Hjalmar Söderberg

1859–1933.

Manufacturer, entrepreneur.

In 1885, the merchant Hjalmar Söderberg opened a yarn, sewing and fabric shop at Vaksalagatan 13 (where the town hall is today).

The movement was expanded and moved to larger premises on Vaksalagatan 15 and already in the 1890s began production of wool fabrics and clothing. In 1896, the industrial business moved to Dragarbrunnsgatan 65 (the corner of Dragarbrunnsgatan-Kålsängsgränd) and the company developed into the largest in the clothing industry in Uppsala and one of the larger ones in Sweden.

Söderberg's shop at Vaksalagatan 15, around 1901-1902. Photo: Alfred Dahlgren / Upplandsmuseet.

Interior from Söderberg's shop. The picture was published in Upsala Nya Tidning April 29, 1933. Photo: Paul Sandberg / Upplandsmuseet.

In 1907, a separate company was set up for the clothing industry under the name AB Hjalmar Söderberg. His son Erik Söderberg took over the management of the company in 1933, and in the 1940s the company, which then had branch factories in Lövstabruk and Örbyhus, employed between 500 and 600 people.

Hjalmar Söderberg's wife Elin (1861–1933) was honoured by her son with a sculpture adorning the burial site. The sculpture was made by the artist Arvid Knöppel and illustrates the Bible word in Book of Psalms Psalt. 126:5 "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."

 

Burial site: 0131-1366

Image descriptionManufacturer Hjalmar Söderberg, Uppsala 1903. Photo: Anders Larsson / UUB [The image is cropped].
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Carl Wolrath

1863–1926.

Hardware merchant, entrepreneur.

Carl Wolrath was born in Eksjö. Later in life he moved to Uppsala and was employed at Öberg's hardware store at Svartbäcksgatan 16 (the store later moved to no. 21).

Wolrath married the merchant's daughter in 1894 and later took over the business in 1901. The shop was then named Wolrath & Co. In 1941, the company moved slightly closer to Stora Torget to Svartbäcksgatan 14.

AB Wolrath & Co, Svartbäcksgatan, Uppsala August 1940. Photo: Paul Sandberg / Upplandsmuseet.

AB Wolrath & Co's hardware store on Svartbäcksgatan 14, Uppsala November 1941. Photo: Paul Sandberg / Upplandsmuseet.

Wolrath was a member of the City Council from 1905 to 1922 and was a member of the City Treasury in 1919.

 

Burial site: 0138-1556

Image description: Carl Wolrath, Uppsala 1905. Photo: Heinrich Osti / UUB. [The image is cropped]
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Anders Strandberg

1862–1930.

Trader, entrepreneur.

Anders Strandberg came to Uppsala at the age of 13 and started working as a store clerk.

In 1885 Strandberg started a manufakturaffär at Stora Torget. The store was later housed in the corner house (built in 1905) at Drottninggatan in the so-called Strandberg ska huset. The house was the first in the city with elevator, central heating and electricity. In the same year Strandberg, as a social and technical interest, developed an electricity plant for the city.

Stora torget (Main Square) in Uppsala 1901-1902, view towards Kungsängsgatan. At the time of the photography, Anders Strandberg's sewing shop was housed in the building. The corner plot was owned and built by Olof Rudbeck the Elder. The houses were demolished in 1934. Photo: Alfred Dahlgren / UUB.

The main square with the Strandberg house (built in 1905) on the right, 29 April 1911. At the time, Svenska veckan was celebrated as a manifestation to benefit Swedish industry. Photo: Unknown Photographer/UUB.

Strandberg was a member of the City Council from 1899 to 1930, executive member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1916 to 1928, and also a county councillor and member of the Hospital Board at Akademiska sjukhuset. He was also a member of the Elders of the Burghers.

 

Burial site: 0102-0123

Image description: Anders Strandberg, Uppsala, 1897. Photo: Heinrich Osti / UUB [The image is cropped]. Public domain
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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]
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Martin Edlund

1884–1955.

