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| The "G.D. Kennedy", (later renamed "af Chapman"), painted by Jakob Hägg. |
The first sail training ship serving the Swedish merchant fleet - "Carl Johan" - was acquired in 1849. In 1879 it was replaced by a small frigate, named after the merchant Abraham Rydberg, who had donated the money for the first ship.
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| The launch of Abraham Rydberg on January 12, 1912 |
The first "Abraham Rydberg" was in 1912 replaced by the brand new steel hulled training ship wearing the same name. The new Abraham Rydberg, built by Bergsunds Mekaniska verkstad, annually trained about 120 young sailors, of age 14 - 20. In 1920 altogether 5000 youth had received training on board the ship.
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| The brand new "Abraham Rydberg" in 1912. |
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| Trainees on board the "Abraham Rydberg". |
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| "Abraham Rydberg" with almost all sails hoisted. |
The first Swedish ship for training of officers for the merchant navy - the four masted frigate "Svithiod" - was acquired in 1906. The ship was used as a combined training and cargo ship. In 1915 the shipping company Rederi A.B. Transatlantic bought the frigate "G.D. Kennedy", which it thereafter used as a combined training and cargo ship for training officers for its own fleet. (The "G.D. Kennedy" was in 1923 acquired by the Swedish Royal Navy and renamed "af Chapman". The "af Chapman" is nowadays a familiar sight in Central Stockholm, where it is used as a youth hostel.)
Inspired by the success of the Transatlantic's "G.D. Kennedy", the shipping company Svenska Lloyd in 1920 also acquired a sail training ship of its own, the "Svecia".
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| The four masted frigate "Svithiod" |
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| The "Svecia" |
In the late 19th century the Swedish Royal Navy still used the corvette
Eugenie as a training ship:
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| The corvette "Eugenie" |
I am enjoying your pictures of the early Abraham Rydberg! I have only recently found my Swedish roots and my grandfather was a cabin boy on the ship. I'm pretty sure it was the first one with three masts. Do you have any additional information about this sailing vessel or where I could find out more? When was the first one built? I see more information for the 1930's, which is too late. I am trying to put some sort of chronological order to when he was sailing and when he left the ship to join the U.S.
ReplyDeleteduring WW1. They are such beautiful ships! I can just imagine. Thank-you in
advance if you can provide any additional information! Kristen
Hi,
DeleteThank you very much for visiting my page! The first Abraham appears to have entered service in 1879, but I am not certain whether it also was built that year. It is very difficult to find information on this ship, but if I find something, I will let you know.
Hello! I am a descendant of the Rydberg family responsible for the original building of this ship, as stated by my grandfather, Tor Olof Rydberg in a letter to my mother written in 1959. I own the original letter and can provide some details if anyone is interested, particularly about its ultimate fate. Grandpa was a Merchant Marine Captain for a good portion of his life, so I have no reason to doubt his veracity.
DeletePlease reply to me in this comment thread if you are interested (no charge, of course) and I can provide you with what he said in the letter.
Daphne Mitchell
I am referring to the ship built in 1879.
DeleteHi, I am writing a small history of Port Germein, South Australia, from 1926-1964 and am looking at the sailing ships which visited for the grain races during that time, including the Abraham Rydberg. Would it be possible to use a couple of the photos of the ship for the purposes of my booklet? I am going to publish it myself and the circulation will probably be very, very small.
ReplyDeleteWe hope to visit Mariehamn next year to look at the Pommern and their maritime Museum too.
Louise lnord@bigpond.com
Hi,
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late reply. Of course you may use my pictures for your history paper.