Et shippingfirma på Esbjerg Havn A Shipping Company in Esbjerg

Transkript

1 Et shippingfirma på Esbjerg Havn A Shipping Company in Esbjerg

2 Niels Winther & Co.

3 Niels Winther & Co A Shipping Company in Esbjerg... 7 Niels Winther & Co Et shippingfirma på Esbjerg Havn... 7 Ship owners in Nordby at the end of the 1890s From sail to steam Fra sejl til damp Esbjerg was a cuckoo in Fanø s nest Esbjerg var en gøgeunge for Fanø The shipping company Niels Winther & Co., Esbjerg Skibsmæglerfirmaet Niels Winther & Co, Esbjerg A new epoch for the company Niels Winther & Co En ny epoke for firmaet Niels Winther & Co Niels Winther & Co. becomes agent for Grimaldi Lines Niels Winther & Co bliver agent for Grimaldi Lines Offshore wind turbines provide new tasks for Niels Winther & Co. 55 Offshore vindmøller giver nye opgaver til Niels Winther & Co. 55 Niels Winther & Co. is still going strong Niels Winther & Co er still going strong Noter Niels Winther & Co. Et shippingfirma på Esbjerg Havn A Shipping Company in Esbjerg Af Johs. Bredmose Simonsen Esbjerg 2003

4 Niels Winther & Co. Et shippingfirma på Esbjerg Havn A Shipping Company in Esbjerg Udgiver: Skibsmæglerfirmaet Niels Winther & Co ApS Forfatter: Johs. Bredmose Simonsen Oversættelse: Sprog & Data Produktion: Kiva Grafisk, Esbjerg Tryk: Tarm Bogtryk, Tarm Oplag: stk. Omslag: Reese Reklame & Marketing Niels Winther & Co har siden 1974 haft sit domicil i et ombygget pakhus på adressen Nordre Dokkaj 1. Pakhuset er opført i 1902 og tegnet af arkitekt C. H. Clausen. For at skaffe mere kontorplads købte Niels Winther & Co i 2003 pakhuset, og vil restaurere den gamle bygning, der er erklæret for bevaringsværdig. (Foto Reese 1999) Since 1974 the domicile of Niels Winther & Co has been the converted warehouse at Nordre Dokkaj 1. The warehouse, erected in 1902 and designed by the architect C. H. Clausen. To gain additional office space, Niels Winther & Co bought the warehouse in 2003 and will restore the old building, which was declared worthy of preservation. (Photo: Reese 1999).

5 Niels Winther & Co. Et shippingfirma på Esbjerg Havn Niels Winther & Co. A Shipping Company in Esbjerg Nordby Havn omkring (Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) Nordby Harbour circa (City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) Skibsmæglerfirmaet Niels Winther & Co har sine rødder på Fanø. Det følgende handler om firmaets historie, som går tilbage til de tider, hvor søfart var øens hovederhverv. Helt frem til første halvdel af tallet var Danmarks handel og skibstrafik koncentreret i den østlige del af landet. Det vestlige Jylland var derimod en landsdel med dårlige veje og manglende infrastruktur, men Vadehavet, der strækker sig fra Blåvands Huk til Holland, var egnet til sejlads, og så langt man kan se tilbage i historien, har der fra Vadehavets byer, især Nordby og Sønderho, udfoldet sig en livlig skibstrafik. I mange år foregik den hovedsagelig mellem Vadehavsøerne indbyrdes samt til Hamborg, Holland og Norge med afstikkere til England. Denne handel og skibstrafik bragte velstand til Fanø, især for skippere der selv ejede skibene, købte ladninger og solgte dem. Englandskrigen samt statsbankerotten 1813 gjorde en ende på de gode tider. Under krigen udskrev staten skibene til at fragte korn til Norge, der var isoleret af engelske orlogsfartøjer i Nordsøen. Fanøskibe blev opbragt i stort tal, og ved fredslutningen i 1814 havde alene The shipping company Niels Winther & Co. have their roots on the Danish island of Fanø. This text presents the company s history, which extends back to the times when shipping was the island s principal business. Denmark s trade and shipping were concentrated in the eastern half of the country right up to the first half of the 1800s. Western Jutland was nothing more than a province with bad roads and no infrastructure. However, the Wadden Sea, which stretches from Blåvands Huk to the Netherlands, was eminently navigable, and as far as one can see back in time, a lively shipping traffic developed to and from the Wadden Sea towns, especially Nordby and Sønderho. This traffic was concentrated for many years around the islands in the Wadden Sea and on Hamburg, the Netherlands and Norway, with detours to England. This trade and shipping brought prosperity to Fanø, especially for the skippers who owned their own ships, bought cargoes and sold them. But the war of with England and the national bankruptcy of 1813 brought an end to the good times. During the war, the government conscripted the ships to carry grain to Norway, which had been isolated by the English navy in the North Sea. Fanø ships 6 7

6 Et tidligt billede fra Nordby Havn. (Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet) An early picture from Nordby Harbour. (Fisheries and Maritime Museum) Sønderho mistet 40 af sine største skibe, og 32 Fanø-søfolk sad endnu i engelsk fangenskab. 1) Det lignede en katastrofe, men gik ikke så galt. Hamborg havde også lidt store tab under den franske besættelse. Handelshusene var flyttet til ikke-besatte havnebyer som f.eks. Tønning, og kun et mindre antal skibe var hjemmehørende i Hamborg. I det efterfølgende opbygningsarbejde behøvede Hamborg al den tonnage, der kunne opdrives. Det gav beskæftigelse til den arbejdsløse flåde af handelsskibe i det slesvig-holstenske område og kom på længere sigt også til at gavne Fanø, hvor øens skibsværfter fik fuld beskæftigelse med at bygge større skibe, og i 1822 blev de første skonnerter søsat i Sønderho. Sejladsen blev udvidet fra den nære kystfart til nye destinationer omkring Nordsøen og Østersøen samt til Island, og enkelte skibe vovede sig helt ned i Middelhavet. Langsomt, men sikkert arbejdede øens skibsfart sig op og var fra midten af 1800-tallet et maritimt center med en betydelig flåde, som i 1876 omfattede 163 skibe med en tonnage på tons. I de følgende år fik Fanø større skibe, og øens skibsfart blev global med sejlads til oversøiske destinationer, som hovedsagelig udgik fra Hamborg og Rotterdam. 2) were captured in large numbers, and when peace was concluded in 1814, Sønderho alone had lost 40 of its biggest ships, and 32 Fanø sailors were still sitting in English prisons. 1) This looked like a looming catastrophe, but the worst was avoided. Hamburg had also suffered major losses during the French occupation. The trading houses had been moved to unoccupied harbour cities such as Tønning, and only a small number of ships were based in Hamburg. In the subsequent reconstruction, Hamburg needed all the tonnage it could procure. This provided work for the unemployed fleet of merchant ships in and around Schleswig-Holstein, and in the longer term it also benefited Fanø, where the island s shipyards gained full employment building big ships. In 1822, the first schooners were launched in Sønderho. Navigation was extended from the near coast to new destinations around the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to Iceland, and individual ships ventured as far south as the Mediterranean. The island s shipping increased slowly but surely, and from the mid-1800s it was a maritime centre with a significant fleet, which in 1876 included 163 ships with a tonnage of 17,686. Fanø gained bigger ships in the following years, and the island s shipping became global, with voyages to overseas destinations with departures mainly from Hamburg and Rotterdam. 2) 8 9

