The Icelandic Adventures of Pike Ward | 01.09.2022

The Icelandic Adventures of Pike Ward of Teignmouth.
An illustrated talk by Katherine Findlay on Thursday, 1st September, 2022 at 7pm in The Devon Rural Archive.

Pike Ward, a fish merchant from Teignmouth, became one of the most important people in Iceland in the late nineteenth century and was a key figure in the birth of the modern nation. He made it possible for Icelanders to escape the virtual enslavement of previous generations and he was much loved. He in turn loved Iceland and stayed for many years, developing a distinctive Devonian-Icelandic identity. In this talk, Katherine Findlay will explore his adventurous life and show how he influenced the trajectory of his adopted country. We will discover the origin of Teignmouth’s famous whalebone arches and learn more about the links between Devon and Iceland.

Katherine Findlay is a writer, researcher and project manager specialising in the history of Devon and Iceland. In 2016 she discovered Pike Ward’s forgotten diaries and photographs and her research into his life resulted in a book about his adventures as well as a series of events and exhibitions in the UK and Iceland. She is a heritage consultant based in Devon and is currently Chair of Devon History Society. 

Picture above: portrait of Pike Ward by Þórarinn B. Þorláksson. c.1900. With thanks to the National Museum of Iceland. 

This talk has been organised in association with Devon History Society and Friend’s of Devon’s Archives. 

Tickets are £5 each, and must be purchased in advance.  
A Season Ticket to attend all 11 lectures in our 2022 programme is also available in our online shop.  
Please note that payments are non-refundable. 

Doors open at 6:30pm for complimentary refreshments and a chance to explore the Archive.
Before visiting the Archive, please see our current guidance about attending face-to-face events during the pandemic. 

To purchase a ticket please use the button below. Alternatively you can call us on 01548 830832 or email office@dra.uk.net; you will need to supply a valid phone number and email address for our records. By purchasing a ticket you will be subscribing to the DRA Friends mailing list and will receive regular updates about our work and events, but you can unsubscribe at any time.