Eva Andén

1886-1970.

Lawyer.

After graduating from high school, Eva Andén began studying law at Uppsala University and graduated in 1912.

After graduating from law school, she traveled around the country lecturing on marriage, child welfare and poor relief laws. Andén also led courses in legal knowledge for rural women, organized by the National Association for Women's Political Suffrage (LKPR).

In 1915, Andén took over a law firm for female clients, Kvinnliga juristbyrån, and three years later she became the first woman to become a member of the Swedish Bar Association.

Andén specialized in family law and mainly assisted clients in connection with divorces, inheritance, alimony, custody issues and division of property in divorces. His clients included Selma Lagerlöf and Astrid Lindgren.

Eva Andén was also a member of a committee that served as the Swedish Bar Association's referral body for family law legislation, where she occasionally had great influence.

From 1950 to 1962 she was also President of the Society of Nine. Andén practiced law until her death in 1970.

 

Burial site: 0106-0343

Image description: Eva Andén, year unknown. Photo: Atelier Hedström, Uppsala / KvinnSam, Gothenburg University Library. [The image is cropped]
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Emma Schenson

1827-1913.

Photographer, watercolor painter.

Emma Schenson was probably the first female professional photographer in Uppsala and also one of the first women in Sweden to take photographs professionally.

She first trained as a watercolor painter, but from the 1860s she worked in parallel with both painting and photography. In the early days of photography, it was unusual for women to take photographs professionally, but after the 1864 Freedom of Trade Act, it became possible for women to enter the market and establish themselves as entrepreneurs and photographers.

Schenson was active in Uppsala from the 1860s onwards and had a permanent studio at Östra Ågatan 25 (between Nybron and Dombron). In 1888, the Fotografiska föreningen, which organized photographers, had three female members out of a total of 65. These women were Anna Hwass, Wilhelmina Skogh and Emma Schenson.

During Schenson's active period, the business card photograph and the larger cabinet photograph (format approx. 12×16.5 cm) became very popular in all social classes. It is very likely that there are pictures of older Uppsala families made by her.

The Domen quarter, Fyristorg and Uppsala Cathedral, Fjärdingen, Uppsala before 1885. Photographer: probably Emma Schensson, Uppsala / Upplandsmuseet.

"Svartbäcksgubbar" in Kvarnfallet at Akademikvarnen, Holmen district, Uppsala 1880s - 1890s. Photographer: Emma Schenson / Upplandsmuseet.

Between 1885 and 1893, Emma Schenson documented the major restoration of Uppsala Cathedral. Through her pictures we can follow the restoration from start to finish.

No negatives of Schenson's photographs are preserved today, but some photos have been preserved and are now in the Map and Image Collections at Uppsala University Library.

There is also an album showing the transformation of the cathedral during the time of the great restoration. The value of this photographic documentation was recognized early on, as can be seen in an inscription in Schenson's album, which concludes "unique of its kind and important for the future". The photographs that have been preserved are a remarkable cultural and historical treasure.

 

Burial site: 0101-0031

Image description: Emma Schenson, ca 1865-ca 1875. Photo: UUBThe image is cropped]
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Anna-Lisa Thomson

1905-1952.

Ceramicist, painter.

Anna-Lisa Thomson studied at the Higher School of Industrial Arts in Stockholm between 1924-1928 and then in Italy, Austria, Prague and Dresden.

Between 1928 and 1933 she worked at the S:t Erik earthenware factory in Uppsala, designing tea sets in green glaze and ceramic objects with relief decoration. In the mid-1930s, Thomson came to Upsala Ekeby and worked there throughout her working life.

Thomson mainly created art objects in various ceramic materials with pure, often nature-inspired, decorative elements. Among his most famous works are the vase Paprika (1948), which was made in various shapes and sizes, and the urn Lancett (1949). Thomson is represented in the National Museum and in several other museums.

She also painted, and her works were often inspired by nature, with motifs from the west coast where she spent part of the year. Her book Eko av dagars ljusa klang (1953; Echo of the Bright Sound of Days ), with poems and illustrations by Anna-Lisa Thomson, was published posthumously.

 

Burial site: 0318-1310

Image description: Anna-Lisa Thomson with ceramics, Uppsala 1937, photo: Gunnar Sundgren / Upplandsmuseet. [The image is cropped]
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Maria Henschen

1840-1927.

Governor, teacher.