7 Skibsredere i Nordby sidst i 1890 erne I Fanøs historie støder man på navne af familier, hvor mændene gennem generationer har været søfolk. Blandt dem er slægten Winther fra Nordby, der med et større antal familiemedlemmer var med i udviklingen af skibsfarten fra Fanø, først som førere af sejlskibe og senere som redere. Desuden havde de ofte bestyrelsesposter i forskellige sammenhænge som f.eks. navigationsskolen, Nordby Understøttelsesforening for Ældre Søfolk og Enker, Nordby Søassuranceforening og Nordby Skibsrederforening, som opførte den smukke bygning på hovedgaden i Nordby, hvor Fanø Skibsfart og Dragtsamling har til huse i dag. Et betydeligt medlem af familien Winther var kaptajn P. N. Winther, som i 1872 blev fører af briggen Gylding på 240 tons. På en rejse fra København til San Miguel på Ibiza i 1887 forliste Gylding. 3) P. N. Winther gik i land og blev skibsreder for et af Nordbys største rederier, som i 1897 disponerede over sejlskibe med en tonnage på 8711 tons fordelt på 12 fartøjer. I tog P. N. Winther sammen med brødrene S. A. Winther og P. L. Winther en stor beslutning om at få to stålbarkskibe, Prins Valdemar og Prinsesse Marie, bygget på Helsingør Skibsværft. Efter den tids forhold var det store skibe på henholdsvis 1239 og 1288 tons. Ship owners in Nordby at the end of the 1890s Studies of the history of Fanø concentrate on the names of families, where generations of the men have been sailors. Among them is the Winther family from Nordby which, with its large number of members, participated in the development of shipping from Fanø, first as masters of sailing ships and later as ship owners. They also often held executive posts in various contexts such as the navigation school, Nordby Benevolent Society for aged seamen and their widows, Nordby Marine Insurance Society, and Nordby Ship Owners Association, which erected the attractive building on Nordby s main street, where Fanø Skibsfart og Dragtsamling, the historical museum for Fanø s shipping and clothing collection, still resides. An important member of the Winther family was Captain P.N. Winther, who was master of the 240 ton brig Gylding in The Gylding was lost on a journey from Copenhagen to San Miguel on Ibiza Island in ) P.N. Winther returned to land and became a ship owner for one of Nordby s biggest shipping lines, which in 1897 controlled sailing ships with a tonnage of 8,711 tons in 12 vessels. In , P.N. Winther together with his brothers S.A. Winther and P.L. Winther took the major decision to buy two steel barks, the Prins Valdemar and the Prinsesse Marie, built at Elsinore Shipyard. By the standards of the time, they were big ships of 1,239 and 1,288 tons respectively. Each Nordby Skibsrederforenings bygning opført i (Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet) Nordby Shipping Line Association s building, erected in 1891 Fisheries and Maritime Museum 10 11

8 Hvert skib havde en besætning på 20 mand og blev i de første år ført af kaptajnerne S.A.Winther og P. L.Winther. 4) Andre af øens skibsførere, der også havde skabt sig formuer, gik i land og blev redere for et eller flere skibe. Blandt dem var kaptajn Chr. H. Nielsen, Nordby, som på en rejse fra Rio Grande til Aracaju strandede med briggen Christian på 197 tons, der blev vrag. 5) Efter forliset forlod Chr. H. Nielsen søen. Han var da en velhavende mand og blev for en tid Fanøs største skibsreder. En datter af Nielsen blev gift med Niels Winther, som senere overtog rederivirksomheden. Niels Winther var søn af kaptajn P. L. Winther, kendt som medreder og fører af bl.a. barkskibene Embla og Prinsesse Marie. 6) ship had a crew of 20 men and they were commanded in their first years by Captains S.A. Winther and P.L. Winther. 4) Other ship s masters on the island who had made their fortune returned to land and became owners of one or two ships. Among them was Captain Chr. H. Nielsen of Nordby, who was beached on a voyage from Rio Grande to Aracaju in the 197 ton brig Christian, which was wrecked. 5) Chr. H. Nielsen abandoned the sea after the loss. By then he was a prosperous man, and for a time he became Fanø s biggest ship owner. A daughter of Nielsen married Niels Winther, who subsequently took over the shipping line. Niels Winther was the son of Captain P.L. Winther, known as the coowner and master of the barks Embla and Prinsesse Marie and other ships. 6) Fra sejl til damp På de lange ruter til Europa fra Australien og Sydamerikas Vestkyst med korn, salpeter, huder og guano havde de store sejlskibe hidtil været enerådende. Disse jordomsejlinger gik rundt om det berygtede Kap Horn, hvor der ti måneder af året næsten uafbrudt var vestlige storme med en frygtelig vindstyrke og sø, som stillede store krav til mandskab og skibe, hvoraf flere forliste eller fik havarier under sejladsen omkring Hornet. Sejlskibene, som på disse lange sejlruter ofte var undervejs i fire-fem måneder, blev omkring år 1900 udkonkurreret af From sail to steam Up to this time, the big sailing ships on the long routes to Europe from Australia and the west coast of South America carrying grain, saltpetre, skins and guano had reigned supreme. These circumnavigations went around the notorious Cape Horn where, ten months of the year, there were almost continuous westerly storms with raging winds and seas which made major demands on crews and ships, a number of which were damaged or wrecked while sailing around the Horn. By about 1900, the sailing ships, which were often underway for four or five months on these long routes, could no longer compete with the Brdr. Winther fra Nordby fik i 1892 bygget stålbarken Prins Valdemar på 1239 tons. (Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) The Winther brothers of Nordby had the 1239 ton steel bark Prins Valdemar built in (City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) 12 13

