Thomas Potter (industrialist)

The Potter House in Christianshavn, Copenhagen

Thomas Potter (24 May 1745 – 12 October 1811) was a Scottish-born Danish industrialist and merchant who founded the first iron foundry in Denmark at Christianshavn in Copenhagen ub 1658. The Potter House, his former home overlooking Christianshavn Canal in Christianshavn, now also known as the Brøste House after a later owner, is a listed building.

Career

Born in Edinburgh to unknown parents, Thomas Potter came to Copenhagen in an early age where he obtained a royal license establish an iron foundry on rented land at Appelbys Plads in 1769. In 1771, his license was expanded to comprise all sorts of brass and iron products, forged as well as cast.s. [1]

In 1779, Potter acruired a lot fronting Christianshavn Canal, constructing the Potter House in 1885. It had offices on the ground floor, packing in the celler and his residence on the first floor.[2] The foundry was located to the rear of the building. It manufactured "iron pots in all shapes" as well as everything from nails and bullets to ship anchors. Some of its products was exported to both the East and West Indies.[3] Over the years, he built a considerable export of pots, nails and forged anchors to both the East and West Indies.

Personal life

The Cort Adler House where Potter lived from 1797 to 1807

On 20 March 1782 in the German Reformed hurch in Copenhagen, Potter married Marie Spengler (1 January 1762 – 1 September 1785), A daughter of Royal Art Chamver manager Lorenz Spengler and Gertrud Spengler (néee Trott), who died just three years later. On 2 March 1789 in St. Nicolas' Church, he then married Inger Marie Wismer (3 August 1768 – 19 March 1789), a daughter of tea and porcelain merchant Nicolaj Henrik Wismer and Anne Marie Meinerth.She died just 17 deaus later, just 20 years old. Haunted by grief after the early loss of two wives in the building in just six years, Potter sold his house at Christianshavn Canal in 1790 never to set foot in the building again.

On 3 May 1794 in the Garrison Church, he then married Inger Dorothea Hertz, a daughter of Rotal Forester in Vordingborg County Herman Michelsen H. (1734-75) and writer Birgitte Cathrine Boye (1742-1824). They lived in the Cort Adeler House in Strandgade in Christianshavn from 1797 yp 1807.

References

  1. ↑ "Thomas Potter" (in Danish). Dansk Biografisk Leksikon. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  2. ↑ "Overgaden oven Vandet 10" (PDF) (in Danish). chrarkiv.dk. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  3. ↑ "Brøstes Samling" (in Danish). Selskabet for Københavns Historie. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
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