The History of the English Church in Gothenburg

From very early days trade was an important part of the town´s activities. Not least of this was trade between Britain and Sweden. In seventeenth century Sweden, an attempt was made to regulate trade through the towns with the levying of taxes on imports and exports. In 1635 a group of British merchants formed a body the British Factory for protecting and supporting their mutual interests. In 1658 the provinces Bohuslän and Halland were incorporated with Sweden. The fire of London in 1666 gave considerable impetus to British imports from Sweden. The first British Factory either failed or was disbanded, and a second British Factory was established in 1699. Note: The term "factor" is "a merchant buying or selling on commission" - Oxford Concise Dictionary. The Swedish Church Law of 1686 made it illegal to hold any public religious worship in Sweden, other than the approved religion of the Swedish State. The national churches of England and Sweden were both protestant but there were differences between the Anglican and Lutheren churches. Many British merchants worshiped in the Swedish Cathedral or in Kristine Kyrke (the German Church), others worshiped in private homes. Townshend and Adams state that "it is recorded that in 1691 there was an English Congregation in the town." The immigrants must have worshipped in private homes. At this time the population of Gothenburg was some 6,000 people.

In June, 1731, the King of Sweden granted a charter for a period of 15 years to the Swedish East India Company. Its ships, such as the Eastindiaman Götheborg, were to sail to the East Indies and trade there. The headquarters of the Company were to be in Gothenburg. One of its three directors was Colin Campbell. The Swedish East India Company was of great importance for the Swedish economy and had an invigorating effect on the development of Gothenburg. When the ships of the Company returned to their home port laden with oriental cargoes, buyers from many parts of Europe bid and bought at the auctions held to dispose of these goods.

In 1741, in acknowledgement of the Swedish Church's privileges in England, Anglican public worhip was allowed in Sweden. Permission was also given to own and build churches. The first English church was started in 1747, in a rented room in Nederlags House in Smedjegatan. This arrangement continued until 1761. The first English priest Rev. George Nash arrived in Gothenburg to take up his appointment as Chaplain in October 1747. He received a salary of £75 per annum, the amount being subscribed voluntarily by members of the congregation.

Colin Campbell died in 1757. He left a bequest of Three Thousand Dollars Silvermynt towards the building of an English church, with the proviso that if the building was not set about and in a fair way to be continued within two years after his death this article is to be null and void. In 1759, a plot of land between Östra Hamngatan and Sillgatan (now Postgatan) was purchased, and an expensive building was designed. This was subseqently purchased by William Williamson, George Carnegie and John Hall Sr., with the agreement that the English Congregation should have the use of a room for worship - in "the second English church." This was the place for worship between 1764 and 1785, and was followed by an interregnum of 37 years during which no Chaplain was apointed, until 1822, when the Rev. Morgan Morgan took up office.

The Göta Canal, which was opened in 1832, played an important part in Swedish development and the lives of many Swedish people. The Canal was built during the period of 1810 to 1832 under the direction of Balzaar von Platen (1766-1830). The Göta Canal is considered by many people to be the most extensive example of a technological building project ever carried out in Sweden. Of the total length of the 190km. Göta Canal, 87km. is man-made and 103km. consists of lakes and rivers. Eight million cubic metres of soil were excavated by hand, together with 300,000 cubic metres of rock. Balzaar von Platen employed the Scottish railway engineer Thomas Telford to plan the route for the canal, and many British canal builders worked with the Swedish military officers on the detailed planning and construction work. They most probably travelled via Gothenburg and worshiped with the English community. Fredrik Edelsvärd led the building work in connection with the canal between Mem and Söderköping.

By 1850 Gothenburg had developed into an important Nordic port, and had a population of some 26,000 people. The boundaries of the town were largely the same as in the 17th century, but the advent of industrialisation had begun to affect the town. There were over 120 factories in Gothenburg by the middle of the 19th century, and they employed over 3,500 people. The main industries were connected with handling and processing tobacco, brewing, sugar refining and to a lesser extent shipbuilding. Textile machines had been imported from England, and Alexander Keiller had built Rosenlund's cotton spinning mill and a gasworks. Keiller also founded an engineering workshop and a shipbuilding warf in 1847. Many British citizens were active in this spread of industrialism. Wilson Line, based in Hull started the first steamship link to England in 1850, for the freight of cattle and oats. Later emigrants took this route from Gothenburg to Hull and travelled from Hull to Liverpool by train, and thence on to America.