9 A/S Fanø Sejlskibsrederi havde i 1897 seks skibe. Blandt dem var barkskibet Thora på 384 tons, der her ses ved afleveringen fra S. Abrahamsens værft i Nordby i (Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet) A/S Fanø Sejlskibsrederi had six ships in Among them was the 384 ton bark Thora, seen here on its delivery from S. Abrahamsen s shipyard in Nordby in (Fisheries and Maritime Museum) dampskibene, der uafhængig af vindforholdene kunne nedsætte sejltiden fra havn til havn betydeligt. Damperne kunne desuden undgå turen omkring Kap Horn ved at sejle gennem Magellan Strædet, og efter åbningen af Panamakanalen i 1914 gik langt den overvejende trafik gennem kanalen til Amerikas Vestkyst. 7) Med disse barske udsigter for sejlskibene kan det undre, at Fanøs skibsredere stadig satsede på sejl- og ikke på dampskibe. Årsagen må være beskedne økonomiske muligheder lokalt og en konservativ indstilling over for den nye teknologi. Rederivirksomheder på øen var splittet op i mindre rederier, som havde et svagt økonomisk grundlag. Hvert Fanø-skib var et selvstændigt aktieselskab med en bestyrende reder, en bestyrelse på ét eller to medlemmer, samt to revisorer, der førte regnskab for hvert enkelt skib. Efter en afsluttet rejse blev det eventuelle overskud udbetalt til aktionærerne i forhold til deres andel i skibet, og intet blev henlagt til nyinvesteringer. 8) I et forsøg på at redde sejlskibsrederiernes indestående kapital mod splittelse når skibene blev solgt eller forliste, stiftede skibsrederne P. N. Winther, C. P. Holm og skibsbygmester Søren Abrahamsen i 1897 selskabet A/S Fanø Sejlskibsrederi med seks større skibe og en aktiekapital på kr. Selskabet kom kun til at steamships, which were able to reduce sailing times from harbour to harbour significantly, however the winds were blowing. The steamers were also able to avoid Cape Horn by sailing through the Straits of Magellan, and after the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, the great majority of ships went through the canal to the west coast of America. 7) Given this dismal outlook for sailing ships, it may well come as a surprise that Fanø s ship owners still opted for sail rather than steam. The reason may well have been the modest economic options locally and a conservative attitude to the new technology. The island s shipping industry was split up into smaller lines which had a weak economic basis. Each Fanø ship was an independent limited company with a controlling ship owner, a board of directors with one or two members, and two accountants who kept the accounts for each individual ship. After a voyage, any profit was paid to the shareholders in accordance with their holdings in the ship. Nothing was allocated for new investments. 8) In an attempt to save the shipping lines capital from splitting up when the ships were sold or lost, the ship owners P.N. Winther and C.P. Holm and the shipbuilder Søren Abrahamsen founded the company A/S Fanø Sejlskibsrederi in 1897 with six big ships and a share capital of 500,000 kroner. The company only operated for a few years as the ships had difficulty finding profitable employment, and 14 15

10 Allerede før indvielsen af Esbjerg Havn i 1874 blev den anløbet af S/S Esbjerg, der kom med en last skinner til den nye bane. (Foto: Hulda Bjørkgren, Køge. Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) A/S Fanø Dampskibsselskab fik i 1899 bygget S/S Carla. (Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet) Even before the official opening of Esbjerg Harbour in 1874, the S/S Esbjerg called in with a load of rails for the new railway. (Photo: Hulda Bjørkgren, Køge. City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) A/S Fanø Dampskibsselskab had the S/S Carla built in (Fisheries and Maritime Museum) virke i få år, idet skibene havde svært ved at finde lønnende beskæftigelse, og desuden var man uheldige med hensyn til havarier og forlis. 9) Flere Fanø-sejlskibsredere indså, at sejlads med sejlskibe var passé og ville derfor investere i dampskibe. Blandt dem var skibsreder S. Brinch Hansen, købmand J. K. Borck og skibsfører N. H. Kallesen, alle fra Nordby, som allerede i 1872 fik bygget et dampskib på 296 tons i Skotland. Skibet fik navnet S/S Esbjerg, opkaldt efter den nye by på den anden side af vandet, og blev det første større skib, der i 1873, året før indvielsen af havnen, anløb Esbjerg Havn med en last jernbaneskinner fra Cardiff. S/S Esbjerg blev indsat på ruten Esbjerg- England, hvor skibet de næste par år sejlede 11 ture med stude. For at undgå konkurrence købte DFDS skibet af fannikerne. 10) Et selskab bestående af konsul Pagh, Esbjerg, skibsrederne D. H. Duysen og P. N. Winther, Nordby, stiftede i 1899 A/S Fanø Dampskibsselskab med en aktiekapital på kr. Selskabet overtog i Tønning nybygningen S/S Carla på 316 tons, der fik kaptajn L. J. Holst fra Nordby som fører. I 1911 købte Holst skibet og solgte det året efter til Italien. 11) I 1913 fik Fanø endnu et dampskib, S/S Nordby på 483 tons, bygget i Aberdeen for et selskab med kaptajn J. Christiansen fra Nordby som reder. Skibet, hvis byggepris var kr., blev allerede året efter solgt til Norge. 12) there was also some bad luck with losses and shipwrecks. 9) Several Fanø ship owners realised that sailing ships were outdated and decided to invest in steamers. Among them was the ship owner S. Brinch Hansen, the merchant J.K. Borck and the ship s master N.H. Kallesen, all from Nordby, who had a 296 ton steamer built in Scotland as early as The ship was named the S/S Esbjerg, called after the new town on the other side of the water, and it was the first big ship which, in 1873, the year before the harbour was officially opened, sailed to Esbjerg Harbour with a load of railway rails from Cardiff. The S/S Esbjerg sailed the Esbjerg- England route, where she made 11 trips over the next couple of years with 9,450 oxen. To eliminate competition, DFDS bought the ship from its Fanø owners. 10) A company consisting of the consul Pagh of Esbjerg and the ship owners D.H. Duysen and P.N. Winther of Nordby founded A/S Fanø Dampskibsselskab in 1899 with a share capital of 85,000 kroner. The company took over the new 316 ton construction, the S/S Carla, in Tønning, and Captain L.J. Holst of Nordby became ship s master. Holst bought the ship in 1911 and sold it to Italy the following year. 11) In 1913 Fanø gained another steamer, the 483 ton S/S Nordby, built in Aberdeen for a company with Captain J. Christiansen of Nordby as owner. The ship, whose construction price was 160,000 kroner, was sold to Norway the following year. 12) 16 17

