Thomas Blom

Thomas Andreas Blom (18 November 1777 – 21 November 1841) was a Danish master mason, architect and developer who contributed to the rebuilding of Copenhagen in the years after the Copenhagen Fire of 1795 and the Battle of Copenhagen in 1807. He initially worked in a partnership with his mother and three brothers as Bloms Enke & Sønner (Blom's Widow & Sons), constructing approximately one building per year between 1799 and 1808. After being licensed as a master mason in 1810, he continued the work independently. Most of his surviving buildings are listed on the Danish registry of protected buildings and places. He was also active in Copenhagen Fire Corps, reaching the rank of deputy fire chief. He was a driving force behind the foundation of Håndværkerstiftelsen as a charity providing affordable accommodation for old craftsmen and their widows in difficult circumstances.

Early life and education Blom was born in Copenhagen, the son of grocer (spækhøker) Niels Pedersen Blom and Birthe Pedersdatter Blom). The father owned a house in the street Bryggerlængen (now Olfert Fischers Gade 5) from 1770. Thomas Blom and his brothers Peder (1882–1807), Christian (1774 – 7 November 1811) and Hans Ole (17801832) were all trained as masons under Jens Martin Quist. Thomas Blom worked for Quist for another six years after completing his apprenticeship in 179194. The father died in October 1782. The mother most likely continued the grocery business after the father's death. The corner development was finally completed with the construction of Kronprinsessegade 42 in 1815–16. The reason for the delay was that Blom had started working on the demolition of Hirschholm Palace. He later also worked on the construction of the new City Hall (1831) and Christiansborg Palace (1813–25) and the Church of Our Lady. In 1820, he acquired two adjoining plots in Peder Hvitfeldts Stræde and Købmagergade. The building in Peder Hvitfeldts Stræde (No. 14), a rather spartan five-storey tenement house, was completed the following year. In 1822–23, it was followed by a Købmagergade 65 (demolished in 1898). In 1824, he returned to Kronprinsessegade where the building fronting the street was completed the following year. In 1824, Blom purchased a portion of a large property in Sølvgade. He sold part of it again 1826 and used the rest of it for the construction of two eight-bay buildings at No. 20 (1826–27) and No. 21 (1830–31).

In 1834, Blom bought a large plot in Fiolstræde which had been left empty since the bombardment in 1807. It was used for the construction of No. 23 (1834–35), No. 21 (1835–36), No. 19 (1836). In 1837–39, he constructed his last building at the corner of Skindergade and Fiolstræde.

Personal life Blom was on 3 September 1811 married to Ingeborg Cathrine Carstensen. They moved into one of the apartments in his recently completed building at Kronprinsessegade 40. They had the children Johanne Emilie (1812–96), Peter Ludvig (1814–50), Julius Andreas (1815–1900), Sigvard August (1816–1900), Ida Wilhelmine (1818–96), Carl Waldemar (1819–c. 1838) and Julie Georgine (1820–85). Blom's mother lived with the family at Kronprinsessegade 40 until her death. In 1825, Blom and his family moved to a larger apartment in his just completed building at Kronprinsessegade 36.

Blom became a member of the Royal Copenhagen Shooting Society in 1835. He chose the view down Dronningens Tværgade from Rosenborg Castle Garden as the motif for his ceremonial target. He was created a Knight in the Order of the Dannebrog.

List of works Bloms Enke & Sønner Sankt Peders Stræde 22 (1799–1800) Sankt Peders Stræde 20 (1800–1801) Teglgårdsstræde 3 (1801–1802) Dronningens Tværgade 57 (1802–1803) Dronningens Tværgade 59 (1803–1804) Dronningens Tværgade 61 (1804–1805) Kronprinsessegade 38 (1805–1806) Dronningens Tværgade 56 (1806–1807) Dronningens Tværgade 58 (1807–1808)

Independent works Kronprinsessegade 40 (1810–1811) Kronprinsessegade 42 (1815–1816) Peder Hvitfeldts Stræde 14 (1820–1821) Kronprinsessegade 36 (1820/1824–1825) Købmagergade 65 (1822–1823, demolished in 1898) Sølvgade 20–22 (1826–1827) Fiolstræde 23 (1834–1835) Fiolstræde 19 (1836) Fiolstræde 21 (1835–1836) Fiolstræde 2/Skindergade 32 (1837–1838)