During the time of the Allotment System, the farms of a particular rote had contractual responsibility to provide a dwelling for its soldier/sailor and his family. The soldier croft (soldattorp) respectively the sailor croft (båtsmanstorp) was a cottage on the property of one of the farms in the rote. Use of the dwelling was part of the soldier’s/sailor's pay. The croft also included a small field (1-2 acres), some farm animals and a few outbuildings.The soldier/sailor could live at the soldier/sailor croft only while he served in the military. When a soldier/sailor retired he and his family had to move out. The farmers of the rote were then required to provide a new soldier, who would take over the soldier croft.The soldier/sailor crofts (cottages) were being inspected regularly by the authorities, usually every 3rd year. An inspection was also carried out when the soldier/sailor was discharged or transferred to another rote. Present parties at an inspection were the soldier/sailor, the rote farmers and representatives from military and civilian authorities. Not only the dwelling and outbuildings were inspected but also the well, fences and other enclosures. The outcome of the inspection was noted in special records or minutes called "torpsyneprotokoll". These minutes held information about the croft's defectiveness' and what needed mending.The image to the right shows an ongoing croft inspection at the end of the 19th century.There were two reasons for these croft inspections:1.To make sure that the croft the rote farmers provided kept the agreed standard and was in good condition. The rote farms were obligated to keep up the condition of the croft.2.To make sure the soldier/sailor didn't mismanage the croft.The minutes listed the present people and contained information about what was agreed on regarding needed repairs of the croft and which person who was to take care of which costs.The soldier/sailor was responsible for minor repairs while the rote farmers were responsible for major repairs.The croft inspection minutes contained two columns to the far right regarding the responsibility for each expense; one column was for expenses that fell to the soldier/sailor and the other for the rote farmers' expenses. See below.The croft inspection records are normally found under respective regiment in the army and under respective navy company in the navy. However, in Nils August Björk's case a number of documents were found inserted into his båtsman roll, among them minutes from a croft inspection of his sailor croft in 1886.The croft inspection records can also be found under Krigskollegium, husesynskontoret.The inspection records have been sparsely kept from the 18th century. However most of the 19th century croft inspection records have been kept.Below is the minutes from the croft inspection of 65 Björk's sailor croft in Bogsta parish held in September 1886.
Above, extract from N:o 65 Björk's båtsman roll; croft inspection minutes 1886: Stockholms station: Södermanlands 2. båtsmanskompani D6:3 (0-9999) Image 286 (AID: v741217a.b286, NAD: SE/KrA/0530F064Ö).The extract above shows croft inspection minutes related to N:o65 Nils August Björk's sailor croft dated on September 14, 1886. The image shows the top part of the minutes and holds information that the inspection was conducted by County Sheriff (kronoläsman) Gillberg, assisted by lay assessors (nämndemännen) Carl Olsson and Nils Alfred Nilsson. The Company Commander of the Södermanland 2. Navy Company, the rote farmers and sailor Nils August Björk was also present.Båtsmanstorp 65 (Croft 65) of Södermanlands 2. båtsmanskompani (Södermanland 2. Navy Company) was located in Bogsta parish, Södermanland.At the right-hand side we see the two columns regarding who was to pay for the repairs. The heading "Uppskattadt värde af:" means estimated costs. The first of the two right-most columns are the expenses that fell on the rote "Rotens reparationskostnad" (the rote's cost of repairs). The second of the two columns are the cost expenses that fell on the båtsman (sailor) "Båtsmannens reparationskostnad" (the sailor's cost of repairs). At the bottom of the image we can read that the croft's dwelling was built in timber (log house) and had wooden siding (wooden boards fastened vertically to the exterior walls of the dwelling log house). The roof was coated with tiles. The Swedish sentence goes "Boningshus af timmer, beklädt utvändigt och med ett tak af tegel på bräder".
