilkka's garage. The cable hanging on the back wall plugs into his car, heats it overnight, and allows the car to start in the morning.

Ilkka holds the original typed memoir of our ancestor, Elizabeth Webster Denton (1768-1847). It contains a watermark - 'Ellam's' - from a company which created the Ellam's Duplicator. My copy does not hold this watermark.

Here, where the water marks the boundary between the towns of Turku and Raisio, this ship is under construction. Ilkka said many ships sailing the Caribbean are built here.