Andreas Bjørn

Andreas Bjørn
Andreas Bjørn painted shortly before his deathby A. Briinniche
Born	28 October 1703 Skælskør, Denmark
Died	3 August 1750 (aged 46) Copenhagen, Denmark
Nationality	Danish
Occupation	Industrialist, merchant, ship owner, ship builder
Awards	Grand Cross of the Dannebrog

Andreas Bjørn (28 October 1703 – 27 January 1750) was a Danish merchant, shipbuilder and ship owner.

Early life

Andreas Bjørn was born in Skælskør to Mads Andersen Bjørn and Karen Pedersdatter. He settled as a merchant in Copenhagen in 1730 where he soon achieved success in the timber trade. From 1731 he supplied the Royal Danish Navy with provisions, canons and large quantities of timber and from 1739 he also supplied the Royal Danish Army with canons.^[1]

Ship building

In 1735, Andreas Bjørn obtained permission from King Christian VI to reclaim an area north of Christianshavn where he established a shipyard. It became the largest shipyard in Denmark of its day, launching 50 ships until Bjørn's death 1750, including the 44-canon naval ship Copenhagen Castle (Kjøbenhavns Slot).^[1]

Oversea trade

Bjørn participated widely in overseas trade, especially with the Danish West Indies. In 1747, together with U. F. Suhm and F. Holmsted, he founded Det almindelige Handelskompagni (English: The General Trading Company) which mainly traded with Iceland, Finmark and later Greenland. The company took over part of his site at Chriatianshavn. Bjørn was also a partner in Danish West India Company and Danish Iceland Company.^[1]

Other pursuits

In 1747 the Royal Copenhagen Shooting Society moved their activities to a corner of Bjørnsholm. When Frederick V became a member later that same year, Bjørn arranged a large celebration at his own expense. The king, in return, appointed him as Royal Agent. In 1748, Bjørn was appointed as one of four directors of the new Royal Danish Theatre. At the time of his death, two ships were ready at his shipyard which were supposed to carry out explorations at his own expense along the coasts of Greenland.

Legacy

Andreas Bjørn's site at Christianshavn is now known as Wilders Plads, Krøyers Plads and Grønlandske Handels Plads after later owners. The old main building and a half-timbered workshop of his shipyard is still found at Wilders Plads. The Andreas Bjørn House at Strandgade is his former home. Andreas Bjørns Gade, also in Christianshavn, is named after him.

References

1. "Andreas Bjørn" (in Danish). Gyldendal. Retrieved 2013-03-26.