At the bottom of the minutes we can see the total sum of the needed repairs, see above. The rote's cost of repairs ended in 111.60 Kronor (Kr) and the sailor's cost was 3 Kr. Kronor is the Swedish currency and today we use the abbreviation SEK.According to "Edvinsson, Rodney, och Söderberg, Johan, 2011, A Consumer Price Index for Sweden 1290-2008" does 116 Kr in 1886 correspond 7,800 Kr in 2015.The sailor's part was 3 Kr and 3 Kr in 1886 correspond 200 Kr in 2015. Björk's part of the cost was in other words small compared to the rote farmer's part. August 2016: 1 USD = 8.50 Kr and 1 EUR = 9,50 Kr. Björk's cost was 200 Kr in today's money value which corresponds to about 23.5 USD or 21 EUR. The rote's cost was 7,800 Kr in today's money value which corresponds to about 917.6 USD or 821 EUR.It is difficult to compare values of money from different times without taking salaries into account. How does 3 Kr in 1886 compares to 2015 in terms of payment? According to "A Consumer Price Index for Sweden 1290-2008": 3 Kr in 1886 corresponds to a payment of the number of working hours needed to generate a pay of 3,029 Kr for a male industrial worker in 2005.August 2016: 3,029 Kr = 356 USD or 319 EUR.The minutes are very comprehensive and occupy 3 pages.The entire minutes are shown at Minutes from an inspection of a sailor croft in 1886 (Torpsyneprotokoll)See Photos of a Soldier croft.
Retirement & Pension
What happened to 65 Nils August Björk when he retired from the Navy? Did he get a pension?According to Björk's båtsman roll he was discharged on July 30, 1891. He was born in 1833 so when he retired he was 58 years oldand had then 34 years of service. Normally a soldier/sailor needed to be older than 50 and have at least 30 years of service to qualify for a pension. In other words, Björk was qualified for a pension.Military pensions were at this time called gratial in Swedish and someone receiving a gratial (pension) was called a gratialist. A translation of gratial might be gratuity in English.We will therefore take a look in the Navy Retirement Fund rolls (Flottans Pensionskassa) for year 1891 to see if we can find Björk's entry. In the beginning of these rolls there is an index referring to respective Navy Company in the rolls (page number). See below.
The front page of the Navy Retirement Fund 1885 - 1892; Flottans pensionskassa P2:18 (1885-1892) Image 20 (AID: v779837.b20, NAD: SE/KrA/0079).
Above, extract from the Navy Retirement Fund 1885 - 1892; Flottans pensionskassa P2:18 (1885-1892) Image 40 (AID: v779837.b40, NAD: SE/KrA/0079).The above image shows the index in the beginning of the roll and lists the two Södermanland navy companies. The Södermanlands 2. båtsmanskompani (Södermanland 2. Navy Company) is found in the roll on page 198.Page 198, left-hand side:
Above, extract from the Navy Retirement Fund 1885 - 1892; Flottans pensionskassa P2:18 (1885-1892) Image 2030 / page 198 (AID: v779837.b2030.s198, NAD: SE/KrA/0079).The above image shows page 198 which lists the retired sailors of the 2nd company in 1891. The extract shows 65 Nils August Hamberg Bjök. The second and third columns "Pensionsbref utfärdadt" (Letter of pension issued on) contains August 17 which means that Björk was granted a pension on August 17, 1891. (Augusti = August)Page 198, Right-hand side:
Above; The pension granted to the sailors was divided into 4 classes. Class 4 was the lowest class and Björk was granted a class 4 pension which gave him an annual pension of 42 Kr beginning in August 1891.Columns:•Klass = Class. Björk's pension was a class 4 pension.•Belopp = Amount. Björk's annual amount was 42 Kronor.•Utgående från och med = Beginning from date. Björk’s first pension was paid on August 17, 1891.•Anteckningar = Remarks•Född = Born•Död = Died•Augusti = August•År = Year•Månad = Month•Dag = Day•The extract above shows that Björk's pension was raised to an annual pension of 67 Kr in January 1910. The column to the far right "Död" (Died) shows that Björk died on November 7, 1912.How much was an annual pension of 42 Kr in 1891 in today's money value?According to "Edvinsson, Rodney, och Söderberg, Johan, 2011, A Consumer Price Index for Sweden 1290-2008" does 42 Kr in 1891 correspond to:"42 Kr in 1891 correspond to a payment of the number of working hours needed to generate a pay of 37,379 Kr for a male industrial worker in 2015". So, in today's money value (2016) Björk received an annual pension of 37,379 Kr or about 3,115 Kr per month (367 USD or 328 EUR per month).(37,379 Kr = 4,398 USD or 3,935 EUR per year). For more information on how to research information about retirement and received pension, see Pension
Browsing of Various Registers
•Swedish Cencus 1880 (Sveriges befolkning 1880): sailor (båtsman) Nils August Björk and his wife Anna Sofia Eriksson lives in Bogsta village, Bogsta parish. Their son Karl Viktor, forest ranger(skogvaktare), born 1864, also lives at the sailor croft. •Swedish Cencus 1890 (Sveriges befolkning 1890): sailor (kronobåtsman) Nils August Björk and his wife Anna Sofia Eriksson lives in Knutstugan (the sailor croft), Bogsta parish.•Swedish Cencus 1900 (Sveriges befolkning 1900): verger (kyrkvaktmästare) and former båtsman Nils August Björk and his wife Anna Sofia Eriksson lives in Knutstugan (the sailor croft), Bogsta parish. •Swedish Cencus 1910 (Sveriges befolkning 1910): welfare reciever (understödstagare) and former båtsman Nils August Björk Hagberg (ought to be Hamberg) and his wife Anna Sofia Eriksson lives in Kutstugan (ought to be Knutstugan), Bogsta parish. •Swedish Deathbook 1901 - 2013 (Sveriges dödsbok 1901 - 2013): Nils August Hamberg Björk died on November 7, 1912 in Knutstugan, Bogsta parish.Nils August Björk was obviously allowed to remain in the sailor croft (båtsmanstorp), Knutstugan, after he was discharged from the Navy in 1891.
More Examples of Båtsman Rolls - Norrland Second Navy Company
(Norrlands Andra båtsanskompani)
Sailor 170 Johan Norberg Smed
Example of a båtsman roll; båtsman roll from Ljustorp, Medelpad for sailor (båtsman) 170 Johan Norberg Smed in the Norrland Second Navy Company (Norrlands Andra båtsanskompani). Smed was born in 1869 in Ljustorp parish, Västernorrland, and was enrolled in 1886. Smed's bodily constitution are in detail described in the roll; strongly built person, light brown hair and grey eyes. Height 1.61 m (5 feet 2 inches). Normal sense of color. The exact location of his sailor croft (båtsmanstorp) is stated in the roll; Åsäng, 5 km (3 miles) from Ljustorp church. Source: Stockholms station: Norrlands 2. båtsmanskompani D5:6 (0-9999) Bild 1380 (AID: v741258a.b1380, NAD: SE/KrA/0530F056Ö).
