Travel Journal Archives - Anne Lister Norway

Day 1 – Entering Norway by ferry across Svinesund

Sunday 28. July. (3.30 – 8.30)

Places

Svinesund, Søylegården
The neat good looking inn on the Norway side is likely Søylegården, that still stands today.
Read more about Svinesund and Søylegården

The ferry at Svinesund Norway side
(ca 1800 by J.W. Edy)
More…

Detailed map of route from Svinesund to Soner [Såner]
Smaalehnenes Amt, Ramm & Munthe (1826)

Westgaard (and Helle)
A quite lovely handpainted map from 1804 (source: kartverket) shows both Helle (“supprimée”) and Westgaard not far from Svinesund.
(see bigger version on this page)

Food

Pork Pancakes
‘Fleskepannekake’ is a pancake fried together with diced salty bacon. Today it’s often eaten with either syrup or a blueberry jam on top…
get the recipe

Other

Handbook

“Handbook says we may go by Helle or Westgaard -“

Anne Lister mentions, while in Sweden, buying a little Norway road book (1829) and later writes to Mariana to “buy the ‘Handbook for Northern Europe‘, published by Murray last summer” (i.e. 1838) if she would “wish to pursue us more minutely thro’ our wanderings” (Letter to Mariana Lawton, Moscow November 18, 1839)

Day 2 – Arriving at Christiania (Oslo) from the South East

Places

Detailed map of route from Svinesund to Soner [Såner]
Smaalehnenes Amt, Ramm & Munthe (1826)

The first public record of Hafslund dates to 1344, at which time the farm was crown property. Hafslund Manor dates from 1761. Read more…

Glommen [Glomma]
The Glomma, is Norway’s longest and most voluminous river. With a total length of 621 kilometres (386 miles), it has a drainage basin that covers fully 13% of Norway’s surface area, all in the southern part of the country.
Read more …

Korsegården used to be situated at
what is currently a highway crossing, “the Korsegård-crossing” or Korsegårdskrysset, by the E6 in Ås, Akershus. Read more about Korsegården

Såner church
Såner church as it would have looked when Anne and Ann saw it. Inset is Anne’s sketch in her journal.

Read more about Såner Church

Moss
Archeological finds suggest that there were settlements in the area more than 7,000 years ago and continuously through the Iron Age, Viking Age, through to modern times. Read more about the town Moss

Christiania

Day 3 – Christiania

The ad for a guide placed by Guldberg & Dzwonkowski. (Anne and Ann never traveled to the Northern part of Norway, this could have been a miscommunication.)

People

Guldberg and Dzwonkowski prove to be an important connection in Christiania. The two men went into publishing and opened a music- and bookshop 1835. The bookshop was situated on the corner of Storgaten and Youngsgate at the time Anne Lister visited Christiania. More…
Georg Henrich Jæger (or Henrik George Jæger) born 1817 in Arendal, was an assosiate at Guldberg & Dzwonkowskis. In 1842 he apparently left Christiania for Copenhagen where he established the bookstore/puplisher Skandinavisk Boghandler.
“The professor of mineralogy” is likely Professor Jens Rathke:

Professor Jens Rathke (1769-1855), born in Christiania, Norwgian scientist (primarily Zoology). 1813-45, Norway’s first professor of natural history and taught zoology, botany and mineralogy. He also was head of the botanic garden on Tøyen in Christiania. He left his fortune and papers to the University of Oslo (Christiania) which provides scholarships and stipends to young scientists traveling in order to research Norse plants and wildlife.

Maps, places

The musee (Natural history and zoology) with “the birds” was in Mariboegården.

Read more…

The Cathedral (Oslo Domkirke) lay at one end of the market / Torvet, up the street from Hotel du Nord. Read more…

Map of Christiania (Oslo)

Map of Christiania from 1840 by unknown artist. Edited to highight the spots of interest from Anne’s travel journal

Click for more detail

Day 4 – Christiania (ii)

View from Ekeberg. Botanic garden to the right (Peder Andersen Balke, early 1820s).

