HALLIDAY, JOHN [SSNE 7358]

Surname

HALLIDAY, HELLEDAY, HELGDAG, HELGEDAGH, HEIJLIGTAG, HELIGDEIJ, HELLIDAGH

First name

JOHN, HANS

Title/rank

BURGESS

Nationality

SCOT

Text source

John Halliday (Helleday), also known in Sweden as Helgdag, was a Scottish merchant who was active in Stockholm from the 1630s onwards. One source notes that Halliday became a burgess of the town on 8 April 1633, but this may have been when he applied. The Stockholm magistrates record 'Hans Hellidagh' swearing the burgess oath on 17 July 1633 in the presence of fellow Scottish burgesses James Feif [SSNE 4779]and 'old' George Gerden [SSNE 7352]. He may have been the son of Gilbert Helledag, noted as having a son called Hans, born on 17 June 1618. In any case, John was involved in a case against one Hans Bremen in 1647. In 1650 he raised a case against Donat Pfeiff on 31 May.

John Halliday was married to Elisabeth, and on 4 August 1641 his son William (Wilhelm) was baptised. This may have been [SSNE 787]. Another son, Gilbert, was baptised on 20 January 1644; a daughter, Margareta, on 17 December 1645; a second daughter, Catharina, on 1 July 1648; and a third son, Alexander, on 26 January 1651. One of these children was buried at Nicholas church on 28 May 1651. According to Granqvist (Stockholmskt Borgarfolk) a son named Jakob who had worked as a wine merchant died in Stockholm in 1686. The couple appear to have moved in a very Scottish network, as exemplified by their attendances at baptisms. Elisabeth was a witness at Albrecht Skatte's daughter, Karin's, baptism on 24 May 1643. John was himself a witness at William Heij's [SSNE 795] son's, William, baptism on 26 March 1642.

Apparently John Halliday took young James Mesterton [SSNE 6696] into his service around 1644.

The records of the parish of St Nicolai church note that on 17 June 1653 Hans Helledagh, burgess, was buried in Jacob Pheif's tomb in the church, revealing that the Halliday and Feif families had maintained their close ties. Further, Elisabeth, now a widow, raised a case against one Simon Rosenberg in 1655. 

 

Sources: Stockholmsstads Tänke böcker, 1633 (Stockholm, 2006), p.165; Haij, 'Skottar i Stockholm under 1600-talet', unpublished list of names, Hintze biblioteket, Genealogiska Föreningen, Sundbyberg, Stockholm. Thanks to Ardis Dreisbach for this information.

Paul Meijer Granqvist, Stockholmskt Borgarfolk (Stockholm, 1902)p.79; Stockholmsstads Arkiv, Rådhuset, St Nicolai Kyrkas Räkenskaper, 16, Anno 1651 and 18, Anno 1653. Thanks to Jan Helleday for these sources.

 

See also:Riksarkivets ämnessamlingar. Personhistoria https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0069718_00326#?c=&m=&s=&cv=325&xywh=3198%2C1531%2C2304%2C1329

 

His widow Elisabeth: https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0069718_00342#?c=&m=&s=&cv=341&xywh=3350%2C451%2C2765%2C1594

Service record

SWEDEN, STOCKHOLM

Arrived 1618-06-17

Departed 1654-11-30

Capacity BURGESS, MERCHANT, purpose TRADE, CIVIC