11 Fanøs tid som regulært søfartscenter var dog ved at være forbi, men mange søfolk blev boende på øen, og desuden beholdt Fanø sin navigationsskole. But Fanø s time as a regular shipping centre was passing, although many sailors continued to live on the island, and Fanø also retained its navigation school. Esbjerg var en gøgeunge for Fanø I Esbjergs historie spiller den tætte forbindelse til Fanø en betydelig rolle, men for Fanø var den nye Esbjerg Havn og by en gøgeunge, der dog viste sig at blive til fordel for adskillige fanniker. Ved overgangen fra sejl til damp var mange sejlskibsfolk blevet ledige, men de fandt bl.a. beskæftigelse i lodseriet, told- og vandbygningsvæsenet eller fik hyre med Esbjerg-skibe, flere som officerer. Denne tilgang af kvalificerede folk, der ved sejladser på de store have og ved anløb af fremmede havne havde bevist deres dygtighed, var af stor værdi for den nye by. Med kapitaler fra Fanøs sejlskibstid blev der desuden etableret et større antal virksomheder i det nye Esbjerg, hvoraf flere stadig har stor betydning for havn og by. Tidligere nævnte Niels Winther, søn af P. L. Winther og svigersøn af Chr. H. Nielsen, fik en omfattende uddannelse inden for shipping i England og Tyskland. I Hamborg havde flere rederier et tæt samarbejde med Fanø, og under Niels Winthers uddannelse i disse rederier havde han følgeskab af flere fætre og andre familiemedlemmer. I 1931 oprettede Niels Winther Vestjysk Dampskibsselskab A/S, Esbjerg. Esbjerg was a cuckoo in Fanø s nest The close connection with Fanø played a major role in Esbjerg s history, but for Fanø, the new Esbjerg Harbour and the town were a cuckoo in its nest, which, however, proved to be to the advantage of several of Fanø s inhabitants. Many sailors had become unemployed in the transition from sail to steam, but they found employment among other places at the pilot station and the customs and waterside construction authority, or they were hired on Esbjerg ships, some as officers. This intake of qualified people, who had demonstrated their competence when sailing the wide seas and calling at foreign harbours, was of great value to the new town. A large number of companies were also established in the new Esbjerg with capital from Fanø s golden age of sailing ships, and several of the companies are still of major significance for the city and its harbour. The Niels Winther noted above, son of P.L. Winther and son-in-law of Chr. H. Nielsen, obtained a comprehensive education within shipping in England and Germany. Several lines in Hamburg had a close relationship with Fanø, and during Niels Winther s training in these lines, he was in the company of several cousins and other family members. S/S Juliane var Vestjysk Dampskibsselskabs første skib. (Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) The S/S Juliane was Vestjysk Dampskibsselskab s first ship. (City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) 18 19

12 S/S Niels Winther blev opkaldt efter rederiets stifter. (Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) Et andet af Vestjysk Dampskibsselskabs skibe fik senere også navnet Niels Winther. (Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet) The S/S Niels Winther was named after the line s founder. (City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) Another Vestjysk Dampskibsselskab ship was subsequently also called the Niels Winther. (Fisheries and Maritime Museum) Niels Winther blev korresponderende reder, og bestyrelsen bestod af boghandler Engers Hansen, Esbjerg, kaptajnerne Knud M. Nielsen og Morten J. Nielsen, begge fra Nordby. Aktiekapitalen var kr. 13) Rederiets første skib, S/S Juliane, ex S/S Middelhavet, på 1352 tons bygget i 1921, blev købt fra Dampskibsselskabet Botnia. Priserne på skibe var i disse år meget svingende med de varierende fragtkonjunkturer. Juliane blev i 1931 købt for kr. mod en byggepris i 1921 på kr., og ved salget af skibet til Tyskland i 1951 var prisen kr. 14) Skibsreder Niels Winther afgik ved døden i 1933 og fik således kun kort tid med rederiet, som fortsatte under ledelse af edsvorne skibsmægler Niels Winther, en fætter og navnebroder til firmaets stifter. I 1943 døde Niels Winther, og sønnen, skibsreder Erik Winther, overtog selskabet, der kom til at hedde Rederiet Erik Winther - Aktieselskabet Vestjysk Dampskibsselskab. Foruden Erik Winther som korresponderende reder var boghandler Chr. Winther, Esbjerg, og kaptajn Søren Winther, Nordby, i bestyrelsen for rederiet. 15) Sidst i 1930 erne flyttede rederiet sine kontorer til København. I forbindelse med efterkrigstidens erstatningsprogram købte rederiet i 1947 damperen S/S Vejnæs på 1193 tons, bygget i Skibet, der under dansk flag kom In 1931, Niels Winther established the firm Vestjysk Dampskibsselskab A/S, Esbjerg. Niels Winther was managing owner, and the board of directors consisted of the bookseller Engers Hansen of Esbjerg and Captains Knud M. Nielsen and Morten J. Nielsen, both of Nordby. The share capital was 200,000 kroner. 13) The line s first ship, the 1,352 ton S/S Juliane, formerly the S/S Middelhavet, built in 1921, was bought from the company Dampskibsselskabet Botnia. The prices of ships fluctuated greatly at this time of variable market conditions for freight. The Juliane was bought for 367,000 kroner in 1931 against a construction price of 1,303,000 kroner in 1921, and the ship was sold to Germany in 1951 for 1,306,800 kroner. 14) The ship owner Niels Winther died in 1933 and thus spent only a brief period with the line, which continued under the management of the licensed shipbroker Niels Winther, a cousin and namesake of the company s founder. Niels Winther died in 1943, and his son Erik Winther took over the company, whose name was changed to Rederiet Erik Winther Aktieselskabet Vestjysk Dampskibsselskab. Apart from Erik Winther as managing owner, the bookseller Chr. Winther of Esbjerg and Captain Søren Winther of Nordby were on the line s board of directors. 15) The line moved its offices to Copenhagen at the end of the 1930s. In 1947 the line bought the 1,193 ton steamer 20 21

