Richard With facts for kids
Richard Bernhard With (born September 18, 1846 – died February 9, 1930) was a Norwegian ship captain and a clever businessman. He also worked as a politician. Richard With is famous for starting two important shipping companies: Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab and Hurtigruten. These companies helped connect many parts of Norway by sea.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Richard Bernhard With was born in a city called Tromsø in Norway. His father, Sivert Regnor With, was also a shipmaster and a pioneer in shipping from Tromsø. Richard followed in his father's footsteps. In 1864, he passed his mate's exam in Trondheim. After that, he spent eight years working at sea, learning all about ships and sailing.
In 1873, Richard settled down in a place called Risøyhamn and became a merchant. He married Oline Sophie Wennberg that same year. They had a daughter named Nanna With. After Oline passed away, Richard married her sister, Augusta Septimia Wennberg.
Starting New Shipping Routes
Richard With saw that people in his region needed better ways to travel and transport goods. This was especially true because of the big herring fishing industry. He decided to do something about it.
Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab
In 1881, Richard was the main person behind creating a new ferry service called Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab. This company bought two new ships, SS Lofoten and SS Fiskeren. They set up trade routes connecting the islands of Lofoten, Vesterålen, and Senja in the north with Bergen in the south. This made it much easier for people and goods to move around.
The Famous Hurtigruten
In 1891, Richard With had an even bigger idea. He wanted to create a passenger route that would run all year long, connecting the entire coast of Norway. This idea became the famous Hurtigruten route.
In 1893, the Norwegian Parliament agreed to fund this new route. The first ship to sail on the Hurtigruten was the SS Vesteraalen. It began its journey on July 2, 1893. The route initially went from Trondheim to Hammerfest. In the summer, it even went as far as Tromsø. This new service was a huge step forward for coastal travel in Norway.
Leadership and Public Service
In 1894, Richard With stopped working as a shipmaster. Instead, he became the CEO of Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab, leading the company until 1909.
Connecting to Svalbard
From 1896, Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab used the ship SS Lofoten for a passenger route between Hammerfest and Adventfjorden. The ship's captain was the famous explorer Otto Sverdrup. This route helped the Svalbard islands grow into a modern society.
Norwegian America Line
In 1908, Richard With also helped create the Norwegian America Line. When this company started in 1910, he served as the deputy chairman on its board.
.jpg)
Richard With was also involved in local politics. He was a member of the Parliament of Norway from 1910 to 1912. He lived in Kristiania (now Oslo) until he passed away in 1930.
He was honored for his work and leadership. In 1896, he was made a Knight 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. He also led the Nordlendingenes Forening, an association for people from Northern Norway. In 1912, he received the Petter Dass Medal.
Richard With's Lasting Impact
Richard With's legacy lives on in Norway. Two Hurtigruten ships have been named after him: the SS Richard With (built in 1909) and the current MS Richard With (built in 1993).
Many places also have roads or squares named in his honor. There is a square called Richard Withs plass in Tromsø. Roads named Richard Withs gate or Richard Withs vei can be found in Andenes, Trondheim, Bodø, Sandnessjøen, and Vardø. These names remind people of his important contributions to Norway's shipping and coastal communities.
