Andreas Collstrop

Andreas Collstrop (19 August 1742 9 May 1820) was a Danish timber merchant. He founded the company Collstrop. In 17841800, he served as one of Copenhagen's 32 Men.

Early life Collstrop was born on 19 August 1742 at Fødselssted in Kolstrup, Åbenraa. His parents were Søn af Laue Andreasen and Metta Hansdatter Øboe. He assumed the name Collstrop, after the village, when he moved to Copenhagen.

On 5 July 1756, Collstrop started an apprenticeship with his uncle, Peter Petersen Genner, a timber merchant in Copenhagen, who was married to his mother's sister. After the uncle's death on 4 June 1758 he worked for the aunt for a few more years. In 1760, he was transferred to timber merchant Peter Boertmann, where he completed his apprenticeship in 1872. In 1877, he began working for Carl Hieronimus Gustmeyer's widow, Catarina Gustmeyer, who ran a large timber business from the Gustmeyer House. The six-year contract entitled him to him free food and lodging, an annual salary of 300 Danish rigsdaler and a 10% cut of the profit.

In 17841800, he served as one of Copenhagen's 32 Men. In 17851787, he served as auditor for Kjøbenhavns Brandforsikring. On 9 May 1787, he was elected as one of the directors of the company. On 26 June 1794, he was replaced by Valentin Madsen. From its foundation in 1791, he also served on the board of representatives of the Danske og Norske Speciesbank.

Collstrop leased four of the lumberyards at Kalvebod Beach. They were completely destroyed by fire during the British bombardment in 1807, resulting in a huge financial loss for which he was never compensated by the fire insurance company.

On 26 December 1805, Vollstrop made his sons Lorentz and Poul Andreas Collstrop as well as his nephew Laue Jessen Maag partners in the firm.

Andreas Collstrop died on 9 May in Copenhagen. The company was continued by his sons Poul Andreas Collstrop and Lauritz (Laurentius) Collstrop in partnership with their cousin and brother-in-law Maag.

Four of Collstrop's five children survived to adulthood. His daughter Anne Marie Colstrup (1775–1837) was married to grocer (urtekræmmer, later grosserer) Frederik Bertelsen (b. 1875), a son of grocer (urtekræmmer) Lorentz Bertelsen (1730–1812). In 1809, he bought the house at Nytorv 5. The daughter Mette Colstrup (1778–1804) was married to Hans Kirketerp (1779–1858), a son of businessman and bank manager Rasmus Kirketerp. They lived at Toldbodgade 2 / Nyhavn 49. The son Lauritz (Laurentius) Collstrop (1880–1826) was married to Frederikke Kirstine Sophie Voigt (1781–1852), a daughter of steward of Frederiksberg Palace Marcus Frederik Voigt (1757–1815). The son Paul Andreas Colstrup (1892–1920) was married to Louise Margrethe Schack, a daughter of ship captain Andreas Vilhelm Schack (c. 1730–1802). They lived in his father's old house at Ny Kongensgade 7.