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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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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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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