Solovetsky Monastery

[Sozont Singh]

Hello!
I wish everyone not to lose heart and not get sick in this difficult time!

Maybe someone has materials related to the Solovetsky Monastery in the period between 1854-1920? The Solovetsky Monastery is an important economic center of the Russian North.
Since the 15th century, he has always had his own fleet.

In 1854, the monastery was bombarded by British ships to no avail.
In the 1860s, the Scots came along with a steam engine for the steamer of the Solovetsky monastery and installed it. During the First World War, the British visited the Solovetsky Monastery several times too.
The steamships of the monastery were mobilized into the Russian navy in 1915-17 and, together with the British ships, organized the escort of the Arctic convoys.
Just in case, I will write the names of these ships:
Вера (Vera) - flagship of Russian minesweepers, drowned in winter 1915.
Архангел Михаил (Arhangel Mihailserved) - was in the navy only a few months in 1915
Соловетский (Solovecky) - was in the navy in 1915-1917
If we could find some British materials that mention these ships, then this can be a real discovery! :)
(For many years, bit by bit in the archives, I have been trying to find about these ships for the Solovetsky Maritime Museum)

So, there are at least 4 contacts of the monastery with the UK.
Maybe someone met letters, postcards, etc.?

Best wishes,
Sozont.

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hello Sozent

A good post, I have one Postal History item which I'll post later,

In the publication I quote in my earlier post, 'The King of Karelia' Part 2, Col Woods own diary, pages 193 - 203 describe a visit to this monastery,  He first writes about rumors swirling around which had reached him of a British Naval Party destroying a radio station belonging to the monks.  He follows this with a report that the Head Monk had approached him with  a request for Allied Military protection, This resulted in the dispatch of a platoon of the Slavo-Brittanic Legion, this was to effectively be paid for by the monks 'donating; a battery of modern 12 pounders which they possessed.  It's unclear if this ever came about as he records Ironside got wind of this and stepped in. (He also wanted the guns)

He follows with a visit to the monastery, mentioning the shelling in the Crimean War where he records that the shell holes within the inner walls were covered with circles of glass with an inscription on the walls underneath.  Also he mentions the presence of piles of rusty cannonballs from this event.  Goes on to mention a visit to the treasury and armory containing weapons etc from the 14th century onwards.  I'm guessing long since gone since the Bolsheviks took over and the monastery became a 'Special Prison'  under the NKVD and its successors.

Chris

[Sozont Singh]

Chris, thank you!
it is really interesing!
I will be waiting for your post! :)

Sozont.