Craftsman Harald Calundann
Harald Calundann opened an apparently successful haberdashery business, later living off his fortune. He was behind the modernization of the Technical School, of which he was headmaster for many years. He also supported the Workers’ Sickness Fund while being a leading figure in the Right Party.
From tradesman to wealthy man
Haberdasher Ole Harald Tidemann Calundann (September 29, 1829, Øster Assels, Mors – December 5, 1905) was educated at the trade in Viborg. On September 23, 1858, he started a manufacturing business in the property on the corner of Adelgade and Slotsgade in Skive – opposite the old pharmacy. The business was closed in 1881, after which he opened a restaurant in the building, Restaurant Børsen. From then on, he lived as a so-called “private individual”, i.e. from his fortune, which gave him time to engage in local politics, work for Skive Technical School and philanthropic activities.
Chairman of Industriforeningen and the establishment of Skive Tekniske Skole
It was Skive Technical School in particular that interested Calundann. The school was established in 1868 by Skive Borger- og Håndværkerforening, but from 1871 the school was run by Skive Industriforening (founded May 22, 1871). At this time, the school was a Sunday school for apprentices. Calundann was elected to the board of the Industrial Association on November 22, 1872, and from November 4, 1872 until his death in 1905, he was chairman of the Industrial Association and served as principal of Skive Technical School during the same period.
Skive Technical School
In 1890, there were 88 students and the teaching hours were extended to 25 hours a week. From the start in 1868, teaching took place in Skive School’s premises, but the board wanted its own building. In 1888, work began to get the school erected. Skive City Council donated a building plot at Nordbanevej 6, and through fundraising in Skive and the surrounding area, government grants and grants from the Industrial Association’s goods lottery, as well as a loan of DKK 10,000, they managed to raise DKK 28,000 for the construction.
The school building, designed by Skive’s first architect, Edvard Jensen, became a striking building. It was inaugurated on July 7, 1891.
In the following years, Calundann worked to get the school out of debt, and he was fortunate enough to succeed shortly before
his death in 1905.
Chancellor’s Council
It was probably his many years of work for Skive Technical School that earned Calundann the honorary title of “Chancellor Councilor” in 1898, which placed him in the 6th rank class.
Memorial scholarship
After his death, Skive Industriforening established “Cancelliråd Calundann’s memorial scholarship, founded in 1906”. Calundann had never claimed his fee as accountant for the Industrial Association (a total of DKK 723). The Industrial Association rounded up the amount to DKK 800, and Calundann’s son, manufacturer Knud Scott Calundann, donated DKK 200, bringing the endowment capital to DKK 1,000
dKK. The scholarship was to be awarded to a kind and diligent student at the Technical School, and it was to be paid out on the day the recipient became a journeyman.
The workers’ sickness fund
Calundann was engaged in philanthropic work. He supported the Workers’ Health Insurance Association in Skive, especially in connection with the construction of the association’s foundation at Nørre Alle 12, which was inaugurated in 1890. The foundation was a retirement home for old members of the health insurance fund.
The health insurance fund contributed DKK 1,000 to the construction. In 1889, Calundann and merchant Peter Berthelsen organized a week-long bazaar that yielded a net profit of DKK 3,200 (equivalent to 25% of the construction cost). The rest of the building sum of DKK 12,456 was covered by loans, and a total of 9 one- and two-bedroom apartments were built.
Political commitment
Calundann was one of the leading right-wingers in Skiveegnen. “While the political waves were high in the 1880s, Calundan was one of the spearheads of the Right’s agitation, and he has always been a true believer in the Right,” wrote the Right newspaper Skive Avis upon his death (Skive Avis December 7, 1905). Calundann was a member of Skive City Council from 1893-1900, where he was chairman of the school committee.
Memorial stone
After Calundann’s death, Skive Industriforening commemorated his great contribution to the association and Skive Technical School by erecting a memorial stone on his grave. The memorial stone bears the following inscription:
“Skive Industriforening erected his longtime ???? this Memorial”.
Sources :
- Skive Cemetery, Memorial stones worthy of preservation
- Skive Newspaper 7.12. 1905
- Skive technical school. Anniversary publication 1891-1941. 1941.
- Schou, P.: Arbejder-Sygekassen i Skive gennem 50 år. 1929.
- Skive Newspaper 7.12.1905