Jørgen Christian Knudsen

Jørgen Christian Knudsen (5 January or 5 December 1843 – 25 December 1922) was a Norwegian ship-owner and politician for the Conservative Party.

Personal life He was born at Saltrød in Østre Moland Municipality (now part of Arendal Municipality) as a son of Christen and Guro Knudsen, née Aadnesdatter. Gunnar Knudsen would later become Prime Minister of Norway for the Liberal Party.

In 1867 Jørgen Christian Knudsen married Marie Henriette Resch, daughter of Captain Hagbarth Resch. They settled at Frednes farm. A daughter married Robert Rafn. Their daughter Gunda married the British diplomat Christopher Lintrup Paus.

Career Knudsen was a notable ship-owner, He was also a shipbuilder and factory owner. He was elected to the city council for the first time in 1877. He also represented the city in the Parliament of Norway, where he advocated and defended the union with Sweden. He was elected from the constituency Porsgrund in 1880, 1883, 1886, 1892, 1895, 1898 and 1904. For the first five terms he was a member of the Standing Committee on Justice, then the Standing Committee on the Army. In his last term he chaired the Standing Committee on Railways.

He was a deputy member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee from the beginning in 1897, to 1909. He was also a supervisory council member of the Bank of Norway.