WILLIAMSON, WILLIAM [SSNE 659]

Surname

WILLIAMSON, WILLEMSEN

First name

WILLIAM, WILLEM

Title/rank

MAYOR

Nationality

SCOT

Social status

BURGESS

Text source

William Williamson was a merchant in Denmark. He also served as the churchwarden of St. Mary's in 1592. His mercantile activities took him to the Whitsun fair of Aalborg n 1597. He imported Helsingborg beer 1599-1608 and cloth (by way of Elsinore 1618-9 and directly 1621), exported corn 1606-7 and malt 1612-3. He also played in role in civic duties, as he became the mayor of Helsingborg in 1600 and served until his death on 24/1/1622. In 1608 he was one of the town's representatives at the election of Prince Christian. In January 1613 he provided lodgings for the Stuart ambassador Sir Robert Anstruther [SSNE 1472]. He married Johanne Alexandersdatter, who died in 1616. He must have been a reasonably wealthy man as he made a charity donation to the town's grammar school and one of 100 daler to the homeless poor.

T. Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot (Odense, 1988), II, p.155 (RA. Reg. 108 B no. 100 a: Helsingborg Byforgedregnskaber 1618-20; NLA. Magistratsarkiver D 1: Aalborg Radstue no. 808: Kaemnerregnskab Budolphi Parish 1597; Erslev, Akstykker I, p158).

Service record

DENMARK-NORWAY, HELSINGBORG

Arrived 1592-01-01

Departed 1599-12-31

Capacity MERCHANT, purpose CIVIC

 

Arrived 1600-01-01

Departed 1622-01-24

Capacity MAYOR, purpose CIVIC