13 til at hedde S/S Olivia, sejlede for rederiet, indtil det i 1951 blev solgt til Finland. I 1950 overtog rederiet fra Dampskibsselskabet af 1912 damperen S/S Jacob Mærsk på 1914 tons, bygget i 1921 og blev afhændet i ) Opkaldt efter rederiets stifter fik skibet navnet S/S Niels Winther. Rederiet havde i de følgende år flere skibe, og til et par af dem genbrugte man navnet Niels Winther. I 2000 sluttede denne rederivirksomhed med sejlskibe og senere dampog motorskibe, som familien Winther med udgangspunkt fra Fanø havde drevet siden midten af 1800-tallet. Rederidriften er dog ikke helt ophørt, idet Rederiet Erik Winther - Vestjysk Dampskibsselskab A/S, stadig er engageret i andre rederier. 17) S/S Vejnæs, built in 1918, in connection with the post-war reparations programme. The ship, which was renamed the S/S Olivia under the Danish flag, sailed for the line until it was sold to Finland in In 1950 the line took over the 1,914 ton steamer S/S Jacob Maersk from the company Dampskibsselskabet af The ship was built in 1921 and was sold in ) Called after the line s founder, the ship was renamed S/S Niels Winther. The line had a number of ships in the following years, and the name Niels Winther was reused for a few of them. In 2000 this line, which began with sailing ships and continued with steamers and motorised ships, and which the Winther family had been running from Fanø since the mid-1800s, closed down. But shipping operations did not cease entirely, as Rederiet Erik Winther Vestjysk Dampskibsselskab A/S is still engaged in other lines. 17) Skibsmæglerfirmaet Niels Winther & Co, Esbjerg En betydelig virksomhed på Esbjerg Havn med udspring fra Fanø er skibsmæglerfirmaet Niels Winther & Co., oprettet af skibsreder Niels Winther i 1931, som samme år havde stiftet A/S Vestjysk Dampskibsselskab. Efter Niels Winthers tidlige død i 1933 blev firmaet afhændet til skibsmægler Chr. Struckmann, en slægtning af Niels Winther. Chr. Struckmanns far, Fritjof Struckmann, var kaptajn på barken Kronprins Frederik, der forliste i en storm på en rejse fra Grimsby til Buenos Aires i Efter ni dages lidelser med tørst og kulde i redningsbåden var kun Struckmann og tre andre søfolk i live. De blev reddet af briggen Rosa af Fanø og landsat i Rio Grande. Fritjof Struckmann døde på The shipping company Niels Winther & Co., Esbjerg An important company at Esbjerg Harbour which originated on Fanø is the shipbroking company Niels Winther & Co., established in 1931 by the ship owner Niels Winther, who had founded A/S Vestjysk Dampskibsselskab in the same year. After Niels Winther s early death in 1933, the company was sold to the shipbroker Chr. Struckmann, a relative of Niels Winther. Chr. Struckmann s father Fritjof Struckmann was captain of the bark Kronprins Frederik, which was lost in a storm on a journey from Grimsby to Buenos Aires in After nine days of thirst and cold in the lifeboat, only Struckmann and three other sailors were still alive. They were rescued by the brig Rosa of Fanø and landed in Rio Grande. Fritjof 22 23

14 I og 43 gav nogle isvintre en midlertidig beskæftigelse til N W & Co. (Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv.) The hard winters of and 43 provided temporary employment for N W & Co. (City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) havet om bord på barken Copley i 1913, kun 53 år gammel. Sønnen Chr. Struckmann begyndte i 1925 sin shippinguddannelse hos skibsmægler Schmidt, firmaet J. Lauritzens Eftf., Esbjerg. I 1928 rejste Struckmann til Hamborg, hvor han var ansat i et rederi- og mæglerfirma i halvandet år. Derefter fik han en stilling i et lignede firma i Dunkerque, som havde dansk og islandsk konsulat. Efter tre år i Belgien kom Struckmann igen til Danmark og blev ansat i et mæglerfirma i Kolding, hvor han var i otte måneder. Chr. Struckmann var således veluddannet, også sprogmæssig, idet han foruden engelsk, tysk og fransk også talte flydende russisk. Ved overtagelsen af mæglerforretningen i 1933 blev Chr. Struckmann statsautoriseret skibsmægler, og firmaet Niels Winther & Co. havde en kort tid tilføjelsen Eftf. 18) Chr. Struckmanns virksomhed, der hovedsagelig omfattede havneklarering og befragtning, fik et samarbejde med mæglerfirmaet Chr. Jensen, Befragtnings & Skibsagentur, Århus, kaldet»russer Jensen«og hvis telegramadresse stadig er Russjensen. Dette firma var hovedagent for russisk skibsfart i Danmark, og Struckmanns russiske sprogkundskaber var en stor fordel, da Niels Winther & Co blev agent for russiske skibe, som i en årrække anløb Esbjerg med hovedsagelig kul, foderstoffer og stykgods. Struckmann died at sea on board the bark Copley in He was only 53. His son Chr. Struckmann commenced his education in shipping in 1925 with the shipbroker Schmidt of the firm J. Lauritzens Eftf. of Esbjerg. In 1928 Struckmann travelled to Hamburg, where he was employed for a year and a half in a shipping and shipbroking company. He then obtained a position in a similar firm in Dunkirk, which had Danish and Icelandic consulates. After three years in Belgium, Struckmann returned to Denmark and was employed in a broking firm in Kolding, where he remained for eight months. Chr. Struckmann was thus well educated, also in terms of language, as he spoke fluent Russian as well as English, German and French. On taking over the broking business in 1933, Chr. Struckmann became a authorised shipbroker, and the firm Niels Winther & Co. briefly gained the addition Eftf. to its name. 18) Chr. Struckmann s firm, which was mainly concerned with port clearance and chartering, entered into a business relationship with the broking firm Chr. Jensen, Befragtnings & Skibsagentur of Aarhus, called Russer Jensen, whose cable address is still Russjensen. This firm was the main agent for Russian shipping in Denmark, and Struckmann s ability to speak Russian was a major advantage when Niels Winther & Co. became agent for Russian ships, which called Esbjerg for a number of years, principally with coal, feedstuffs and general cargo

