Charles Peterson’s grave

Banner: On November 18th, 2021, Mark Daly , Chair of the Upper house of the Oireachtas, began Ireland's Proclamation Day of the Republic of Latvia and in doing so mentions Charles Peterson in the struggle for Irish independence. The Petersons, c. 1914: Annie, Charles, Con, and Soldie Nearly every Pete Geek I’ve emailed  or talked to has told me over and over how much joy Peterson pipes have brought him over the years. Today I have exciting and extremely important news to share with you, news that I hope everyone who is active in social media, on forums and in clubs around the world will spread. It involves restoring the final resting place for Charles Peterson’s unmarked grave.  That’s right—it appears his grave may never have had a monument. My friend Jonathan Boldt, Gigi, and myself hope you will read the following the consider what you can do to spread the news in whatever way you and donate to the cause. This was the passport photo taken for Peterson's last trip Peterson was 67 years old and on a routine business trip to Hamburg. As Sandra Bondarevska relates in her mandatory Petersons of Ireland book (available worldwide through Amazon), it was late August of 1919 when, after writing a final postcard to his daughter Soldie, Peterson fell ill. He was attended by a close friend and business associate but died on September 10th—107 years ago this past week. His last words, recorded by his friend, were directed to his wife Annie: “meine liebe, meine liebe, meine liebe.” For reasons undetermined, his grave never had a monument.  Now, if the worldwide Peterson community and those who love Latvia and Ireland’s culture and history work together, we can correct that and honor the man whose pipes continue to bring us such joy and comfort. Jonathan Boldt We have this opportunity because Jonathan Boldt, a law student in Hamburg, contacted me about a System pipe he’d recently purchased. As we became better acquainted and he realized Charles Peterson had no monument over his grave, he offered his legal and civic expertise to accomplish this important work and then set about this long and bureucratically challenged task.  I’ll let Jonathan tell you more, and then I’ll explain how together we can get it done.   (I) My Peterson Pilgrimage to Ohlsdorf Cemetery The chapel on the way to Charles Peterson's grave Jonathan: Not long ago Mark mentioned that Charles Peterson had died in Hamburg where I live, and as an aside that the grave is unmarked. On a whim I decided to search the online register of the city, and it returned a hit! I prepared a tin of Red Rapparee, replacing the cancer warning with Ad Memoriam C.P. and off I went. I took some photos and was a little astounded by the fact that many Petersons had been buried there and then hidden behind a fern frond I saw it: “died in 1877.” I had certainly found the grave of a “Charles…