Report from visit in Archive in Gothenburg (Landsarkivet 19th to 24th of September, 2012)
The main purpose of the trip was to examine archive material relating to the Swedish East India Company located at Landarkivet in Gothenburg (a regional archive). The two collections, the Öjareds-arkivet and Östads-arkivet, are privately owned but kept at Landarkivet. Permission to look at them were obtained prior to visit by the Landsarkivarie Ulf Andersson. The Öjaredared-arkiv contains paper from the Tham family, the members of worked on the ships of the Swedish East India Company. The Östad-archive contains paper relating to the Alströmer family, a family involved in running the Swedish company. I took pictures of the most relevant material, documents which concerns the activities of the company in Canton, sales catalogues and letters. I also photographed the material produced by the Swedish supercargo HenricBraad, including his reports to Gothenburg on the possibility to trade with India. Discussing my project and research with Daniel Sjöberg at the archive I was also advised to look at material relating to the administrative running of Gothenburg (Rådhusrätten), to further my study of the auctions in Gothenburg (passports obtained on entering the city of Gothenburgh).He also advised me on material that might illuminate the re-export of East India goods held at the Stockholm National Archive (Riksarkivet).We also talked about the material held privately by the Silverskjöld family, and the possibility of accessing it.
During my visit in Gothenburg I also met up with Lars OlofLööf, museum curator at the Gothenburg City Museum, who is assembling material relating to the East India trade (contact with Lööf was first established in connection to the Material Encounters of the East India Trade 1600-1850, the workshop our project organised at the Ashmolean Museum in July 2011). Lööf did also advise me on material relating to merchants in Gothenburg which was very helpful, most importantly the files re the bankrupt of the merchant Daniel Vignaulx, also in Rådhusrättensarkiv.
I also had a meeting with the head archivist Ulf Andersson who also researched the East India Company and who expressed great interest in collaborating further with our project. Andersson advised me on material relating to tea sales, held at the Stockholm City Archive (Stockholm Stadsarkiv).