Sven Lilja

1887–1951.

Music teacher, conductor, sing-along leader.

Through Hugo Alfvén's agency, Sven Lilja was granted a spot at the Stockholm Conservatory of Music and studied there from 1912–1917.

After a few years as an actor he worked as a singing and music teacher in Sundsvall, music teacher at the Stockholm Folk high schools, cantor in Sofia Parish and conductor for Stockholms Arbetarsångförening and the Stockholm Song Association. Sven Lilja introduced the modern sing-along and made it a popular movement.

He led a sing-along movement in the countryside and on radio but above all at Skansen where he for the first time led the movement 1935. In the following year, the sing-evenings at Skansen became a standing institution.

Sven Lilja also plays himself in the movie 'Love and Singing' from 1944.

 

Burial site: 0132-1384

Image description: Sven Lilja dressed in the classic sing along suit, unknown year. Photo: From private collection. [The image is cropped]
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Sven Anders Hägg

1817–1904.

Shoemaker, politician, author.

Sven Anders Hägg began when he was 10 years old as shoemaker apprentice and received the apprentice letter in 1840. From 1845 to 1848, Hägg was in Stockholm, St. Petersburg and in Paris, where he witnessed the revolution.

Hägg came to Uppsala in 1848 and became foreman of Shoemaker Lindgren's widow at Östra Ågatan 45. Hägg took over the workshop in 1852 and got the right work in Uppsala. The same year he formed General sickness and funeral assistance in connection with the Craft Association and was a member of the city council from 1862 to 1866.

Hägg was a devoutnon-drinker but was happy to go to the theatre, which was said to be "his only pleasure". As a writer, he published the History of the footwear, The urban market and Description of the Old cemetery in Uppsala.

On his 67th birthday, Hägg recieved the King's Medal in gold of the 5th size for civic merit. It was handed over by County Governor Adolf Hamilton.

Hägg had his house at Gräsgränden, next to the entrance to the current Bangårdsgatan at the Fyris creek. In the book about the Old Cemetery he writes about his children: "Two children, a boy close to two years and a girl at the age of four, are buried here".

 

Burial site: 0156-0253

Image description: Sven Anders Hägg, Uppsala ca 1850. Photo: Karl Ågren / UUB. [The image is cropped]
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Sixtus Janson

1883–1957.

Manufacturer, sports leader.

Sixtus Janson participated in the formation of the Sports Association Thor and several other local associations in Uppsala, for example Uppsala Canoe Company and Upsala Sailing fellowship. Janson also participated in the formation of the Uppland Sports Federation in 1912 and was its chairman for five years.

Together with Albin Lindqvist and J. E. Friberg, he took over the Upsala office book factory at Drottninggatan 6 in 1906.In 1917, the business was moved to Svintorget, today's Kungsängstorg, where Janson lived with his family.

At national level he was elected to the boards of several federation in The Swedish Sports Confederation, such as the Bicycle Association, the Athletic Association, Ice sailing federation and the Swedish skiing federation where he was Chairman 1922–1948. Sixtus Janson was also a member of the Sweden's Olympic Committee and leader of the Swedish ski squad for five Olympic Winter Games, from Chamonix in 1924 to St. Moritz in 1948.

Sixtus Janson lived an active life in addition to work on the factory and sport. His passion was sailing and he was also a prolific photographer.

If Thors athletes in 1906 in their sports area south of Uppsala Castle. Sixtus Janson third from the left. Photo: Popular Movement archive for Uppsala County.

Upsala Office Book Factory probably 1950-Tal, kungsängstorg in Uppsala. The Janson family had an apartment at the top of the factory. The building was demolished about 1970. Photo: Popular Movement archive for Uppsala County.

Burial site: 0108-0417

Image description: Sixtus Janson in the Royal Swedish Sail Society Hat 1907. Photo: Östling, Uppsala / Popular Movement archive for Uppsala län. [The image is cropped]
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Maria Henschen

1840–1927.

Governess, teacher.

Maria Henschen opened a private school for girls in her father's (Lars W. Henschen) farms which were located between Kyrkogårdsgatan, Åsgränd and Övre Slottsgatan.

She then became the first matron for "Magdeburg" (Uppsala higher grammar school for women), which she also owned.

 

Burial site: 0101-0023

Image description: Maria Henschen, Uppsala 1877. Photo: Heinrich Osti / UUB. [The image is cropped]
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Ellen Hagen

1873–1967.

Figure in the women's rights movement, publisher and politician.

Ellen Hagen initiated the formation of uppsala women's suffrage association in 1902 and was its president until 1923. Hagen was one of the foremost in the work for voting rights for women in Sweden. She was married to Robert Hagen, governor of Gävleborg County from 1918 to 1922.

She was also one of the initiators of the country Association for the woman's political suffrage, as well as one of the founders of Liberal women 1914. Hagen was chairman of the Liberal Party Women's Association 1938 – 1946 and for the Swedish Women's Union of Citizens 1936–1963.

Ellen Hagen also participated in international peace and voice-law work and was a Swedish delegate at the Disarmament Conference in Paris in 1931.

 

Burial site: 0103-1967

Image description: Ellen Hagen, unknown year. Photo: Gävleborg County Museum. [The image is cropped]
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Barbro Holmdahl

1925–1998.

Nurse, author, teacher.