Manager, Business executive.

Martin Edlund grew up in Börje outside of Uppsala. As a teenager, Edlund came to his uncle Gustaf Edlund who owned the mill at Vasksala Torg.

In 1914 Edlund became CEO of Uppsala Roller Mill as the uncle had bought up and expanded the business by contract with Skellefteå Baker Karl Lundström, who on Edlund's proposal marketed the Uppsala company's flour under the name Vasa with the King's picture on the packaging.

Lundström later started Wasabröd in Filipstad. In 1917 Edlund began manufacturing Vasa steam prepared oats and oatmeal.

Later, Holmgrens ättiksfabrik was bought and turned into Uppsala Ättiksfabrik AB, whose main product was mustard. It then changed its name to Slotts AB.

The technically talented german engineer Bruno Knebel was brought in (who became production manager) and Edlund managed to obtain a world patent on their closed system for the production of biological vinegar.

In 1936 Edlund in addition founded, The Uppsala Silk weaving factory with a noted children's crib for the children of the employees. He also started Children colony in Örsand (opposite Skokloster) and was a leader in the Children's Day movement.

 

Burial site: 0150-2038

Image description: Martin Edlund, oil painting. Photo: From private collection. [The image is cropped]
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Henrik Gahn

1820–1874.

Chemist, industrialist, inventor.

Henrik Gahn underwent the Falun Mountain School in 1841–1842 and was a pupil at the Jernkontoret 1842–1848. He later became director of a lead and silver work in Boda (Rättvik) and devoted himself to forest shops, agriculture and chemical experiments.

In 1867 Gahn started a chemical-technical plant at the main square in Uppsala with ink, shiny black and the by Gahn invented disinfectant Aseptin as products. Gahn inventions had a large part in the company's success.

The company had many other chemical-technical products and was known for its soap assortment. The factory was from 1899 in the Gudrun Quarter, at Kålsängsgränd 4 in Uppsala.

The company survived after Gahn's death under the name Henrik Gahn AB in other premises and in 1964, the company was bought up by the Barnängen company which closed down the factory in 1968.

Packaging of soaps in the factory, Uppsala 1917. Photo: Uppsala University Library.

Factory staff, Uppsala 1917. Photo: Uppsala University Library.

Burial site: 0140-1608

Image description: Henrik Gahn, 1870's. Photo: Heinrich Osti / 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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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.

"Seventh opening" at Östra Ågatan 59 in Uppsala 1936. Photo: Gunnar Sund / 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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Adolf Nyman

1866–1921.

Bicycle manufacturer

Adolf Nyman's father Anders Nyman started in 1873 a fine mechanical workshop at Dragarbrunns street 25 in Uppsala and started to repair bcycles with high front wheels in the 1880s.

The first bicycle was built in 1888 and can be considered Nymansbolagets first bicycle. After the death of the Adolf Nyman's father in 1889, the movement was taken over by his widow, who ceded the workshop to her sons Adolf and Janne, who began manufacturing bicycles of the brand Hermes and Crescent. The bicycle production developed into one of the city's largest industries.

The workshop that was made into a limited company 1889 with the name Nymans AB moved to the block at S:t Pers Street 28-30 and became one of Uppsala's largest industrial companies with 1500 employees in the 1950s.

In 1947 the name was changed to Nymansbolagen which 1960 merged with the the bicycle factory Monarch in Varberg. The factory in Uppsala closed down in 1963.

Group photo of the staff at AB Nyman's workshops in the early 1900s, taken with the factory in the background. Photo: Emil L:son Finn / Upplandsmuseet.

Bicycle assembly, AB Nyman's workshop, Noatun block, Uppsala 1939. Photography: Östlings Photography / Upplandsmuseet.

Burial site: 0146-1838

Image description: Adolf Fredrik Nyman, Uppsala, 1885. Photo: Heinrich Osti / UUB. [The image is cropped]
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