Christen Christensen
Encyclopedia
Christen Christensen was a Norwegian shipyard
and ship
owner as well as the founder and chairman of the world's largest whaling company, A/S Oceana.
, to shipowner Søren Lorentz Christensen (1810–1862) and his wife Othilie Juliane (née Kruge) (1820–1903). He was first sent to boarding school in Scotland
and then at 17 went on to study at the Trade Academy in Copenhagen
, Denmark
.
Freddrike in 1869.
In the summer of 1872, Chisten Christensen, shopkeeper
P.C.Pedersen, shopkeeper G.Wierød and Christen Lorentz Sørensen from Nordby, built a steam sawmill
at Svines by lake Goksjø
. When Gogsjø Dampsag a shareholder in Rødsverven died on April 23, 1878. Christensen became the sole owner of the shipyard, and with it, what many consider the beginning of modern industrial shipbuilding in Sandefjord. Something that was well thought of by local residents because of the year-round jobs it brought. A sharp contrast to previously, where work was typically seasonal.
In 1892 he bought Sandefjord Mekaniske Verksted, merging it together with his other ship yards to form Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted and then made his first entrance into the whaling business as owner of the company, Shields & Værge, which ran most of the fishing in Finnmark
. The company was bought at auction for a small price, undoubtedly because of the decline in the North Atlantic whaling stocks, which led to much of the whaling industry going bankrupt. Christensen however, saw this as an opportunity, having remembered a pamphlet published in 1874 titled, Report on the new whaling grounds of the southern seas, by Daniel and Jon Gray, Giving him the idea to send an expedition to Antarctica, in search of new seal and whaling grounds. Something he would become well known for along with a young Carl Anton Larsen
who was an officer aboard the barque
Freden, one of Christensen's ships.
On September 3, 1892, the barque Jason left Sandefjord with Captain Carl Anton Larsen on the first Norwegian
expedition to Antarctica. During the expedition Larsen discovered Robertson Island
and was curious to find out if the volcano on the island was active, so he ski
ed to the top and on his return named it Mt. Christensen after his friend and expedition partner.
In 1894 he established Sandefjord Flytedokker A/S (Sandefjord Dry Docks A/S), two wooden floating dock
s. A few years later, on February 23, 1887, he would go on to found what would become the world's largest whaling company of the early twentieth century, A/S Oceana of Sandefjord, with businessman and partial shareholder
Carl Lindenberg, for the company Woltereck & Robertson in Hamburg
, Germany
. The company bought and processed seal
and whale oil
from Christensen vessels. A/S Oceana's original share capital was $94,000 NOK and the company was formed for the operation of the 5 whaling vessels the Polar Star, Cito, Fanklin, Penda and Aries which Christensen had bought for $73,000 NOK the year before from a bankrupt company in Larvik
. The first year of operation was favorable with a surplus of U.S. $66,716 NOK.
On January 21, 1895 Christensen was knighted by King Oscar II of Norway, to the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav,1st class. The newly knighted Christensen then went on to install Sandefjord's first electrical lights in his private residence, much to the delight of his friends and neighbors. Not forgetting his shipyard, he installed forty lights in the workshop and twenty at the Floating docks.
He then founded the company A/S Eagle in 1903 for whaling in Finnmark, Bear Island and Spitsbergen
. Until then whales were brought ashore for processing but that would all change when he created the world's first floating factory for the processing of whales. This would be the greatest invention in whaling history but one that would have a great impact on whale populations which would be taken in ever greater numbers. He purchased the Admiralen in Oct 1904 for £3,750 and converted it to a floating factory ship by his shipyard Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted, in Sandefjord and equipped it with 8 new open boilers. It first saw service in the Greenland Sea
off the coast of Spitsbergen for the 1904-05 season. Due to the large number of whaling vessels around Spitsbergen the season before, Christensen decided to send her to the Antarctic for 1905-06. She left Sandefjord on October 21, 1905 on her first trip to Antarctica as a factory ship
, accompanied by her three catchers Hauken, Ørnen and Alex. She arrived in Port Stanley on December 13, 1905.
His son Lars Christensen
started his own whaling company in 1907 and would, later in life, become an industry leader in his own right. Another of his sons, Søren Lorentz Christensen, took over as manager of the Eagle in 1912.
Christensen was appointed Commander, the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, 2nd class, in 1911.
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
and ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
owner as well as the founder and chairman of the world's largest whaling company, A/S Oceana.
Early life
Christen Christensen was born in SandefjordSandefjord
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...
, to shipowner Søren Lorentz Christensen (1810–1862) and his wife Othilie Juliane (née Kruge) (1820–1903). He was first sent to boarding school in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and then at 17 went on to study at the Trade Academy in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, 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...
.
Career
In 1868 Christensen took over as manager of Rødsverven from his widowed mother, who ran the company for a number of years after her husbands early death in 1862. The first ship he built was the SchoonerSchooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
Freddrike in 1869.
In the summer of 1872, Chisten Christensen, shopkeeper
Shopkeeper
A shopkeeper is an individual who owns a shop. Generally, shop employees are not shopkeepers, but are often incorrectly referred to as shopkeepers. Today, a shopkeeper is usually referred to as a manager, though this term could apply to larger firms .*In many south asian languages like Hindi, Urdu,...