Barbro Holmdahl was a teacher at the nursing school and trained as a nurse at Uppsala nursing schools. In 1990, she became an honorary doctorate at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Uppsala University. Prior to that, Holmdahl had trained as a psychologist.

As an author she has published the Boken om Henrik  (1986), which depicts the illness and death of her own son. Other books she has published are Tusen år i det svenska barnets historia (2000) and Sjuksköterskans historia (1994).

One of several ways she used to educate her students was to take them on tour in Uppsala and talk about the health care facilities and the poor house. She also taught crisis management.

 

Burial site: 0101-0018

Image description: Barbro Holmdahl, unknown year. Photo: From private collection. [The image is cropped]
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Hildur Akselsson

1887–1944.

Private tutor for small school children.

In the age of eight, Hildur Akselsson suffered from child paralysis (polio) and as wheelchair bound she managed to acquire a good humanistic education. She had no formal teacher training but had the talent to teach children.

At the age of 19, she began a business in her parents home at Villa Vägen 3 (Villa Tomtebo) which would be known as "Aunt Hildur's School" and a well-known institution in Uppsala for 37 years.

In 1913 the family moved to the corner house at Skolatan 33 at Västra Strandgatan overlooking the creek and "Magdeburg". Her students included Dag Hammarskjöld and Gunnar Weman. About Hammarskjöld, Hildur Akselsson mentioned that he had easy to learn.

 

Burial site: 0131-1351

Image description : Hildur Akselsson, Uppsala 1901. Photo: Heinrich Osti/UUB. [The image is cropped]
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Ester Bobeck

1889–1974.

Self-employed.

Ester Bobeck was called "The Tobacco Queen of Uppsala" and started tobacco trade first in 1908 at Östra Ågatan 27. Remarkably, Ester Bobeck did this at 18 years of age. Bobeck married in 1914 to the officer Otto Bobeck.

She had a aptitude for business and ran the first store alone, which became a meeting point for Uppsala's students. The students came to Bobecks shop to smoke cigar and discuss.

Four years later, on Östra Ågatan 59 in "Seven Hell's Openings", the second store was opened, which ran until 1935 when the house was demolished. The store was well placed because Flustret, the University Hospital and the regiments at Polacksbacken were nearby. Also, Uppsala Harbour was located next to. In connection with the demolition of the house, the tobacco shop was saved for some time in the so-called seventh opening.

Ester Bobecks (then Ericsson) first tobacco store at Östra Ågatan 27 in Uppsala. Photo: From private collection.

"Sjunde gluggen" on Östra Ågatan 59 in Uppsala in 1936. Photo: Gunnar Sundgren / Upplandsmuseet.

In 1964 a Tobacco Shop was established at Fyris Square in the Phoenix House. Then Carl Perschel Barowiaks tobacco shop was taken over.

During these years, shops were also opened at Dragarbrunnsgatan 26, Kungsängsgatan 8, Drottninggatan 8 and Skolgatan 8. Bobeck was also one of the first members of the Swedish Tobacco Dealers' Association and was awarded the association's gold medal in 1964.

 

Burial site: 0102-0136

Image description: Ester Bobeck in store, unknown year. Photo: From private collection. [The image is cropped]
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Agnes Geijer

1898–1989.

Textile historian, teacher.

Agnes Geijer was born in October 1898 in an academic home in Uppsala. She later became an art teacher and textile history at the School of Home Economics from 1921 to 1927 and assistant professor at the Swedish National Museum of History and the National Museum. She was also the most leading researcher in Nordic textile history of her time.

She was the leader of Pieta's preservation Department in 1930 – 1949 and head of the Swedish National Heritage Board textile department.

In 1938 Geijer received her doctorate with a dissertation on ancient textiles from the excavations at Björkö (Birka) and made a groundbreaking contribution to textile research. The textiles found at Birka were of different materials and produced differently, sometimes with unknown techniques. Geijer's work with the findings at Birka showed that Viking-age costumes could be reconstructed and that their origin could be determined.

Agnes Geijer published several writings, such as medieval textiles of Swedish manufacturing, textile treasures in Uppsala Cathedral and from the history of textile art that has been translated into English, which has given her international recognition.

To strengthen the Nordic textile research, she set up the foundation Agnes Geijer's Fund for Nordic Textile Research and the foundation has been active since 1988.

Agnes Geijer (to the right). at a preserved Polish banner from the 1600 of the Swedish State Trophy collection. Photo: Statens Trofésamling 1959.

Agnes Geijer (to the right) on Pietas textile preservation. Photo: Svenska Journalen 1942.

 

Burial site: 0129-2152

Image description: Agnes Geijer, 1968. Photo: Ingrid Bergman. [The image is cropped]
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Eva Edling

1872–1964.

Artist, portrait painter.

Eva Edling studied at the Academy of Fine Arts during the years 1900–1905 and also made study trips to Germany and Italy.

She was active in the Swedish Women Artists Association and participated in exhibitions with the association in Stockholm, Lund, Uppsala and Gothenburg.

Edling was a resident of Gropgränd 2, together with her mother and later by herself.

Not far from Gropgränd, lived her brother Nils, in the "Edlingian house" on St. Olof Street 2. There, a number of artists and writers have had their student residences.

 

Burial site: 0121-1068

Image description: Self-portrait painted by Eva Edling in 1902. Photo: From private collection. [The image is cropped]
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