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

She then became the first headmistress of the 'Magdeburg' (Uppsala Higher Elementary School for Women), which she also owned.

 

Burial site: 0101-0023

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

1873-1967.

Women's rights activist, publicist and politician.

Ellen Hagen initiated the formation of the Uppsala Women's Suffrage Association in 1902 and was its president until 1923. Hagen was one of the foremost advocates of women's suffrage in Sweden. She was married to Robert Hagen, who was County Governor of Gävleborg County from 1918 to 1922.

She was also one of the initiators of the National Association for Women's Political Suffrage, and one of the founders of Frisinnade kvinnor 1914. Hagen was chairman of the Swedish People's Party Women's Association 1938-1946 and of the Swedish Women's Civic Association 1936-1963.

Ellen Hagen also participated in international peace and suffrage 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: Länsmuseet Gävleborg. [The image is cropped]
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Barbro Holmdahl

1925-1998.

Nurse, author, teacher.

Barbro Holmdahl was a teacher at Vårdhögskolan and a trained nurse at Uppsala sjuksköterskehems sjuksköterskola. In 1990, she received an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Uppsala University. Before that, Holmdahl had trained as a psychologist.

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

One of the many ways she educated her students was to take them on a tour of Uppsala and tell them about the medical institutions and poorhouses of the time. She also taught crisis management.

 

Burial site: 0101-0018

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

1887-1944.

Private teacher for primary school children.

At the age of eight, Hildur Akselsson suffered from polio and, as a wheelchair user, she managed to get a good humanities education. She had no formal teacher training but had a talent for teaching children.

At the age of 19, she started a business in her parents' home at Villavägen 3 (Villa Tomtebo) that would become 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 Skolgatan 33 on western Strandgatan overlooking the river and "Magdeburg". Her pupils included Dag Hammarskjöld and Gunnar Weman. About Hammarskjöld, Hildur Akselsson mentioned that he had an easy time learning.

 

Burial site: 0131-1351

Image description: Hildur Akselsson, Uppsala 1901. Photo: Heinrich Osti / UUBThe image is cropped]
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Agnes Hamilton f. Geijer

1824-1885.

Cultural figure, daughter of E.G. Geijer

Agnes Hamilton had a central position in Uppsala's cultural life in the mid-19th century. She was the daughter of Erik Gustaf Geijer and Anna Lisa Liljebjörn. Hamilton was also a close friend of Helena Nyblom.

Agnes Hamilton married Adolf Hamilton, who for a time was governor of Uppsala.

One of the Hamiltons' children, Anna Hamilton Geete, became a writer and wrote the memoir I solnedgången (4 volumes 1910-1914), which depicted the last decade of Erik Gustaf Geijer's life.

 

Burial site: 0116-0842

Image description: Agnes Hamilton b. Geijer, year unknown. Photo: From private collectionThe image is cropped].
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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].
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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 a teacher of art and textile history at the School of Home Economics from 1921 to 1927 and an assistant professor at the National History Museum and the National Museum. She was also the leading researcher of her time in Nordic textile history.

She was head of Pieta's conservation department from 1930 to 1949 and head of the Swedish National Heritage Board's textile department.

In 1938, Geijer defended his thesis on ancient textiles from the excavations at Björkö (Birka) and made a pioneering contribution to textile research. The textiles found at Birka were made of different materials and produced differently, sometimes using unknown techniques. Geijer's work with the Birka finds showed that Viking Age costumes could be reconstructed and that their origin could be determined.

Agnes Geijer published several works, such as Medeltida textilier av svensk tillverkning, Textila skatter i Uppsala domkyrka and Ur textilkonstens historia, which have been translated into English, giving her international recognition.

To strengthen Nordic textile research, she established the Agnes Geijer Foundation for Nordic Textile Research, which has been active since 1988.

Agnes Geijer on the right at a preserved Polish flag from the 17th century belonging to the Swedish National Trophy Collection. Photo: The Swedish National Trophy Collection 1959.

Agnes Geijer on the right at Pietas textile conservation. Photo: From the Swedish Journal 1942.

In 1936, a sensational find was made that provided unique insight into the Middle Ages. In a bog near Varberg, the "Bockstensmannen" was found, who died around 1350. Agnes Geijer took part in the study of the Bockstensmannen's remains and his well-preserved clothes.

 

Burial site: 0129-2152

Image description: Agnes Geijer 1945. Photo C. Holm / RiksantikvarieämbetetThe image is cropped]
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