Many friends, relatives and followers of this site have recently asked me about the significance of Vardo, a small town off the Norwegian coast and why it warranted a mention.  I should have explained at the time that Thyge Andersen Enevoldsen's trawler ran aground off the coast of Vardo on 6th March 1933.  It was Vardo that the surviving crew members were taken and indeed the local Vardo hospital were they received medical attention.

Harold Dean Enevoldson was one of the survivors and as Thyge's son it must have been a traumatic experience for him to observe his Father waving farewell before the trawler sank.  On 8th March 1933, the Fiskerhjemmet Betel of Vardo visited the survivors in hospital.  In a letter to Thyge's wife, he writes that he had the opportunity "to talk a little to the two young men who lay there, and who were so distressed after 12 hours terrible experience in terrific snowstorm and stormy sea"

He continues by explaining that Harold Enevoldson had asked him to pray for his father and for him.  After praying Harold explained that his Father was a good Christian.  The prayers appear to have provided Harold with some consolation and the Fiskerhjemmet Betel thought that Harold's young heart, so torn by sorrow, received some comfort from the words of God.

By the time of writing the letter the young Harold was out of danger, only his fingers were "still a little dead after being frostbitten".  Given that Harold was only wearing a few clothes it was a miracle that he survived such an ordeal.  He was terribly distressed and spoke the whole time of his Father, and even at the hospital even when he was nearly unconscious and being attended to by the medical staff he spoke of his Father.

The source of the above is taken from a letter that Fiskerhjemmet Betel wrote to Gertrude Enevoldson dated 8th March 1933.  The original letter was recently donated by Helen Enevoldson to the Hull History Centre.

Movie showing Audrey Enevoldson visiting Denmark in 1978.

This very short movie shows Audrey Enevoldson visiting the homestead in Denmark where her Father was born.  The visit appears to have taken place in June 1978.  I think Krista Veise, Audrey's cousin is also in the movie and possibly other relatives.  It is interesting to see the old homestead which was recently renovated.  The homestead in 1978 seems to be still very isolated whereas today it is surrounded by modern houses in the middle of a housing estate.

Vardo

Vardø is the eastern most town in Norway and the Nordic countries, east of Saint Petersburg, Kiev and Istanbul. The eastern part of Finnmark is in the same time zone as the rest of the country, even if it is more than an hour at odds with daylight hours.
The port of Vardø, on the Barents Sea, remains ice-free all year round thanks to the effect of the warm North Atlantic drift. Vardø is usually referred to as Norway's only mainland town in the Arctic climate zone, although this is not strictly correct since the town is located on an island about 2 kilometres (1 mi) off the northeastern coast of the Varanger Peninsula. In July, the 24-hr average temperature is only 9.1 °C (48 °F), while the January average is a modest −5.1 °C (23 °F).

Kathleen Irene Rawdon (b: 1911 - d: 11th January 1959)

Kathleen Irene Rawdon was the wife of Harold Dean Enevoldson. Harold was the second eldest son from Thyge Andersen Enevoldsen's second marriage to Gertrude Emily Dean.   Kathleen was born in Hull in 1911.  She was the daughter of Harold Percy Rawdon and Ann Asher.  Kathleen married Harold in 1932.  They had 6 children.  Kathleen died in 1959 aged 48 years.

Harold Dean Enevoldson

Kathleen Irene Rawdon

Leslie Ivor Enevoldson (B. 1916 - D. 1983)

Leslie was the fifth child born to Thyge and his second wife Gertrude.  He was born in Withernsea which is a small coastal resort to the east of Hull.  In 1938 he married Olga Edith Ellis.

Leslie was accepted as a pupil to William Poskitt Watson etc. Architects and Surveyors  of Monument House, Hull on 28 January 1933.  He registered as Probationer RIBA on 17 August 1933 and completed Pupilship 26 September 1936.  He was elected as Student RIBA  on 19 October 1937.

He visited the homestead of his Father Thyge in 1978.  Below is a photograph of Leslie sitting in his GrandFather's chair.

Leonard Andersen Enevoldson

Leonard & wife Patty Enevoldson

Leonard Enevoldson's visit to Denmark in 1933

Leonard Enevoldson 1933

Leonard Andersen Enevoldson was born in 1910 and was the second child born to Thyge and his second wife Gertrude.  This photograph of Leonard was taken in 1933 when he returned to the Holmsland to visit his Danish cousins.  The young lady with arms draped over Leonard is Krista Andersen, his 1st cousin once removed.  Krista would have been 15 years of age at the time of the photograph.  Krista later married Andreas Veise and she maintained contact with her English cousins up until her death in 2001.

Leonard lived in Hull all of his life, working as a Fish Merchant on the Hull Fish Dock.  He married Patricia and they lived happily together until January 2001 when sadly they both died with days of eachother.  Leonard was affectionately known as Uncle Tubby by his many nieces and nephews.