CLERCK, HANS WILLIAMSON [SSNE 4160]
- Surname
- CLERCK, KLERK
- First name
- HANS WILLIAMSON
- Title/rank
- HOLM ADMIRAL
- Nationality
- SCOT
- Region
- THURSO, CAITHNESS or ÖREBRO
- Social status
- NOBILITY
Text source
Hans Williamson Clerck was born 1/1/1607 in or Örebro (although sometimes noted as from Thurso, where his grandfather Robert was from), son of Captain William Clerk [SSNE 4349], an officer in a Scottish regiment that entered Swedish service in 1607, and Malin Duncan [SSNE 6268]. He had a brother named Thomas [SSNE 6333]. In some sources it is stated that there was also a second brother.
In 1632 Clerck served as constable with the Swedish admiralty and by 1633 he was an ensign with the naval artillery. The next year he received promotion to artillery lieutenant. By 1636 Clerck was captain, although some sources say this promotion did not occur until 1637 or 1638. The longest position Clerck held was as chief of 'uppstädernas bosseskyttekompani' (Uplands rifle company) between 1638-68.
Hans Williamson Clerck was ennobled on 20/8/1648 and introduced into the Swedish house of nobility (Riddarhuset) in 1649 under nr.433.
Between 1650-68 Hans Williamson Clerck was noted as master of cloth or 'tyg' for the admiralty. He was appointed commandant on Vaxholm on 18 May 1653. During January 1655 he was mustermaster general for the Uppland 'Bosseskytte' company. In 1658 he was promoted holmmajor.
During the Swedo-Danish war of 1658 Hans Williamson Clerck led three ships from Stockholm to the Swedish fleet in the Sound in September 1658, and served on the state admiral's ship 'Viktoria' in October. He was present at the storming of Copenhagen in February 1659.
At some point Hans Williamson Clerck purchased a house on Norrmalm from Count von Dohna (which had previously belonged to Hugh Hamilton [SSNE 2582]. It lay on Strandvägen at Ladugårdslandet, not too far from modern Nybrokajen (the area is now called Östermalm).
By December 1664 Hans Williamson Clerck had been promoted to lieutenant admiral and he served as holm-admiral between 1668-79. In 1674(one source says 1676) he became a member of the admiralty council and in 1677 his son Hans Hansson [SSNE 4161] was appointed his adjutant.
Hans Williamson Clerck died on 1 November 1679 and is buried in Nikolai Kyrka (St Nicholas church) in Örebro. He was twice married and had several sons - Hans Hansson and Lars, Lorentz and William - the former two of whom joined Dutch service. Hans Williamson also had two daughters, Elisabet and Magdalena. These were probably with his wife, Brita Swan (d.1662) or Margareta Hartman.
Sources: Biografiska Anteckningar om Officerare vid Orlogsflottan 1600-1699; For Hartman see the same source Swedish Krigsarkiv, Svenska Sjöofficerare vol. ii, Biografiska anteckningar om officerare anställda vid örlogsflottan åren 1600-1699, unpublished typescript. Section 'Namnregister över kvinnor', p.25; Svenska Adelns Ättartavlor, vol. 2, pp.22-23; H. Marryat, One Year in Sweden, including a visit to the isle of Gotland (London, 1862), p.480; F. Fryxell, Wermelandia Nobilitata, (Landsarkivet Gothenburg, 1945), p.34; Swedish Riksarkiv, P. Sondén, Militärachefer I svenska arméen och deras skrivelser; J. Kleberg, Amiralitetskollegium - Marinförvaltningen Biografiska Anteckningar 1634-1934 (Stockholm, 1934), p.15; E. Wendt, Amiralitetskollegiets historia part 1 1634-1695, (Stockholm, 1950), p.84, 159, 171, 195, 207, 248, 276, 294; A. Zettersten, Svenska Flottans Historia aren 1635-1680, (Norrtelje, 1903), p.598; E.E. Etzel, 'Notes on Swedo-Scottish Families', Scottish Historical Review, vol.9, no.35, April 1912, p.268; F. Bedoire, Stormaktstidens Norrmalm folk hus och gator, (Stockholm, 2023), p.266.
HouseinStockholm
Service record
- SWEDEN, STOCKHOLM ADMIRALTY
- Arrived 1632-01-01, as ENSIGN
- Departed 1652-12-31, as CAPTAIN
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose NAVAL
- SWEDEN, VAXHOLM
- Arrived 1653-01-01, as COMMANDANT
- Departed 1657-12-31, as COMMANDANT
- Capacity COMMANDANT, OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
- SWEDEN, SWEDISH ARMY
- Arrived 1658-12-01, as MAJOR
- Departed 1663-12-31, as MAJOR
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
- SWEDEN, STOCKHOLM ADMIRALTY
- Arrived 1664-01-01, as LT. ADMIRAL
- Departed 1679-11-09, as HOLM ADMIRAL
- Capacity COUNCILLOR, ADMIRAL, purpose NAVAL