Henrik Wilhelm Söderman

1829-1901.

Wholesaler, entrepreneur.

Henrik Wilhelm Söderman from Österbybruk became an apprentice to the tailor Nyblom in Uppsala at the age of 14.

Later, Söderman opened a spice shop and flour mill and also bought land in Rasbo (seven farms together became the Henriksberg estate), followed by the distillery in Lejstabro.

Domestic distilling was banned in 1855 and in 1860 the distillery at Fabriksgatan 4 in Svartbäcken was taken over by Frans Otto Törnlund and Söderman. They had enough taxed land to start distilling spirits.

"Brännvinspengar" became a major source of income for the city and also financed much of Uppsala's industrialization. Examples include the Bavarian brewery and Upsala Ångkvarn, which were bought by Söderman and Törnlund. Uppsala Ångkvarn with its mill, yeast factory and distillery was the city's largest workplace at the turn of the century 1900.

Central Uppsala, with the walls around the Fyrisån river, was built between 1860 and 1890 and was financed by liquor sales and taxation. In the 1860s, there were 29 sales outlets and 27 licensed premises for alcohol in Uppsala.

Söderman was a member of the city council from 1875 to 1878 and from 1883 to 1900, as well as a member of the county chamber and the building committee.

The gravestone is probably the largest in the cemetery in terms of weight and volume and is said to have been blasted out of a rock in Vaksala.

 

Burial site: 0124-1125

Image description: Henrik Wilhem Söderman, Uppsala ca 1878. Heinrich Osti / UUBThe image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Gabriel W. Gillberg

1801-1890.

Spice merchant, brewer.

Gabriel Wilhelm Gillberg was born in Tegelsmora in Uppland, became a citizen of Uppsala in 1840 and was a representative of the Uppsala bourgeoisie at the Riksdag in the 1840s.

Gillberg also restored his residential building at Fyristorg (between Dombron and S:t Eriks gränd) in the Italian Renaissance style. In 1935, the so-called Gillbergska thoroughfare was built, which could alleviate the city's then most difficult traffic problems.

The Gillberg House at Fyris Square, before the passage was built in 1934. Photo: Paul Sandberg / Upplandsmuseet.

Painting of the roadway before the inauguration in 1935. Photo: Paul Sandberg / Upplandsmuseet.

In the early 1860s, Gillberg became a donor to the Ultuna Agricultural Institute. He donated a large sum of money to the new building of the Academic Hospital. As a result, Gillberg was awarded the Royal Seraphim Medal.

After his death, Gillberg bequeathed a large part of his assets to the Gillberg Orphanage Foundation. Gillbergska orphanage was founded in 1843 and was first located at Tullgarn and then moved to Sysslomansgatan. Many of the children admitted were very young and had parents who lacked the ability to raise their children.

 

Burial site: 0103-0178

Image description: Oil painting by G. W. Gillberg. Probably painted by Alexis Wetterberg in 1858. The portrait shows the Seraphim Medal. Photo: Henrik Zetterberg. The painting is in the archives of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. [The image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Viktor Persson

1918-2000.

Antiquarian bookseller.

Viktor Persson, nicknamed "Bok-Viktor", was a well-known antiquarian bookseller and a well-known Uppsala profile. Viktor Persson lived on Övre Slottsgatan in Uppsala and in his small apartment he shared the space with his aquariums and many books.

In the 1950s, with the support of his father, archaeologist Axel W Persson, he established an antiquarian bookshop at Drottninggatan 3 near Politiska knuten called Bokfenix, which became a meeting place for book lovers and students. This led to Persson later becoming known as "Bok-Viktor" and in many ways he lived up to the name as he had a huge collection and knew exactly where the books were located.

Viktor Persson in his bookshop on Drottninggatan in Uppsala. Photo: Rolf Nodén. Taken from an almanac printed by RK tryck in 2003.

Viktor Persson in his "second" Bokfenix. Photo: From private collection.

Persson published a number of joke books and other curiosities in mini format on his own publishing house and the bestseller was Svenska invektiv (1963), a list of swear words that was sold in seven editions over three years.

In May 1980, the 18th century house that housed the antiquarian bookshop burned down, but the most valuable books escaped the flames. Bokfenix eventually moved to the corner of Skolgatan-Rundelsgränd.

 

Burial site: 0310-0274

Image description: Viktor Persson outside his antiquarian bookshop on Drottninggatan in Uppsala, probably 1950s-1960s. Photo: From private collectionThe image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Ester Bobeck

1889-1974.

Self-employed.

Ester Bobeck was known as "Uppsala's tobacco queen" and first started selling tobacco in 1908 at Östra Ågatan 27. It is noteworthy that Ester Bobeck did this at the age of 18. Bobeck married the officer Otto Bobeck in 1914.

She had a flair for business and ran the first shop alone, which became a meeting place for Uppsala students. Students came to Bobeck's shop to smoke cigars and talk.

Four years later, at Östra Ågatan 59 in "Sju helvetes gluggar", the second shop was opened and operated until 1935 when the building was demolished. The store was well located because Flustret, the Academic Hospital and the regiments at Polacksbacken were nearby. Uppsala harbor was also nearby. When the building was demolished, the tobacco shop was kept for a time in the so-called seventh window.

Ester Bobeck's (then Ericsson) first tobacco shop 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 on Fyris Square in Fenixhuset. Then Carl Perschel Barowiak's tobacco shop was taken over.

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

 

Burial site: 0102-0136

Image description: Ester Bobeck in a shop, year unknown. Photo: From private collectionThe image is cropped].
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Elin Eriksson

1868-1950.

Shopkeepers, market vendors.

Elin Eriksson and her husband Josef Theodor Eriksson started Stabbylund's haulage and slaughterhouse at Jumkilsgatan in Uppsala.

In Saluhallen they had sales as well as on St. Erik's square where, among other things, horse meat was sold.

For thirty-five years, in heat and cold, she stood in the square. Her boots are preserved in Upplandsmuseet.

 

Burial site: 0142-1656

Image description: Elin Eriksson probably 1940s. Photo: From private collectionThe image is cropped].
Click here for an uncropped image