Benjamin Wolff

Benjamin Wolff (13 October 1790 – 7 May 1866) was a Danish businessman, landowner and art collector. After twelve years in India (1817–1829) working for the English trade agency Cruttenden, Mackillop & Co., Wolff returned to Denmark as a wealthy man and acquired Engelholm Manor south of Copenhagen.

Early life and education Wolff was born in Copenhagen, the son of horse trader Lars Peder Wolff (1746–1818) and Christiane Margrethe Nielsen (1762–1828). Wolff was the elder brother of Niels Woldd, who would later acquire Vodroffsgaard in Frederiksberg through his marriage to Emilie Zinn. His father owned a number of properties in Copenhagen and Vesterbro as well as the country house Grøndal in Frederiksberg. He attended Borgerdyd School. In 1807, Wolff became the apprentice of an English merchant in Copenhagen. In 1808, he stayed with his maternal uncle, a clergyman, on the island of Funen. From March 1809, he worked for the Royal Danish Mail while at the same time studying law at the University of Copenhagen, graduating in 1811.

Years in India In 1816, Wolff followed the example of two of his brothers, moving to India, where he was employed by the British trade agency Cruttenden, Mackillop & Co. in Calcutta. Over the next years, he had a successful career in the company.

Personal life Wolff married Juliane Lovise Sneedorff (1811–1898), daughter of Counter Admiral Hans Christian Sneedorff (1759–1824) and Marie E. Tønder (1770–1815), on 24 August 1832 in Holmen Church in Copenhagen. Later in life Wolff also purchased Grevensvænge and was thereby able to leave an estate to each of his two sons, H. C. T. Wolff-Sneedorff (1836–1924) and Gerner Wolff-Sneedorff (1850–1931).