15 Billede fra Trafikhavnen o I den lave kontorbygning midt i billedet havde N W & Co sit første kontor. (Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) Trafikhavnen var under besættelsen beslaglagt af den tyske marine. I 1944 overtog tyskerne også N W & Co s kontorbygning. (Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) Picture from the traffic harbour circa N W & Co. s first office was in the low office building in the middle of the picture. (City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) The traffic harbour was commandeered during the occupation by the German navy. In 1944 the Germans also took over N W & Co. s office building. (City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) I krigsårene var der, bortset fra isvintrene og 1943, meget lidt trafik på Esbjerg Havn. Ud over at være agent for nogle mindre skibe samt en lille tankbåd ved navn Thora, der lå som oliedepot i Færgehavnen, var det småt med opgaver. Derfor måtte Chr. Struckmann søge andre indtjeningsmuligheder. Niels Winther & Co fik således agenturet for Arbejdsgivernes Ulykkesforsikring G/S. I et samarbejde med firmaet Lehmann Jensen, Lemvig, blev Chr. Struckmann i 1943 parthaver i Rederiet Mathilte A/S, der købte skibet M/S Mathilte af C. Mærsk Brodersen, Esbjerg, og indsatte det i en paketfart mellem København og Lemvig. 19) Mathilte, på 186 tons, var bygget i 1877 som dampskib, men fik senere installeret motor. Skibet havde tidligere sejlet for Fyr-og Vagervæsenet og Marinen under navnene Løvenørn og Absalon. 20) Efter afslutningen af 2. Verdenskrig var Chr. Struckmann i nogle år medejer af kutterrederiet A/S Nordsøkysten, som omfattede flere kuttere hvoraf to var over 60 tons. Endvidere var han en af initiativtagerne til oprettelsen af Andelssildeoliefabrikken i og sad i nogle år i fabrikkens bestyrelse. 21) There was very little traffic on Esbjerg Harbour during the war years, apart from the hard winters of and Apart from acting as agent for some small ships and a little tanker called Thora, which lay as an oil depot in the ferry harbour, the jobs were few and far between. Chr. Struckmann thus had to seek other avenues of income. Niels Winther & Co. thus gained the agency for Arbejdsgivernes Ulykkesforsikring G/S (The Employers Accident Insurance). In cooperation with the company Lehmann Jensen of Lemvig, Chr. Struckmann became joint owner of the line Rederiet Mathilte A/S in 1943, which bought the ship M/S Mathilte from C. Maersk Brodersen of Esbjerg and put it into packet service between Copenhagen and Lemvig. 19) The 186 ton Mathilte was built in 1877 as a steamer, but an engine was subsequently installed. The ship had previously sailed for the Lights and Buoys Service and the navy under the names Løvenørn and Absalon. 20) After the end of the Second World War, Chr. Struckmann was co-owner for some years of the cutter line A/S Nordsøkysten, which had a number of cutters, two of which were over 60 tons. He was also one of the promoters of the establishment of the fish meal and oil factory cooperative Andelssildeoliefabrikken in , and sat at the company s board for some years. 21) 26 27

16 Billede fra Dokhavnen o I forgrunden ses pakhuset, hvor N W & Co siden 1974 har haft kontorer. (Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) Picture from the docks circa The warehouse where N W & Co. has had its offices since 1974 is visible in the foreground. (City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) I 1951 flyttede N W & Co til Havnegade 6, og havde i 23 år kontor bag de to flagstænger på den store beboelsesejendom som i 1974 blev nedrevet. På stedet etableredes en parkeringsplads. (Foto: Knud Rasmussen. Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) N W & Co. moved to Havnegade 6 in 1951, where they had their office for 23 years behind the two flagpoles on the big residential property which was demolished in A car park was created on the site. (Photo: Knud Rasmussen. City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) Personalet hos Niels Winther & Co bestod i flere år af Chr. Struckmann og en shippingelev, men blev senere udvidet med Struckmanns datter, Hanne Struckmann, som var én af landets første kvindelige skibsmæglere. Niels Winther & Co begyndte sin virksomhed ud fra et kontor i en mindre bygning på hjørnet af Trafikhavnskajen og Cort Adlersgade. Trafikhavnen blev under 2. Verdenskrig beslaglagt af den tyske besættelsesmagt og The staff at Niels Winther & Co. consisted for several years of Chr. Struckmann and a trainee, but Struckmann s daughter Hanne Struckmann later joined the company as one of the country s first women shipbrokers. Niels Winther & Co. started in business out of an office in a small building on the corner of the traffic harbour and the street Cort Adlersgade. The traffic harbour was commandeered by the occupying German forces during the Second 28 29

17 anvendt som base for marinefartøjer. I 1944 overtog tyskerne også Niels Winther & Co s kontorbygning, og firmaet flyttede til et midlertidigt kontor hos bygningsartikelfirmaet Johan Olsen & Co A/S på Østredokkaj. Efter krigen vendte Niels Winther & Co tilbage til Trafikhavnen og forblev her til Det år fik firmaet kontorer i Kirkegade 1, men flyttede to år senere til Havnegade 6, en etageejendom der nu er revet ned. Fra denne adresse virkede firmaet i 23 år. Niels Winther & Co flyttede den 1. januar 1974 sine aktiviteter til et ombygget pakhus i det nordøstlige hjørne af Dokhavnen på adressen Nordre Dokkaj 1, som siden har været firmaets domicil. I 1973 overtog det store shippingfirma Franck & Tobiesen, København, firmaet Niels Winther & Co. Chr. Struckmann fortsatte som konsulent i et års tid, og Hanne Struckmann fratrådte. Chr. Struckmann døde på Fanø i 1988, 82 år gammel. Firmaets disponent, Ejvind Otto Jensen, blev som 39-årig i 1974 direktør og købte i 1978 en fjerdepart af firmaet, der herefter hed Niels Winther & Co ApS. Franck & Tobiesen var generalagent for det polske statsrederi, Polferries. Det medførte, at Niels Winther & Co fik et løft med at klarere polske og andre østeuropæiske skibe, som jævnlig anløb Esbjerg Havn. World War and used as a base for marine vessels. In 1944 the Germans also took over Niels Winther & Co. s office building, and the company moved to a temporary office with the building materials firm Johan Olsen & Co A/S on Østredokkaj. After the war, Niels Winther & Co. returned to the traffic harbour and remained there until 1949, when the company obtained offices at Kirkegade 1, but moved two years later to Havnegade 6, a multi-storey property which has since been demolished. The company operated for 23 years from this address. Niels Winther & Co. moved its activities on 1 January 1974 to a converted warehouse at the northern corner of Dokhavnen at the address Nordre Dokkaj 1, which has been the company s domicile since then. The big shipping firm Franck & Tobiesen of Copenhagen took over Niels Winther & Co. in Chr. Struckmann continued for a year as consultant and Hanne Struckmann resigned. Chr. Struckmann died on Fanø in 1988 at the age of 82. The firm s 39 year-old confidential clerk Ejvind Otto Jensen became manager in 1974, and in 1978 bought a quarter share in the firm, which then became known as Winther & Co ApS. Franck & Tobiesen was general agent for the Polish national line Polferries, with the result that Niels Winther & Co. gained more business clearing Polish and other eastern European ships which regularly called at Esbjerg Harbour. Den trekantede Dokhavn blev som første del af havnen indviet i I nederste højre hjørne ses taget af pakhuset med N W & Co s kontorer. (Foto: Tonny Sørensen. Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) The triangular dock was the first part of the harbour to be opened in The roof of the warehouse with N W & Co. s offices is visible in the bottom right corner. (Photo: Tonny Sørensen. City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) 30 31

