The 'Estonian Sea Captain'

Estonia's history has always been closely linked with the Baltic Sea, its trade and adventurous seafarers but this is more than a straight maritime story.

This voyage of discovery of two families' very different stories parallels Estonia's history which reflects the rise of the Nazi and Soviet empires of the 20th Century.

Captain Evald Jakobson went to sea soon after Estonia achieved its first independence in 1918. He rapidly built up his own shipping company, taking all kinds of cargoes throughout Europe, smuggling vodka to Finland, delivering arms to the Spanish Civil War.

Aware of the growing danger for Estonia from its Nazi and Soviet neighbours he prepared to move to England with his wife and son before the outbreak of WWII.

In England his role changed from adventurer to patriot in exile - his house became a centre for the Estonian diplomatic and shipping communities. He set up his own publishing company to build support for Estonia and promote its literature in exile.

He worked integrating Estonians into the British wartime convoys, End 1943 he was flown up to Stockholm on a mysterious mission by the British Government.

Postwar he set up his own publishing business to build support for Estonia and promote its literature in exile.

Back in the shipping business he built up a fleet of tramp steamers, employing mostly Estonian crews.

Like many exiles he talked little of his life in Estonia or the fate of the two very different families during the Nazi and Soviet occupations.

Evald died in 1973. Estonia seemed a distant part of the family's history.

All this was to change dramatically as Estonia regained its independence in 1991. I was about to embark on a new and challenging voyage of discovery of two families and a country...