People

Mr Jäger is likely Mr Georg Henrich Jæger (from the city of Arendal) – an agent at Guldberg & Dzwonkowski’s
Kallevig M.D. could be Harald Kallevig, born in Arendal 15.04.1812, graduated (embetsexamen) in medicin 03.06.1835 (laud), noted in the listings at University of Oslo as “Død som Reservelæge paa Rigshospitalet” (“deceased senior registrar consultant (or senior resident attending physician) at Rigshospitalet”)
Mr Smith, their guide on the Norway trip as recommended from Guldberg & Vonkowski’s, by Jæger. He is likely Axel Christian Rosenkrantz Smith (1813–1876). Both Jæger and Smith are from the city Arendal south in Norway.
John is John Vanderholm, hired when in Sweden intended to be guide in Norway. But seemingly left behind in Christiania due to his bad foot.
(John Johnson is likely John Vanderholm , the mixup could be caused by resent dealings with a Poul Poulson, valet du place at Hotel du Nord.)
Hoppe’s see map

Places/spots:

Botanic garden

Anne had extensive knowledge of botany and seemed to always visit a city’s botanic garden on her travels. Christiania no exception and she noted a whole list of plants that she found interesting.
Read more about the botanic gardens of Christiania and Anne’s reflections on some of its contents.

Castle/ Akershus fortress

A brief history of Akershus Castle
Akershus fortress trail

The Royal Palace

Det kongelige Slot / the Royal Palace / [lito] J. Frich (1840)

Bigger version

The Great Ballroom at the Royal Palace today.
Architect: Hans Ditlev Franciscus Linstow (1787-1851) (Work on the interiors began in 1838 and were finished in the 1840s)

Bigger version
Source: Slottet.no

Torvet, Byens Torv (today, Stortorvet)

Torvet – the main square or market is just a couple of blocks from Hotel du Nord, where Anne and Ann stayed when in Christiania. The cathedral is situated at one end of the market, and Hoppe’s is right nearby. Read more about Torvet.

Map of Christiania (Oslo)

Points of interest
Map of Christiania from 1840 by unknown artist. Edited to highight the spots of interest from Anne’s travel journal

Click to see map and read more about the places in Christiania that Anne mentions

Fun Facts

Then to Hoppe’s for pencils English for Ann

Read more about The superiority of English pencils

Day – 5 Christiania (iii)

Grünings Løkke ved Christiania (source: Oslo Bymuseum)

Words

prosing, to prose: to talk tediously

People

Gruning would be Andreas Grüning (1785-1842) German born Norwegian banker, merchant and consule general for Hamburg. Grüning had many dealings with German born London Banker Huth (Huth & Co), who in turn was connected through his textile business in South America to none other than Edward Rawson, son of John Rawson and nephew to Christopher and Jeremia (etc) Rawson – and I presume we have established how Anne Lister got connected with Grüning.
Read more about Grüning, Güners løkke, Huth and the Rawson connection.

Mademoiselle Bielca is possibly Christine Julianne Fredrikke Charlotte von Bjelke (1774-1845) who simply went by Julie von Bjelke. Daughter of Governor Bjelke and later part owner and fearless protector (unafraid to post a lawsuits) of Copper mines in Røros. Read more…

Fun fact

When Anne takes out 248 Speciedaler and 40 Skilling at an exchange rate of 4 Species and 116 Skilling to the Pound [or rather 4.4.20] which would equal 4.97 Species to the Pound, this means she got what looks to be a decent rate from Grünings bank; The exchange rate set by London in 1839 moved from 4.99 at late July to 4.93 by late August. More about moneys…

Day 6 – Antiquites then heading west

Fun Fact

That “old thing found (…) in the clay of the laundy court at Shibden…”.

August 2. 1839 Anne refers to a thing that was found at shibden. A journal entry on April 11, 1837 refers to more detail of the object, that is likely the one pictured here.
Read more about the old entry and the artifact…

People

Professor at the Musee of Northern Antiquites, would be Professor Rudolf Keyser. On 6. February, 1818 according to a University protocol: ”a room in the university building (corner of Prindsens gade and Kongens gade) should be dedicated to the antiquities“, and one should begin gathering some of the existing collections into the University Collection of Antiquities (Samling af Oldsager). In 1829 Professor Rudolf Keyser greeted the museum’s first visitors. Read moore…

Gruning would be Andreas Grüning (1785-1842) German born Norwegian banker, merchant and consule general for Hamburg. More about Grüning
Smith was their guide on the Norway trip, and came recommended from Guldberg & Vonkowski’s, by Jæger. He is likely Axel Christian Rosenkrantz Smith (1813–1876). Both Jæger and Smith are from the city Arendal south in Norway.

Day 7 – “Everybody should see Drammen”

This bridge, Smedbrua, from 1767 on the road (Kongeveien/Gamle Kongsberg vei) between Hokksund (Hogsund) and Kongsberg, was built by masons from Kongsberg silver mines and is one of the oldest stone-arch bridges in Norway. Surely on Anne’s route between Drammen and Kongsberg. (foto: Jorunn K. Kirkestuen/ source: Aftenposten)

People

Madame Samuelson
There is a record of a woman owning property in Kongsberg named Anne Sophie Samuelsen (born in 1795). Her house was in Store Kirkegade 16, which seems to be a very central location.