Sailor 172 Johan Fredrik Fredriksson Wernholm
Sailor 172 Johan Fredrik Fredriksson Wernholm, was born in 1858 in Råneå parish, Västerbotten län. He was enrolled in 1879according to his båtsmans roll. His personal details are; brown hair and brown eyes and normal sense of color. The 172 sailor croft was located in Öppom, 2.5 km (1.5 miles) from Ljustorp church. Wernholm was discharged in 1896. His roster lists all his duties at the Stockholm Naval Station as well as the duties aboard warships. Between 1800 - 1881 he served on the steam frigate Vanadis.His båtsman roll also contain a number of punishments he was submitted to in his line of duty.Source: Stockholms station: Norrlands 2. båtsmanskompani D5:6 (0-9999) Image 1560 (AID: v741258a.b1560, NAD: SE/KrA/0530F056Ö). Top of page
During the time of the Allotment System, the farms of a particular rote had contractual responsibility to provide a dwelling for its soldier/sailor and his family. The soldier croft (soldattorp) respectively the sailor croft (båtsmanstorp) was a cottage on the property of one of the farms in the rote. Use of the dwelling was part of the soldier’s/sailor's pay. The croft also included a small field (1-2 acres), some farm animals and a few outbuildings.The soldier/sailor could live at the soldier/sailor croft only while he served in the military. When a soldier/sailor retired he and his family had to move out. The farmers of the rote were then required to provide a new soldier, who would take over the soldier croft.The soldier/sailor crofts (cottages) were being inspected regularly by the authorities, usually every 3rd year. An inspection was also carried out when the soldier/sailor was discharged or transferred to another rote. Present parties at an inspection were the soldier/sailor, the rote farmers and representatives from military and civilian authorities. Not only the dwelling and outbuildings were inspected but also the well, fences and other enclosures. The outcome of the inspection was noted in special records or minutes called "torpsyneprotokoll". These minutes held information about the croft's defectiveness' and what needed mending.The image to the right shows an ongoing croft inspection at the end of the 19th century.There were two reasons for these croft inspections:1.To make sure that the croft the rote farmers provided kept the agreed standard and was in good condition. The rote farms were obligated to keep up the condition of the croft.2.To make sure the soldier/sailor didn't mismanage the croft.The minutes listed the present people and contained information about what was agreed on regarding needed repairs of the croft and which person who was to take care of which costs.The soldier/sailor was responsible for minor repairs while the rote farmers were responsible for major repairs.The croft inspection minutes contained two columns to the far right regarding the responsibility for each expense; one column was for expenses that fell to the soldier/sailor and the other for the rote farmers' expenses. See below.The croft inspection records are normally found under respective regiment in the army and under respective navy company in the navy. However, in Nils August Björk's case a number of documents were found inserted into his båtsman roll, among them minutes from a croft inspection of his sailor croft in 1886.The croft inspection records can also be found under Krigskollegium, husesynskontoret.The inspection records have been sparsely kept from the 18th century. However most of the 19th century croft inspection records have been kept.Below is the minutes from the croft inspection of 65 Björk's sailor croft in Bogsta parish held in September 1886.
Above, extract from N:o 65 Björk's båtsman roll; croft inspection minutes 1886: Stockholms station: Södermanlands 2. båtsmanskompani D6:3 (0-9999) Image 286 (AID: v741217a.b286, NAD: SE/KrA/0530F064Ö).The extract above shows croft inspection minutesrelated to N:o65 Nils August Björk's sailor croftdated on September 14, 1886. The image shows the top part of the minutes and holds information that the inspection was conducted by County Sheriff (kronoläsman) Gillberg, assisted by lay assessors (nämndemännen) Carl Olsson and Nils Alfred Nilsson. The Company Commander of the Södermanland 2. Navy Company, the rote farmers and sailor Nils August Björk was also present.Båtsmanstorp 65 (Croft 65) of Södermanlands 2. båtsmanskompani (Södermanland 2. Navy Company) was located in Bogsta parish, Södermanland.At the right-hand side we see the two columns regarding who was to pay for the repairs. The heading "Uppskattadt värde af:" means estimated costs. The first of the two right-most columns are the expenses that fell on the rote "Rotens reparationskostnad" (the rote's cost of repairs). The second of the two columns are the cost expenses that fell on the båtsman (sailor) "Båtsmannens reparationskostnad" (the sailor's cost of repairs). At the bottom of the image we can read that the croft's dwelling was built in timber (log house) and had wooden siding (wooden boards fastened vertically to the exterior walls of the dwelling log house). The roof was coated with tiles. The Swedish sentence goes "Boningshus af timmer, beklädt utvändigt och med ett tak af tegel på bräder".
