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Public Affairs Officer William Davnie and his wife Charlotte visited the grave of Jackson Haynes in Kokkola.

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Public Affairs Officer William Davnie and his wife Charlotte visited the grave of Jackson Haynes in Kokkola.

Public Affairs Officer William Davnie Attends Celebrations in Kokkola Honoring American Father of Modern Figure Skating

The creator of modern, artistic figure-skating was an American named Jackson Haynes. He spent most of his career in Europe, including Finland. He died in Kokkola in 1875, while on tour in Finland, and is buried in the cemetery there. Figure skaters and the Kokkola community have kept his memory alive there, and the local Rotary Club has placed a marker at his grave site with the inscription, “The Figure-skating King,” as he was called during his life. Last Saturday, Sept. 10, the 130th anniversary of his death was marked both by wreath-laying at his grave, and by the premiere of a full-length musical play based on his life. The play was written by the director of the Kokkola City Theatre, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Public Affairs Officer William Davnie represented the Embassy at these events.