More (+ bigger map)

Places

Route from Drammen via Hokksund, Kongsberg, Moensæter to Bolkesjø

Drammen (more info and imageds for Drammen coming soon)

Kongsberg was founded by Danish-Norwegian king Christian IV as a mining community in 1624 after the discovery of silver. In the second year, the town of Kongsberg and the Kongsberg Silver Mines were built.

More …

Bolkesjø is a lake, village and resort in Notodden municipality in Vestfold og Telemark, Norway. It is located in Gransherad by Norwegian National Road 37. More…

Foods

Flat bread / flatbrød is a traditional Norwegian thin bread baked on a traditional takke or large smooth griddle.

Simple recipe and how-to …

Anne loved pancakes especially pork pancakes, although the pancakes at Madame Samuelsen did not please her…

Recipe and how-to…

“no fresh milk – milk 1 month to 2 and 3 months old – the one month too sour and thick”

More about surmelk…

“had excellent flatbrod (flatbread) and brandy and water”

More about Brandy…

Day 8 – Norse food traditions and other cultural & social matters at Bolkesjø

Words

Forbud: Avant-courier; rides ahead to secure horses at each post house

Food

Flatbrød or “flat-bread” is a traditional Norwegian unleavened bread which is currently usually eaten with fish, salted meats and soups.

Dravel, is likely dravle – a boiled milk based cheesey food with added egg, sugar, cream and cinnamon

Multer/multebær (cloudberries) are a cherished dessert in Norway still today. Personally I prefer the berries with a dash of double cream and a sprinkle of sugar.

More…

Places

Bolkesjø is a lake, village and resort in Notodden municipality in Vestfold og Telemark, Norway. It is located in Gransherad by Norwegian National Road 37. More…

Gausta or Gaustatoppen is the highest mountain in the county Vestfold og Telemark in Norway

More…

It’s quite a bit of distance from Bolkesjø to the Gausta mountain, but on a clear day one would be able to see it from Bolkesjø. Sadly Anne and Ann got to se fog-all.

People

Earl of Hillsborough and Lord Cantelup[e]
Sir Hume Campbell and Captain Rose (to come)
Baron von Nicolai (to come)
le cham. Dal Borgo di Primo Le cons. de Légation Krag (to come)
The family at Bolkesjø (to come)

Day 9 – Picturesque mountain valley

Jondalen (between Bolkesjø and Kongsberg)

Words

at Moenseter at 7.57 – Sæter or stol or house where the cattle is – Ladebarn and the doorway and middle of the barn were one puts carriage is called Love Stald, stable and for cows and betaille Fjös (fiuse) walked about ate our rice-cake and had cold fresh milk and butter –
Anne Lister, travel journal 5. aug. 1839

betaille
bétail is french for livetock

Love
“love” or rather Låve is Norse for barn

Fjös (Fjuse)
“Fjös” or rather Fjøs is Norse for cowshed

Låve from 1800s (by Bjørn Johnsen source Digitalmuseum)

Places

Moenseter

Not 100 % sure about current situation, but read more on the possible location and buildings of “Moenseter”

Day 10 – Nobility, pensions, iron works and heroics as Smith falls off the wagon.

The iron works at Bærum (Bærums verk)
Wergman’s illustration from the book Norge Fremstillet i Lithographerede Billeder 1837

This map from 1783 shows the area and some inns/coach stops Anne Lister & Co traveled visited. Drammen is yet to be, and is marked by the three towns (Bragernes, Strømsø and Tangen) that make up Drammen today. Click for bigger image

Words

Stattholder = The proxy ruler of a country on behalf of the monarch.

Sheaves / sheaf = grain bundle

rez de Chaussée means on the gound floor

People

Smith’s father-in law – we think must be Johannes Nicolai von Kløcker (1788-1862), he is the uncle of Hans Ranøe von Kløcker (1818-1884) who became “Sekondløjtnant á la suite ved Kongens Regiment” (second lieutenant inthe Royal regiment) in 1837.

Count Wedel Jarlsberg – Norwegan count and owner of the iron worsk Anne saw in Bærum aka Bærums verk. Read more about Herman Wedel-Jarsberg

Places

Bærums Verk / iron foundry – Anne passes the iron foundry learning about current owner Count Wedel Jarlsberg’s but perhaps oblivious to the fact that it was a woman (named Anna) who built the foundry to the largest of its kind in Norway.
Read more about the fundry +Anna Krefting

Jonsrud
Upper Jonsrud, large farm, coach station and tavern/inn on the main road to Bergen.