At the bottom of the minutes we can see the total sum of the needed repairs, see above. The rote's cost of repairs ended in 111.60 Kronor (Kr) and the sailor's cost was 3 Kr. Kronor is the Swedish currency and today we use the abbreviation SEK.According to "Edvinsson, Rodney, och Söderberg, Johan, 2011, A Consumer Price Index for Sweden 1290-2008" does 116 Kr in 1886 correspond 7,800 Kr in 2015.The sailor's part was 3 Kr and 3 Kr in 1886 correspond 200 Kr in 2015. Björk's part of the cost was in other words small compared to the rote farmer's part. August 2016: 1 USD = 8.50 Kr and 1 EUR = 9,50 Kr. Björk's cost was 200 Kr in today's money value which corresponds to about 23.5 USD or 21 EUR. The rote's cost was 7,800 Kr in today's money value which corresponds to about 917.6 USD or 821 EUR.It is difficult to compare values of money from different times without taking salaries into account. How does 3 Kr in 1886 compares to 2015 in terms of payment? According to "A Consumer Price Index for Sweden 1290-2008": 3 Kr in 1886 corresponds to a payment of the number of working hours needed to generate a pay of 3,029 Kr for a male industrial worker in 2005.August 2016: 3,029 Kr = 356 USD or 319 EUR.The minutes are very comprehensive and occupy 3 pages.The entire minutes are shown at Minutes from an inspection of a sailor croft in 1886 (Torpsyneprotokoll)See Photos of a Soldier croft.
Retirement & Pension
What happened to 65 Nils August Björk when he retired from the Navy? Did he get a pension?According to Björk's båtsman roll he was discharged on July 30, 1891. He was born in 1833 so when he retired he was 58 years old and had then 34 years of service. Normally a soldier/sailor needed to be older than 50 and have at least 30 years of service to qualify for a pension. In other words, Björk was qualified for a pension.Military pensions were at this time called gratial in Swedish and someone receiving a gratial (pension) was called a gratialist. A translation of gratial might be gratuity in English.We will therefore take a look in the Navy Retirement Fund rolls (Flottans Pensionskassa) for year 1891 to see if we can find Björk's entry. In the beginning of these rolls there is an index referring to respective Navy Company in the rolls (page number). See below.
The front page of the Navy Retirement Fund 1885 - 1892; Flottans pensionskassa P2:18 (1885-1892) Image 20 (AID: v779837.b20, NAD: SE/KrA/0079).
Above, extract from the Navy Retirement Fund 1885 - 1892; Flottans pensionskassa P2:18 (1885-1892) Image 40 (AID: v779837.b40, NAD: SE/KrA/0079).The above image shows the index in the beginning of the roll and lists the two Södermanland navy companies. The Södermanlands 2. båtsmanskompani (Södermanland 2. Navy Company) is found in the roll on page 198.Page 198, left-hand side:
Above, extract from the Navy Retirement Fund 1885 - 1892; Flottans pensionskassa P2:18 (1885-1892) Image 2030 / page 198 (AID: v779837.b2030.s198, NAD: SE/KrA/0079).The above image shows page 198 which lists the retired sailors of the 2nd company in 1891. The extract shows 65 Nils August Hamberg Bjök. The second and third columns "Pensionsbref utfärdadt" (Letter of pension issued on) contains August 17 which means that Björk was granted a pension on August 17, 1891. (Augusti = August)Page 198, Right-hand side:
Above; The pension granted to the sailors was divided into 4 classes. Class 4 was the lowest class and Björk was granted a class 4 pension which gave him an annual pension of 42 Kr beginning in August 1891.Columns:•Klass = Class. Björk's pension was a class 4 pension.•Belopp = Amount. Björk's annual amount was 42 Kronor.•Utgående från och med = Beginning from date. Björk’s first pension was paid on August 17, 1891.•Anteckningar = Remarks•Född = Born•Död = Died•Augusti = August•År = Year•Månad = Month•Dag = Day•The extract above shows that Björk's pension was raised to an annual pension of 67 Kr in January 1910. The column to the far right "Död" (Died) shows that Björk died on November 7, 1912.How much was an annual pension of 42 Kr in 1891 in today's money value?According to "Edvinsson, Rodney, och Söderberg, Johan, 2011, A Consumer Price Index for Sweden 1290-2008" does 42 Kr in 1891 correspond to:"42 Kr in 1891 correspond to a payment of the number of working hours needed to generate a pay of 37,379 Kr for a male industrial worker in 2015". So, in today's money value (2016) Björk received an annual pension of 37,379 Kr or about 3,115 Kr per month (367 USD or 328 EUR per month).(37,379 Kr = 4,398 USD or 3,935 EUR per year). For more information on how to research information about retirement and received pension, see Pension
Browsing of Various Registers
•Swedish Cencus 1880 (Sveriges befolkning 1880): sailor (båtsman) Nils August Björk and his wife Anna Sofia Eriksson lives in Bogsta village, Bogsta parish. Their son Karl Viktor, forest ranger(skogvaktare), born 1864, also lives at the sailor croft. •Swedish Cencus 1890 (Sveriges befolkning 1890): sailor (kronobåtsman) Nils August Björk and his wife Anna Sofia Eriksson lives in Knutstugan (the sailor croft), Bogsta parish.•Swedish Cencus 1900 (Sveriges befolkning 1900): verger (kyrkvaktmästare) and former båtsman Nils August Björk and his wife Anna Sofia Eriksson lives in Knutstugan (the sailor croft), Bogsta parish. •Swedish Cencus 1910 (Sveriges befolkning 1910): welfare reciever (understödstagare) and former båtsman Nils August Björk Hagberg (ought to be Hamberg) and his wife Anna Sofia Eriksson lives in Kutstugan (ought to be Knutstugan), Bogsta parish. •Swedish Deathbook 1901 - 2013 (Sveriges dödsbok 1901 - 2013): Nils August Hamberg Björk died on November 7, 1912 in Knutstugan, Bogsta parish.Nils August Björk was obviously allowed to remain in the sailor croft (båtsmanstorp), Knutstugan, after he was discharged from the Navy in 1891.
More Examples of Båtsman Rolls -
Norrland Second Navy Company
(Norrlands Andra båtsanskompani)
Sailor 170 Johan Norberg Smed
Example of a båtsman roll; båtsman roll from Ljustorp, Medelpad for sailor (båtsman) 170 Johan Norberg Smed in the Norrland Second Navy Company (Norrlands Andra båtsanskompani). Smed was born in 1869 in Ljustorp parish, Västernorrland, and was enrolled in 1886. Smed's bodily constitution are in detail described in the roll; strongly built person, light brown hair and grey eyes. Height 1.61 m (5 feet 2 inches). Normal sense of color. The exact location of his sailor croft (båtsmanstorp) is stated in the roll; Åsäng, 5 km (3 miles) from Ljustorp church. Source: Stockholms station: Norrlands 2. båtsmanskompani D5:6 (0-9999) Bild 1380 (AID: v741258a.b1380, NAD: SE/KrA/0530F056Ö).
Sailor 172 Johan Fredrik Fredriksson
Wernholm
Sailor 172 Johan Fredrik Fredriksson Wernholm, was born in 1858 in Råneå parish, Västerbotten län. He was enrolled in 1879 according to his båtsmans roll. His personal details are; brown hair and brown eyes and normal sense of color. The 172 sailor croft was located in Öppom, 2.5 km (1.5 miles) from Ljustorp church. Wernholm was discharged in 1896. His roster lists all his duties at the Stockholm Naval Station as well as the duties aboard warships. Between 1800 - 1881 he served on the steam frigate Vanadis.His båtsman roll also contain a number of punishments he was submitted to in his line of duty.Source: Stockholms station: Norrlands 2. båtsmanskompani D5:6 (0-9999) Image 1560 (AID: v741258a.b1560, NAD: SE/KrA/0530F056Ö). Top of page