St. Andrew's, the third English church in Gothenburg, Hvitfeldtsplatsen 2, was built during the period 1855-1857 and consecrated in 1859. The architect was Lieutenant Adolf Wilhelm Edelsvärd, son of the canal constructor Fredrik Edelsvärd (see above). Perhaps Adolf learnt his first English from the engineers recruited from England to build the Göta Canal! Adolf Edelsvärd (1824-1919) trained as an army officer and specialized in building canals and fortifications. He made a study trip through six European countries to develop his knowledge of new building techniques and design. He was particularly influenced by his visits to England, where he was able to clearly follow some of the exciting effects of industrialism - through railway journeys and visits to notable buildings. In 1850 he set up his private practice as an architect in Gothenburg. St. Andrew's church was one of his early commissions. This building was made possible through generous donations from Robert Dickson Sr, Davie Carnegie and a number of other Scottish and English families. A site was purchased near Kaserntorget in 1852. In March 1854 an application for financal support was sent to Queen Victoria for "erecting a building suitable to our requiremnets in respect of number and of this Northern climate and at the same time such as may be admissible by the Authorities of this City, whose approbation of every architectural design must be first sought and obtained." In May 1854 Edelsvärd's church design was accepted, and in June 1854 the desired promise of financial support arrived from London. On June 19th 1855 Robert Dickson laid the foundation stone.

The church was built in the Victorian or neo-Gothic style, made so popular in the west of Sweden by the architect Adolf W.Edelswärd. The framework of the west door and that of the Gothic windows is of Scottish sandstone. The east end of the Church has five stained-glass windows showing St. Mathew and St. Mark, St. Peter and St.Paul, St. Luke and St. John. Above these is a representation of St. Andrew. The windows, which were donated in 1857, were designed in Scotland. The heating system was also procured from Scotland. The church was formally dedicated on 30th November 1857 - on St. Andrew's day. A quarter of the pews were reserved for the use of the Dickson family. Adolf Edelsvärd also designed the Haga Church and St Birgitta's Chapel, in Gothenburg, as well as Trollhättan Church. Other buildings designed by architect Edelsvärd in Gothenburg included the main Railway Station, the Wijks house, Lilla torget 1, Salhgrens House, Norra Hamngatan 14, the Children's Orphanage, Stampgatan 20, dwelling houses and a school at Klippan, and the School of Navigation, Kvarnbergsgatan 2. These are described by Gunilla Linde Bjur - see references 3 and 4.

St. Andrew's church has been maintained by the devoted care of generations of British and other English-speaking residents, with the help of the British Factory, an association of British merchants in Gothenburg. Among these are many names well known in the history of the city: Dickson, Carnegies, Chalmers, Keiller, Hall, Wilson, and so on - benefactors to city and church alike. (see references 1 and 2).

Women have played an important part in the work at St.Andrew's church, providing support and friendship, as well as working to raise funds for the support of St.Andrew's Church. The first Ladies' Guild, was formed in the 1930s by the Chaplain Dr. Frew. The Guild was re-established in 1943 and has met regularly since then. The first concern of the Ladies Guild was "to assist the Red Cross in the exchange of Prisoner´s of War and to support the British P.o W. in various ways. The Guild has played a very important role in the support of St. Andrew´s Church. The Ladies' Evening Group (LEG) was founded in 1976 by Cathy Lister as an evening group for working women who were not able to attend the Ladies' Guild which meets in the daytime. Ann Gustafsson and Lena Paulse were founder members of the Group. The main aims of the group are Christian Fellowship, building friendship among the members, and providing material support for St.Andrew's Church.

References:

1. History of the English Congregation and its Association with the British Factory
by S. Townshend and H.J. Adams.
Gothenburg, Elanders, 1946. 168p.

2. A Short History of the English Church in Gothenburg. 1747-1997.
by John R. Ashton.
Gothenburg, 1997. 34p.
This book which has been published as part of the 250 years Jubilee Celebrations is on sale in St. Andrews Church.
Price 70:- Sw. Kronor.

3. Arkitekt vid industrialisms genombrott. Adolf Edelsvärd en Yrkesbibliografi av Gunilla Linde Bjur, Göteborg, Göteborgs universitet, 1999. 442s.

4. Arkitekten och staden. Adolf Edelsvärd av Gunilla Linde Bjur, Göteborg, Göteborgs Stadsmuseum, 2000. 83s.

Nancy Fjällbrant, April, 2002