Henrik Wilhelm Söderman
1829–1901.
Wholesale dealer, entrepreneur.
Henrik Wilhelm Söderman from Österbybruk became an apprentice to the tailor Nyblom in Uppsala at the age of 14.
Later, Söderman opened the spice shop and milk shed and also bought some land in Rasbo (seven farms together became the property Henriksberg), followed by the distillery in Lejstabro.
To have your own distillery was banned in 1855 and in 1860, a distillery was taken over at Fabriksgatan 4 in Svartbäcken by Frans Otto Törnlund and Söderman. At that time they had enough tax-coated land to start a distillery.
"Alcohol Money" became a major part of the city's income source and also financed much of Uppsala's industrialization. Examples are the Bavarian brewery and Upsala Ångkvarn, which were bought by Söderman and Törnlund. Uppsala Ångkvarn with mill, yeast factory and distillery was at the turn of the century 1900 the city's largest workplace.
Central Uppsala, with the walls around the Fyris creek, was created during the period 1860–1890 and was financed by sales and taxation of alcohol. In the 1860's there were 29 outlets and 27 alcohol outlets in Uppsala.
Söderman was a member of the city council from 1875 to 1878 and 1883 to 1900 and a member of the Drätselchamber and the building committee.
The gravestone is likely to be the largest in the cemetery in terms of weight and volume.
Burial site: 0124-1125
Image description: Henrik Wilhem Söderman, Uppsala ca 1878. Heinrich Osti / UUB. [The image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image
