DAVIDSON, WILLIAM [SSNE 7346]

Surname

DAVIDSON, DAVIDSSON, DAVIDZ

First name

WILLIAM, WILLAM, WILLEM

Nationality

SCOT

Social status

MERCHANT

Text source

The Scottish merchant William Davidson appears in Stockholm town records from 1577 until 1603. William Davidson was often simply noted as "Scottish merchant". He appears to have been active in the iron trade and thus must have been acquainted with James Long [SSNE 7312].

William Davidson's name appears in the tax records for Stockholm burgesses for the years 1583-1589 without a gap, then returns again in 1591 and 1592.

In the Stockholm Skottebok (an annual fee due for those who owned or built houses in Stockholm and traded there) 1582 William Davidson was listed as possessing a "fribrev", namely that he was exempt from payment that year. It seems that William Davidson may have been renting his accommodation, from 'Anders i Luleå' in the eastern quarter of Gamla Stan.

However, William Davidson appears on the 1582 list of the 35 most highly taxed burgesses of Stockholm, with an import value of 12,097 marks against zero in exports. His wares comprised Osmund iron, iron bar, and copper plate.

William Davidson certainly owned a house in Gamla Stan by 1603 as that year he paid tax of 6 daler for the inner quarter of Stockholm town.

Sources: Birgitta Lager, Stockholms befolkning på Johan III:s tid, (Stockholm, 1962), p.100, p.110, p.132, p.141, p.156; Curt Haij, 'Skottar i Stockholm under 1600-talet', unpublished list of names, Hintze biblioteket, Genealogiska Föreningen, Sundbyberg, Stockholm. Thanks to Ardis Dreisbach for this information.

HouseinStockholm

Service record

SWEDEN, STOCKHOLM

Arrived 1576-11-30

Departed 1603-12-31, as BURGESS

Capacity COMMERCIAL, IRON TRADE, MERCHANT, purpose TRADE