P.C.Pedersen, shopkeeper G.Wierød and Christen Lorentz Sørensen from Nordby, built a steam sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
at Svines by lake Goksjø
Goksjø
Goksjø is a lake in the municipalities of Sandefjord, Larvik and Andebu in Vestfold county, Norway.-Books:...
. When Gogsjø Dampsag a shareholder in Rødsverven died on April 23, 1878. Christensen became the sole owner of the shipyard, and with it, what many consider the beginning of modern industrial shipbuilding in Sandefjord. Something that was well thought of by local residents because of the year-round jobs it brought. A sharp contrast to previously, where work was typically seasonal.
In 1892 he bought Sandefjord Mekaniske Verksted, merging it together with his other ship yards to form Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted and then made his first entrance into the whaling business as owner of the company, Shields & Værge, which ran most of the fishing in Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
. The company was bought at auction for a small price, undoubtedly because of the decline in the North Atlantic whaling stocks, which led to much of the whaling industry going bankrupt. Christensen however, saw this as an opportunity, having remembered a pamphlet published in 1874 titled, Report on the new whaling grounds of the southern seas, by Daniel and Jon Gray, Giving him the idea to send an expedition to Antarctica, in search of new seal and whaling grounds. Something he would become well known for along with a young Carl Anton Larsen
Carl Anton Larsen
Carl Anton Larsen was a Norwegian Antarctic Explorer, who made important contributions to the exploration of Antarctica, the most significant being the first discovery of fossils, for which he received the Back Grant from the Royal Geographical Society...
who was an officer aboard the barque
Barque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
Freden, one of Christensen's ships.
On September 3, 1892, the barque Jason left Sandefjord with Captain Carl Anton Larsen on the first Norwegian
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...
expedition to Antarctica. During the expedition Larsen discovered Robertson Island
Robertson Island
Robertson Island is an ice-covered island, long in a northwest-southeast direction and wide, lying at the east end of the Seal Nunataks off the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Captain Carl Anton Larsen discovered Robertson Island from the Jason on December 9, 1893...
and was curious to find out if the volcano on the island was active, so he ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
ed to the top and on his return named it Mt. Christensen after his friend and expedition partner.
In 1894 he established Sandefjord Flytedokker A/S (Sandefjord Dry Docks A/S), two wooden floating dock
Floating dock
A floating dock is a platform or ramp supported by pontoons. It is usually joined to the shore with a ramp that rests upon the dock on rollers, to adjust for the vertical movement of the dock...
s. A few years later, on February 23, 1887, he would go on to found what would become the world's largest whaling company of the early twentieth century, A/S Oceana of Sandefjord, with businessman and partial shareholder
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
Carl Lindenberg, for the company Woltereck & Robertson in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The company bought and processed seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
and whale oil
Whale oil
Whale oil is the oil obtained from the blubber of various species of whales, particularly the three species of right whale and the bowhead whale prior to the modern era, as well as several other species of baleen whale...
from Christensen vessels. A/S Oceana's original share capital was $94,000 NOK and the company was formed for the operation of the 5 whaling vessels the Polar Star, Cito, Fanklin, Penda and Aries which Christensen had bought for $73,000 NOK the year before from a bankrupt company in Larvik
Larvik
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. Larvik kommune - has about 41 364 inhabitants and covers 530 km2....
. The first year of operation was favorable with a surplus of U.S. $66,716 NOK.
On January 21, 1895 Christensen was knighted by King Oscar II of Norway, to the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav,1st class. The newly knighted Christensen then went on to install Sandefjord's first electrical lights in his private residence, much to the delight of his friends and neighbors. Not forgetting his shipyard, he installed forty lights in the workshop and twenty at the Floating docks.
He then founded the company A/S Eagle in 1903 for whaling in Finnmark, Bear Island and Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Constituting the western-most bulk of the archipelago, it borders the Arctic Ocean, the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea...
. Until then whales were brought ashore for processing but that would all change when he created the world's first floating factory for the processing of whales. This would be the greatest invention in whaling history but one that would have a great impact on whale populations which would be taken in ever greater numbers. He purchased the Admiralen in Oct 1904 for £3,750 and converted it to a floating factory ship by his shipyard Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted, in Sandefjord and equipped it with 8 new open boilers. It first saw service in the Greenland Sea
Greenland Sea
The Greenland Sea is a body of water that borders Greenland to the west, the Svalbard archipelago to the east, Fram Strait and the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Norwegian Sea and Iceland to the south. The Greenland Sea is often defined as part of the Arctic Ocean, sometimes as part of the...
off the coast of Spitsbergen for the 1904-05 season. Due to the large number of whaling vessels around Spitsbergen the season before, Christensen decided to send her to the Antarctic for 1905-06. She left Sandefjord on October 21, 1905 on her first trip to Antarctica as a factory ship
Factory ship
A factory ship, also known as a fish processing vessel, is a large ocean-going vessel with extensive on-board facilities for processing and freezing caught fish...
, accompanied by her three catchers Hauken, Ørnen and Alex. She arrived in Port Stanley on December 13, 1905.
His son Lars Christensen
Lars Christensen
Lars Christensen was a Norwegian shipowner and whaling magnate with a keen interest in the exploration of Antarctica.-Career:...
started his own whaling company in 1907 and would, later in life, become an industry leader in his own right. Another of his sons, Søren Lorentz Christensen, took over as manager of the Eagle in 1912.
Christensen was appointed Commander, the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, 2nd class, in 1911.