Andreas Bjørn

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

Early life Andreas Bjørn was born (as Anders Bjørn, name later changed to Andreas Bjørn) in Skælskør to Mads Andersen Bjørn and Karen Pedersdatter. His father was a peasant. He came to Copenhagen in an early age. In 1730, he took citizenship as a wholesaler. He initially worked in the lucrative timber trade. His lumberyard was located at the customs house (north of present-day Larsens Plads. From 1731 he supplied the Royal Danish Navy with provisions, cannons and large quantities of timber. From 1739, he also supplied the Royal Danish Army with cannons.

Ship building Construction drawing for the frigate Enigheden, the first ship built at Bjørn's shipyard. In 1732, Bjørn bought Grønnegård Harbour at the southern tip of Christianshavn. He mainly used the area as a lumberyard. In the same year, he also bought Niels Alsing's lumberyard at the other end of Strandgade. The property reached all the way from Strandgade to Christianshavn Canal and was partly lined with a row of wooden warehouses along the street. He demolished most of the buildings and constructed a house for his own use (now known as the Andreas Bjørn House) at the corner of Strandgade and Bådsmandsstræde in 1734. He also constructed a number of warehouses and workshops on the land. In 1733, he was permission to establish a dockyard on reclaimed land to the north of his new property. Separated from the rest of Christianshavn by a branch of Christianshavn Canal (now Wilders Kanal), his dockyard became known as Bjørnsholm (Bjørn's Isle). Approximately 50 ships were built at the dockyard. Some of them were used by himself in oversea trade, while others were commissions from other trading houses or the government.

Year Name Type Sgipbuilder Comments 1741 Enigheden Frigate 1741 Københavns Slot Frigate Built for the navy. 1742 Dokken Frigate Commissioned by the navy bit shortly thereafter handed over to the Danish Asiatic Company. 1743 København Frigate Poul Brock Built for Andfreas Bjørn's own use. In 1744, he sold it to the Danish Asiatic Company. 1743 Fortuna Frigate Poul Brock Built for Andfreas Bjørn's own use. In 1748, he sold it to the General Trading Company.. 1743 Fortuna Galliot Built for the nacy (decommissioned in 1747). 1743 Neptunus Galliot Built for the nacy. (decommissioned in 1852). 1743 Læsø Galliot Built for the nacy. 1744 Jonfru Birgitte Galliot Jacob Rasmussen Lund Owned by Jens Gregersen Klitgaard. 1744 Christiansborg Frigate In 1844, Christiansborg was sold to the Danish East Asiatic Company and renamed Trankebar. 1744 Dortuna Sold to the king for 7m000 Danish rigsdaler. 1745 Københavns Slot Frigate Used in the Triangle Trade. In April 1769, it was sold in auction to Andreas Bodenhoff. 1745 Rigernes Ønske Frigate Sold to the General Trading Company in 1748. 1745 Postillonen Frigate 1745 Jægerspris Frigate Andreas Bjørn. 1747 Jægersborg Frigate Andreas Thuresen Danish West India Company. 1747 Prinsesse Sophia Magdelena Frigate Poul Brock Danish West India Company. 1747 Emanuel Galliot Jakob Rasmussen Lund Jens Larsen and Partners 1747 Svanholm Hækbåden Jens Sørensen Andreas Bjørn and Partners 1747 Sorgenfri Frigate Vest.-Guin. Komp. 1747 Frederiksborg Slot Brigantine Poul Brock 1748 Fredensborg 1748 Fredensborg Frigate Poul Brock Andreas Bjørn and Partners 1748 Landets Ønske Frigate The General Trading Company. 1748 Frydenlund Hæk 1749 Prinsesse Wilhelmine Caroline 1749 Mercurius Hukkert 1749 Hertuginden af Helburghausen 1749 Frederikshaab The General Trading Company. 1749 Frederiksberg Hukkert 1749 Jubelfesten Hukkert

Oversea trade Bjørn participated widely in overseas trade, especially with the Danish West Indies. In 1747, together with Ulrik Frederik Suhm (1686-1758) and Frederik Holmsted (1683–1758), he founded the General Trading Company which mainly traded with Iceland, Finnmark and later Greenland. The company took over the northernmost part of Bjørnsholm.

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 the directors of the new Royal Danish Theatre.

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 46 is also a heritage listed building. Andreas Bjørns Gade, also in Christianshavn, is named after him.