Asbjørn Kloster
Encyclopedia
Asbjørn Kloster was a social reformer and leader of the Norwegian
temperance movement
in the 19th century.
, Rogaland
, Norway. His ancestors were farmers on the islands in Boknafjord
. He grew up on the Boknaberg farm. His parents were farmer (and later merchant) Ole Endresen (1795–1883) and Martha Asbjørnsdatter Kloster (1800–1880). At eight years of age, he was sent to live with an aunt on the farm Vik at Rennesøy
. He was married to Marie Elisabeth Knudsen from 1861.
, where his parents had relocated. Kloster worked as a salesman, first at his father's shop and later for others. During the period from 1842 to 1845, Kloster came in contact with the Religious Society of Friends
movement in Stavanger. The Quaker Movement had first got a foothold in parts of Rogaland
, Norway
with sailors who had served as British prisoner of war during the Napoleonic Wars
. In 1846 Kloster was recruited for a year studying in England, by English Quakers who visited the city. He subsequently translated Quaker literature and followed the English-speaking Quakers as an interpreter on their travels to Norway
, Denmark
, Iceland
and the Faroe Islands
. For thirteen years, from 1848, Kloster operated a Quaker school (Kvekerskolen) in Stavanger. During the 1950s Kvekerskolen became the largest private school in Stavanger, with up to 100 students. Kloster wrote several textbooks himself, including a catechism, a reader and English textbooks.
Asbjørn Kloster played an active role both as a minister, teacher and as a publisher. In 1859, Kloster founded the first total abstinence society in Norway, (in ), in Stavanger. The founding meeting was held by Kloster's initiative on 29 December 1859, with about 120 participants, and 30 persons signed up for membership in the new society. The society was soon renamed . The following year he began to publish the Norwegian language
temperance magazine , also called (in 1861 renamed to meaning Friend of Man), which he published monthly until his death 15 years later. Kloster moved to Christiania
in 1861, where he also founded a temperance society. He moved back to Stavanger in 1863. The nationwide society was founded by Kloster in 1875. At the time of Kloster's death in 1876 DNT had a total of 7,000 members, distributed among 40 local chapters. The Stavanger chapter had around 1,600 members.
Kloster also operated an import business which specialized in the sale of glass, stoneware and porcelain which he imported from England.
A statue of Asbjørn Kloster was raised in Stavanger in 1912. A Norwegian postage stamp
was issued in his honor during 1959. A street in the Storhaug
borough of Stavanger was named after him in 1903. He is buried at Kvekergravlunden in Stavanger.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
temperance movement
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
in the 19th century.
Background
Asbjørn Olsen Kloster was born in Vestre Bokn in TysværTysvær
Tysvær is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is part of the region of Haugaland. The municipality is located at the northern side of Boknafjord, east of Karmøy. Tysvær has a population of 9,349 and an area of 419 km². Aksdalsvatnet is a lake in this municipality.Local...
, Rogaland
Rogaland
is a county in Western Norway, bordering Hordaland, Telemark, Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder. It is the center of the Norwegian petroleum industry, and as a result of this, Rogaland has the lowest unemployment rate of any county in Norway, 1.1%...
, Norway. His ancestors were farmers on the islands in Boknafjord
Boknafjord
The Boknafjord is a Norwegian fjord located in the county of Rogaland, between the cities Stavanger and Haugesund. The fjord is shared between the municipalities of Kvitsøy, Rennesøy, Finnøy, Tysvær, Bokn and Karmøy....
. He grew up on the Boknaberg farm. His parents were farmer (and later merchant) Ole Endresen (1795–1883) and Martha Asbjørnsdatter Kloster (1800–1880). At eight years of age, he was sent to live with an aunt on the farm Vik at Rennesøy
Rennesøy
Rennesøy is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is part of the region of Ryfylke. The administrative center is the village of Vikevåg....
. He was married to Marie Elisabeth Knudsen from 1861.
Career
After his confirmation Kloster moved to StavangerStavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, where his parents had relocated. Kloster worked as a salesman, first at his father's shop and later for others. During the period from 1842 to 1845, Kloster came in contact with the Religious Society of Friends
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
movement in Stavanger. The Quaker Movement had first got a foothold in parts of Rogaland
Rogaland
is a county in Western Norway, bordering Hordaland, Telemark, Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder. It is the center of the Norwegian petroleum industry, and as a result of this, Rogaland has the lowest unemployment rate of any county in Norway, 1.1%...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
with sailors who had served as British prisoner of war during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. In 1846 Kloster was recruited for a year studying in England, by English Quakers who visited the city. He subsequently translated Quaker literature and followed the English-speaking Quakers as an interpreter on their travels to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
. For thirteen years, from 1848, Kloster operated a Quaker school (Kvekerskolen) in Stavanger. During the 1950s Kvekerskolen became the largest private school in Stavanger, with up to 100 students. Kloster wrote several textbooks himself, including a catechism, a reader and English textbooks.
Asbjørn Kloster played an active role both as a minister, teacher and as a publisher. In 1859, Kloster founded the first total abstinence society in Norway, (in ), in Stavanger. The founding meeting was held by Kloster's initiative on 29 December 1859, with about 120 participants, and 30 persons signed up for membership in the new society. The society was soon renamed . The following year he began to publish the Norwegian language
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
temperance magazine , also called (in 1861 renamed to meaning Friend of Man), which he published monthly until his death 15 years later. Kloster moved to Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in 1861, where he also founded a temperance society. He moved back to Stavanger in 1863. The nationwide society was founded by Kloster in 1875. At the time of Kloster's death in 1876 DNT had a total of 7,000 members, distributed among 40 local chapters. The Stavanger chapter had around 1,600 members.
Kloster also operated an import business which specialized in the sale of glass, stoneware and porcelain which he imported from England.
A statue of Asbjørn Kloster was raised in Stavanger in 1912. A Norwegian postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
was issued in his honor during 1959. A street in the Storhaug
Storhaug
-Neighbourhoods:Although the borders of neighbourhoods do not correspond exactly to the borough borders, Storhaug roughly consists of the following neighbourhoods : Johannes, Nylund, Varden, Bergjeland and Øyane.-Politics:...
borough of Stavanger was named after him in 1903. He is buried at Kvekergravlunden in Stavanger.
Other sources
- Fuglum, Per Asbjørn Kloster, pedagog, forkynner og avholdspioner (Lunde, 2004)
- Nag, Martin Nytt lys over Asbjørn Kloster og hans nærmiljø i Stavanger, Ryfylke og Christiania (Kvekerforlaget, 1986) ISBN 8290311427
- Nag, Martin Asbjørn Kloster - folkebevegelser og alkohol (Rusmiddeldirektoratet, 1989)