The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.1981, Page 26

24
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
SPRING, 1981
THE WILSON FAMILY
by Thelma Wilson*
The Wilson Family. Photo taken in 1958. From left to right: Carlisle, 14 years, Kerr,
Kerrine 12, Mark 2, Thelma, Eric 9.
Having been asked to write a short history
of the Wilson family, as pertains to their
musical achievements, I shall endeavor to
relate events in a somewhat chronological
order.
Around the turn of the century our fore-
fathers emigrated to this country seeking a
better life for themselves and their families.
Kerr is the son of the late Carlisle and Sarah
Wilson who came from the Northern part of
Ireland and eventually settled in Winnipeg
in 1915. Thelma is the daughter of the late
Bjorn and Helga Guttormson, and the
grand-daughter of Jon and Svava Kemested.
The Guttormsons and the Kemesteds were
among the early pioneers of Manitoba, who
had left Iceland around the 1880’s to estab-
lish their home on the shores of Lake Win-
nipeg.
Kerr and Thelma lived in the same neigh-
borhood, attended the same schools in the
west end of Winnipeg. Kerr’s early musical
education was in violin which he studied
with the late Thorstein Johnson. Thelma
began piano lessons at the age of eight with
Louise MacDowell. It was not too long
before Kerr and Thelma were providing
musical entertainment at school, church and
*The editor requested Mrs. Wilson to write this article.