Sandefjord 1801: Occupations

The people who lived in Sandefjord in 1801 weren’t idle, but pursued a wide variety of occupations:

All of those mentioned in the chart represent a translation into English of the wording in the census for 1801 (see www.digitalarkivet.no) – so reasonable people may reasonably disagree on some of the terminology.


One little issue is whether such activities as “Handicraft” constitute true “occupations” or might be efforts to make some additional money from an ordinary activity in the household – but never mind: if it were mentioned to the census taker it was probably of some significance to the person giving the information.


Some observations:

• The largest “occupation” is that which is described as “Service” – which covers a variety of household workers – in Norwegian most often described with the term “tjenestefolk” or similar. These are quite evenly distributed between the two streets: 25 are found in Østre Gade; 22 in Væstre Gade.
• The same is the case for those engaged in “Handicraft” – 10 and 12 respectively.
• The “Able-bodied Seamen” whose number is 32, are evenly distributed: 16 in each street.
• The exact same distribution is observed with regard to “Day labourers”
• The “Merchants” too are evenly distributed: 3 in Østre Gade and 4 in Væstre Gade.
• All of which makes it all the more remarkable that 8 out of 9 people who are “skippers” are found in Østre Gade – and only one in Væstre Gade; the latter is also described as merchant and ship-owner. One wonders why.

Sandefjord 1801: Statistical trivia

The census of 1801 contains 373 persons in a total of 73 household in two streets: Væstre Gade and Østre Gade: Western and Eastern street with 39 and 34 households respectively.

In terms of individual souls the two streets were even more equal: Østre Gade had 185 inhabitants; Væstre Gade, 188.

There were 172 people of the male persuasion, and 201 of the female.

In Væstre Gade the numbers of males and females were equal; in Østre Gade, nearly 58% were female, and only 42% male.

The males were, at 29.25 years, on average slightly younger than the females at 30.21; overall, the average age was around 29.9 years.

Sandefjord

Sandefjord is a small town in Norway. 


Anywhere else in Europe, the place would have been called a village, but we have ambitions, and call ourselves a town. 


The only reason we do not promote the use of the term "city" is that there really is no good equivalent in the Norwegian language. There is certainly no cathedral there, in case you wondered.


So: town it is, and no harm is done.


And as a town, it has a history - officially it came into being in the 1840's - as a separate municipality - in reality as as a much older settlement.


It is to that settlement this blog is dedicated. Or, rather, to the men, women and children who lived there at various dates that can be documented: on the day of the census of 1801, the tax list from 1762, and so on.


The blog doesn't pretend to be scientific. It does endeavour to be testable, though, so for whatever entry appears here there is, also, a little piece of work with annotations, sources, footnotes and the like.


Anyone who wishes to may ask for that version of tings by writing to


Sinkat.Erkowit@gmail.com.


And anyone who might want to contribute beyond a comment, may use the same.


I wish you an excellent day, week, month, year, century and millennium.