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Dr Sergei de Wesselitsky Bojidarovitch

Who became Sergei de Vessilitsky in 1923 and became Sergei de Vesselitsky Merriman in 1932

Introduction: Background and Up-bringing 1882 -1957

Lived 74 years

Sergei's background and family circumstances have been referred to in earlier chapters.

His parents,Gabriel and Julia met whilst Julia and her mother, Mrs Monroe, were on a visit to Saint Petersburg. I understand that they met at Court Receptions.

They were married in Geneva, Switzerland in 1870. An account of their wedding was recorded in the form of cards and newspaper articles in the Monroe Family scrapbook, a picture of the Russian Orthodox Church and documents are held by the family. We also have their marriage certificate.

Gabriel and Julia settled down in a house in Dresden, Capital city of the Kingdom of Saxony. Three children were born to them there. The eldest,Vava,was born on the 16th August 1871. A dedicated artist, she never married and died at Vevey, Montreaux, Switzerland in 1927.

Vava - Varvara- Barbara.

Vera was born on the 8th August1872 in Dresden. She lived in England and was a

very hard working Social Worker, spending many years working with people in the poorer parts of the East End of London in conjunction with the Settlement there.

She wrote a book called"The Homeworker and her outlook". A descriptive study of Tailoresses and Boxmakers. This was published in London in 1916.

She never married. She died in London in 1932. Earlier she had become a naturalised British subject.

Sergel was born on the 31st August 1882 in Dresden, a Russian subject. As can be understood from his background he certainly experienced a cosmopolitan upbringing.

His father was a Russian Diplomat living in Saxony before it became part of the German Empire (in 1871).

His father's family were of Balkan origin. Sergei's mother was a citizen of the United States of America, daughter of a State Senator and the family were of Scottish and English origin.

His upbringing Sergei's grandmother was a considerable influence on him an became a particular friend especially during their many travels together. They appeared to have shared a similar outlook.

Sergei recalled later in life that he had a Swiss Governess in 1888 and that it was from her that he had learnt to speak French. He also learnt from her a liking" for her beautiful country; its grand mountains and valiant people". She gave him much advice bout travel in Switzerland particularly the importance of being sure footed and not hurrying in the mountains, stressing how important it was to understand the nature of the mountains and travelling conditions.

Sergei wrote that from the year 1799 onwards some member or other of the family had visited Switzerland almost every year until1939.

He wrote that his mother though delicate in health most of her life, was able to climb Alpine peaks from the age of 44 to 66 years, reaching summits of 14,000 and 15,000 feet above sea level.

Both Vava and Vera, neither strong in health, also climbed considerably in the Alps a number of peaks including the Matterhorn (14,780feet) and the Dent Blanche (over 13,000 feet), both in Switzerland.

When Sergel was christened in Dresden in November 1882 one of his Godfathers was M. de Nouikoff (means Newman) who had been Ambassador for Russia to the Austro—Hungarian Empire. As he could not attend in person, his place was taken (by proxy) by M. de Kazarinoff, Russian Charge d'Affaires of the Court of Saxony. The family

Still have his Korch Christening cup in silver.

One of Sergei's earliest memories was of breaking up large blocks of beet sugar in the cellar for the use of the family .He was enrolled at a private school in Dresden and well remembered cycling to and from school. On some occasion she said that he had "to ride through"groups of boys who were antagonistic to those at the private School

and who themselves went to state schools.

Sergei's first visit to England was in 1892 on a family holiday.

In 1895 as a boy of thirteen he climbed his first mountain which was the Ortler,

12,800feet, the highest mountain in Austria—Hungary. It was not until 1901 that he commenced regular annual visits to the Alps for climbing.

His feeling for (also) knowledge and understanding of foreign languages developed from an early age. He was always a keen philologist. He was brought up on Russian and English primarily.

Sergei's education continued at the University of Leipzig, Saxony,from 1900 to1904. During the University vacations he took the opportunity to travel widely.

His studies continued in political economy and human geography as well as in history, and in due course he was awarded a Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The family still have the relevant documents. For his degree he wrote a thesis on "The Railway systems of Southern Russia and Trans—Caucasia". His studies continued for many years particularly in history, biography and geography.