Mads Christian Holm (19 October 1827 - 23 September 1892) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

shipbuilder and ship-owner. He founded the shipping company

D/S Norden Dampskibsselskabet Norden A/S (commonly abbreviated D/S Norden or NORDEN) is a Danish shipping company operating in the dry cargo and tanker segment worldwide. The company headquarters are located in Copenhagen, Denmark and the company is listed ...

in Copenhagen in 1861 and Helsingør Dockyard in Helsingør in 1882. He is also remembered for his charitable donations to the church, an orphanage and a school in his home town Nykøbing Mors.

Early life and education

Holm was born in Nykøbing Mors, the illegitimate son of Maren Nielsdatter (1794–1854). His father is in the church records listed as servant Esper (Esben) Nielsen (1795–1880) but may have been a district bailiff (''by- og hjerredsfoged'') and justice councilor named Rummelhoff. Either way. Esper Nielsen ended up marrying a well-to-do widow of a farmer, leaving Maren Nielsdatter and her son in very poor circumstances. Mads Christian frequently had to go out begging to get food on the table. He assumed the surname Holm after his mother married ship carpenter Lars Christensen Holm (1812–53) in 1838. After completing an apprenticeship as a ship carpenter in Thisted, following in his step father's footsteps, he worked on shipwarfs in

Aalborg Aalborg (, , ) is Denmark's fourth largest town (behind Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense) with a population of 119,862 (1 July 2022) in the town proper and an urban population of 143,598 (1 July 2022). As of 1 July 2022, the Municipality of Aalb ...

and Helsingør.

Years abroad

Holm enrolled on a barque bound for Boston. He then continued to San Francisco before, in 1854, founding a shipyard in Oakland, California, which specialized in revamping abandoned ships. He left it in the trust of his partner to return to Europe about one year later. His intention at that point was to return to America after visiting the exposition Universelle in Paris and his home country.

Career in Denmark

Back in Denmark, Holm initially visited his home town Nykøbing Mors. After a while he ended up leasing a shipyard in

Åbenrå Aabenraa (; , ; Sønderjysk: ''Affenråe'') is a town in Southern Denmark The Region of Southern Denmark ( da, Region Syddanmark, ; german: Region Süddänemark, ; frr, Regiuun Syddanmark) is an administrative region of Denmark established ...

in a business partnership with sea captain Bot Bendixen (1792–1861). In 1862 he moved to Copenhagen to study business at the Business College. In January 1871, he successfully invited interested investors to participate in a share subscription for a steam ship for tramp service, leading to the foundation of

on 11 February 1871. ''Norden'', an ironbuilt screw steamer with a load capacity of one thousand tons deadweight, was launched from Aitken & Mansel at Glasgow in February 1872. Holm headed the company until his death in 1892 and its fleet had by then grown to five ships. He established Helsingør Jernskibs- og Maskinbyggeri in Helsingør in 1882. Carl Frederik Tietgen had tried to obstruct the plans.

Personal life and legacy

Holm had a relationship to a girl named Arlette Lund during his years in Aalborg. In 1851 it resulted in a son, Ferdinand Jørgen Peter Holm, but Arlette Lund's parents, who were wealthy restaurateurs, would not let their daughter marry him. Holm later wrote her many letters but she ended up marrying another man. After his return from America, in 1861, Holm married Emilie Bendixen (30 May 183? - 27 August 1914), a daughter of captain Boy Bendixen, his collaborator in Åbenrå. They lived in Nyhavn after moving to Copenhagen. He made several large donations to the church, a children's asylum and a new school in Nykøbing Mors. The school is still named M. C. Holms Skole ("M. C. Holm's School") after him. The local Freemasons Lodge is also named Lodge No. 67 "M. C. Holm" after him. Holm died on 23 September 1892 from appendicitis. He is buried in Nykøbing Mors Cemetery. Peter de Nelly Brown took over the management of the company after Holm's death. The company's next new ship was named ''M.C. Holm'' in 1894. In 2023, a musical theatre production about Holm premiered at

Kulturværftet Kulturværftet (The Culture Yard in English) is a cultural centre located in Helsingør, Denmark. The center was established in 2010, in the buildings of the former Helsingør Værft or Elsinore Shipyard. Kulturværftet is part of Kulturhavn Kro ...

, a culture centre built at the now closed Helsingør Jernskibs- og Maskinbyggeri. The musical was called ''Horisonten'' (The Horizon) and was written by Anna Karlin and Albert Mikkelsen. The musical centered around the opening of Holm's shipyard in Helsingør, Holm's relationship with Arlette and his marriage to Emilie, and Ferdinand's attempt to reunite with his father. Holm was portrayed by Danish actor Magnus Hauge Nielsen.

References

External links