18 En ny epoke for firmaet Niels Winther & Co Det var tilflyttere fra Fanø, der oprettede firmaet Niels Winther & Co. Med den nye direktør for Niels Winther & Co kom en anden gruppe pionerer ind i billedet, nemlig de tilrejsende fiskere, som gjorde Esbjerg til landets betydeligste fiskeriby. Direktør Ejvind Otto Jensens forfædre på begge sider var født på Holmslands Klit. De kom til Esbjerg lige før århundredskiftet og blev begge betydelige foregangsmænd inden for fiskeriet. Farfaderen, Tarben P. Jensen, var således den første skipper, som i 1899 fik monteret en fast skrue til den 3 HK motor i smakken Tumleren. Endvidere var han en af iniativtagerne til opførelsen af Sømandshjemmet Gl. Havn, der blev indviet i ) Tarben P. Jensen var en anset og dygtig skipper på kutteren Chrestense, indtil han i 1930 erne gik i land og sammen med en søn, J. P. Lodberg Jensen, oprettede en større fiskeeksportforretning. Morfaderen, Jens Simon Christensen, kaldet Jens Simonsen, hvilket han også benævnes i den tidlige presse, viste fremragende evner som fisker med kutteren Ruth og opnåede den ære at give navn til en fiskeplads 60 sømil nordvest for Horns Rev, kaldet Jens Simonsens rende. Jens Simon Christensen var endvidere medstifter af Indkøbsforeningen Godthaab og Skibsforsikringen Union, begge store A new epoch for the company Niels Winther & Co. Immigrants from Fanø had established the company Niels Winther & Co. With the new manager of Niels Winther & Co. ApS, another group of pioneers entered the picture, namely the visiting fishermen who made Esbjerg the country s most important fishing town. The manager Ejvind Otto Jensen s ancestors on both sides were born at Holmslands Klit. They came to Esbjerg just before the end of the century, and both became important pioneers in the fishing industry. In 1899 the paternal grandfather Tarben P. Jensen was the first skipper to install a fixed propeller in the 3 HP engine in the smack Tumleren. He was also one of the promoters of the construction of the seamen s home Gl. Havn (Old Harbour), which was opened in ) Tarben P. Jensen was a distinguished and competent skipper on the cutter Chrestense until he returned to land in the 1930s and, together with his son J.P. Lodberg Jensen, established a major fish export business. The maternal grandfather Jens Simon Christensen, called Jens Simonsen, as he was also called in the early press, demonstrated outstanding abilities as a fisherman on the cutter Ruth. The fishing grounds 60 nautical miles northwest of Horns Reef, Jens Simonsen s channel, were named after him. Jens Simon Christensen also co-founded Godthaab Purchasing Association and the Ships Insur- Tarben P. Jensens kutter E 11 Chrestence fotograferet i (Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) Tarben P. Jensen s cutter E11 Chrestence, photographed in (City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) 32 33

19 Esbjerg Havn o På billedet ses Jens Simon Christensens kutter E 87 Ruth. (Foto: J. K. Jeppesen. Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) Esbjerg Harbour circa Jens Simon Christensen s cutter E87 Ruth is visible. (Photo: J. K. Jeppesen. City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) fiskerejede selskaber. Fra 1935 til 1955 var Jens Simon Christensen formand for Esbjerg Fiskeriforening, hvor han med vestjysk lune og grundighed forsvarede fiskernes synspunkter over for ministre og embedsmænd i København. Ved sin afgang som formand i 1955 hædrede Esbjerg Fiskeriforening ham med et hædersdiplom. Endvidere fik han Dannebrogsmændenes hæderstegn. 23) Jens Simon Christensens datter Marie, kaldet Misse, blev gift med Tarben P. Jensen søn, Johannes Otto Jensen. Otto fordi han var nummer otte af en søskendeflok på 17. Johannes Otto Jensen fik som fireårig en kniv i øjet, der blev ødelagt og erstattet med et glasøje. Han begyndte som fisker, men kunne på grund af sit handicap med øjet ikke bestå synsprøven ved en nautisk eksamen og var dermed udelukket fra at blive skipper. I stedet blev han i 1929 en populær bestyrer af Sømandshjemmet Gl. Havn og siden hædret med Den kongelige fortjenstmedalje i sølv. Johannes Otto Jensen døde i Hans kone, Misse Jensen, fortsatte som bestyrer af sømandshjemmet indtil Børnene, fem drenge og en pige, voksede op i dette maritime miljø. En af sønnerne blev fiskeskipper og en anden, Ejvind Otto Jensen, fik en shippinguddannelse, som begyndte med en elevplads i speditionsfirmaet Leman A/S. Efter afsluttet eksamen tog ance Union, both big companies owned by fishermen. From 1935 to 1955, Jens Simon Christensen was chairman of Esbjerg Fishermen s Association where, with West Jutland humour and thoroughness, he defended fishermen s viewpoints to ministers and officials in Copenhagen. On his departure as chairman in 1955, Esbjerg Fishermen s Association honoured him with a diploma. He was also given the silver cross of the Order of the Dannebrog. 23) Jens Simon Christensen daughter Marie, called Misse, married Tarben P. Jensen s son Johannes Otto Jensen Otto because he was number eight of 17 brothers and sisters. Johannes Otto Jensen suffered a knife injury to his eye when he was four, blinding the eye, which was replaced with a glass eye. He started as a fisherman, but was unable to pass the vision test in a nautical exam because of his handicap and was thus precluded from becoming a skipper. Instead he became a popular manager of the seamen s home Gl. Havn in 1929, and was later honoured with the royal silver service medal. Johannes Otto Jensen died in His wife Misse Jensen continued as manager of the home until The children, five boys and a girl, grew up in this maritime environment. One of the sons became master of a fishing boat and another, Ejvind Otto Jensen, was educated in shipping, beginning with a traineeship in the shipping agency Leman A/S

20 Esbjergs første sømandshjem, Sømandshjemmet Gl. Havn, blev opført i Billede fra o (Esbjerg Byhistoriske Arkiv) Esbjerg s first seamen s home, the home Gl. Havn, was erected in Picture from circa (City of Esbjerg Historical Archives) Ejvind Otto Jensen i 1958 til England, hvor han i nogle måneder var elev på Den danske købmandsskole i London. Her traf han sin kommende kone, som også var under uddannelse. Ejvind Otto Jensen kom hjem fra England og fik en stilling ved slagteriet Tulips shipping-afdeling i Vejle. Han vendte i 1961 tilbage til Esbjerg og blev ansat i mæglerfirmaet C. Breinholt A/S, hvor han under direktør Steen Christensen ledelse arbejdede i 12 år. I 1973 søgte Ejvind Otto Jensen en ny udfordring og blev som tidligere nævnt ansat som direktør og senere parthaver i mæglerfirmaet Niels Winther & Co, der under hans ledelse fik en solid fremgang med mange nye tiltag. En anden shipping-mand, Fritz Thaarsti Sørensen, blev samtidig optaget i firmaet og købte efter nogle år en anpart, som han ved sin tilbagetræden i 1990 solgte til Ejvind Otto Jensen. I denne periode bestod firmaets personale af de to skibsmæglere, en bogholder og to shippingelever. Desværre kom Ejvind Otto Jensen i 1983 ud for et alvorligt biluheld, der gjorde ham lam og bandt ham til en kørestol. Stærkt handicappet, og med jævnlige ture til genoptræning i København blev det vanskeligt at drive firmaet effektivt. Ejvind Otto Jensens søn, Henrik Otto Jensen, blev samme år student og gik umiddelbart efter i gang med en After the exam, Ejvind Otto Jensen went to England in 1958, where he was a student for several months at the Danish commercial school in London. He met his future wife, who was also a student, at the school. Ejvind Otto Jensen came home from England and obtained a position at the abattoir Tulip s shipping department in Vejle. He returned to Esbjerg in 1961 and was employed by the brokers C. Breinholt A/S, where he worked for 12 years under the guidance of the manager Steen Christensen. In 1973, Ejvind Otto Jensen sought a new challenge and was, as noted above, employed as manager, and later co-owner, of the brokerage house Niels Winther & Co., which advanced well under his management, with many new initiatives. Another broker, Fritz Thaarsti Sørensen, was appointed by the firm at the same time, and after several years he bought a share, which he sold on his resignation in 1990 to Ejvind Otto Jensen. During this period the firm s staff consisted of the two shipbrokers, a bookkeeper, and two trainees. Unfortunately Ejvind Otto Jensen suffered a serious car accident in 1983, leaving him confined to a wheelchair. Severely disabled and requiring regular trips to Copenhagen for rehabilitation, it was difficult to run the company effectively. Ejvind Otto Jensen s son Henrik Otto Jensen passed matriculation the same year and immediately commenced an extended 36 37

21 Midt i 1970 erne åbnede N W & Co en stykgodsrute med ugentlig forbindelse mellem Esbjerg og Lowestoft. På billedet ses direktør Ejvind Otto Jensen ved et af skibene der betjente ruten. (Foto: Knud Rasmussen) N W & Co. opened a general cargo route in the mid-1970s with a weekly connection between Esbjerg and Lowestoft. The picture shows manager Ejvind Otto Jensen at one of the ships operating on the route. (Photo: Knud Rasmussen) udvidet handelsuddannelse. Han havde da ingen fremtidsplaner om at gøre karriere inden for shipping, men for at hjælpe faderen i den ulykkelige situation begyndte Henrik Otto Jensen, 19 år gammel, en to-årig shippinguddannelse i Niels Winther & Co. Efter en hård optræning fik Ejvind Otto Jensen det bedre og kunne arbejde mere aktivt i firmaet. Henrik Otto Jensen fik derved mulighed for at fortsætte sin uddannelse. I 1985 tog han til London og blev optaget på handelsskolen Hammersmith West London College. Derefter blev han ansat i Englands ældste rederi, Stephenson Clarke Shipping, og var en kort tid hos et større skibsagentur på Themsen, hvorefter han arbejdede hos rederiet Jeppesen Heaton Ltd, som drev en betydelig forretning med linieagentur og spedition, der også omfattende en større befragtning til Falklands-øerne. Henrik Otto Jensen kom i 1988 hjem fra England og fortsatte i Niels Winther & Co, som på grund af Ejvind Otto Jensens trafikuheld var droslet noget ned. I en alder af 26 år overtog Henrik Otto Jensen i 1990 ledelsen af Niels Winther & Co. På trods af ulykken deltog Ejvind Otto Jensen i sin kørestol aktivt i det daglige arbejde på kontoret, indtil han døde i 1996, 61 år gammel. commercial education. He had no future plans to make a career within shipping, but to help his father in his unhappy situation, the 19 year-old Henrik commenced a two-year shipping education with Niels Winther & Co. After strenuous rehabilitation, Ejvind Otto Jensen improved and was able to work more actively in the firm. Henrik Otto Jensen was then able to continue his education. In 1985 he travelled to London and was accepted by the business college Hammersmith West London College. He was then employed by England s oldest shipping line, Stephenson Clarke Shipping, and for a brief period he was with a big shipping agent on the Thames, after which he worked for the line Jeppesen Heaton Ltd, which ran an important agency and freighting business which also included a big freight service to the Falkland Islands. Henrik Otto Jensen returned from England in 1988 and continued in Niels Winther & Co., whose activities has been somewhat reduced because of Ejvind Otto Jensen s traffic accident. In 1990, at the age of 26, Henrik Otto Jensen took over the management of Niels Winther & Co. Notwithstanding his accident, Ejvind Otto Jensen in his wheelchair was an active participant in the office s daily work until his death in 1996 at the age of