Nancy Edberg
Encyclopedia
Nancy Fredrika Augusta Edberg (12 November 1832 in Ytterjärna - 11 December 1892 in Stockholm
), was a Swedish swimmer, swimming instructor and bath house
director. She was the first Swedish woman in these fields. Edberg was a pioneer in making the art of swimming and ice skating
accepted for women in Sweden
in 1847. This was the first bath house open to women in the nation; first located at Riddarhuset, it was moved to Kastellholmen
the following year. In 1851, she was made swimming master at Åbomska simskolan, and from 1853, she held her own swimming lessons at Djurgården. She was given the license to open her own bath house by King Oscar I of Sweden
in 1856, and in 1856-1858, she held public swimming exhibitions at Gjörckes simskola with her students to finance the opening of her own bath house; likely the first public swimming exhibitions by women in Sweden and, possibly, also Europe. She could open her own bath house in July 1859, and served as its swimming master until 1866.
Among her students were in 1862-1864 the Queen, Louise of the Netherlands
; the art of swimming was initially not regarded as being entirely proper for women, but when the Queen and her daughter Princess Lovisa of Sweden
supported it by attending the lessons, swimming was quickly made fashionable and became accepted for women . The same thing happened when Nancy Edberg introduced lessons in teaching women to ice skate
(1864); this was initially considered so improper that a covered fence was put up around the place where the lessons took place to hide the women from public view; but when the queen and her daughter themselves joined the class, ice skating quickly became fashionable and accepted for women, and the fence was pulled down . Among her other students in swimming was the Princess of Wales, Alexandra of Denmark
, and the Empress of Russia, Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) .
At the swimming exhibition at Gjörckes simskola in Stockholm in 24 August 1864; "Mamsell
Nancy Edberg displayed her skill in the art of swimming".
In 1865, she introduced swimming for women in Oslo
in Norway
, and then travelled to Saint Petersburg
in Russia on a scholarship and recommendation from the royal couple to the Russian Emperor and Empress. Edberg introduced swimming for women in Copenhagen
, Trondhjem and a multitude of Swedish cities "from Ystad
to Östersund
" . She married the Danish litographer Carl Andrésen (d. 1873) in 1867.
Nancy Edberg was given a front page biography as a tribute for her pioneer work at the feminist publication Idun
in 1890.
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
), was a Swedish swimmer, swimming instructor and bath house
Public bathing
Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. The term public may confuse some people, as some types of public baths are restricted depending on membership, gender, religious affiliation, or other reasons. As societies have changed, public baths have been replaced as private bathing...
director. She was the first Swedish woman in these fields. Edberg was a pioneer in making the art of swimming and ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
accepted for women in Sweden
Biography
Nancy Edberg was taught to swim by her father. She was employed as a swimming instructor at the newly founded bath house for women in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in 1847. This was the first bath house open to women in the nation; first located at Riddarhuset, it was moved to Kastellholmen
Kastellholmen
Kastellholmen is a small island in the centre of Stockholm, Sweden, connected to the adjacent Skeppsholmen through the bridge Kastellholmsbron. It has an area of 31,000 m²....
the following year. In 1851, she was made swimming master at Åbomska simskolan, and from 1853, she held her own swimming lessons at Djurgården. She was given the license to open her own bath house by King Oscar I of Sweden
Oscar I of Sweden
Oscar I was King of Sweden and Norway from 1844 to his death. When, in August 1810, his father Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden, Oscar and his mother moved from Paris to Stockholm . Oscar's father was the first ruler of the current House of Bernadotte...
in 1856, and in 1856-1858, she held public swimming exhibitions at Gjörckes simskola with her students to finance the opening of her own bath house; likely the first public swimming exhibitions by women in Sweden and, possibly, also Europe. She could open her own bath house in July 1859, and served as its swimming master until 1866.
Among her students were in 1862-1864 the Queen, Louise of the Netherlands
Louise of the Netherlands
Louise of the Netherlands was the Queen of Sweden and Norway as spouse of King Charles XV of Sweden and IV of Norway.-Birth:...
; the art of swimming was initially not regarded as being entirely proper for women, but when the Queen and her daughter Princess Lovisa of Sweden
Lovisa of Sweden
|align=right|Louise of Sweden was Queen of Denmark as the spouse of King Frederick VIII of Denmark. She was the only daughter of King Charles XV of Sweden and Louise of the Netherlands .-Early life:...
supported it by attending the lessons, swimming was quickly made fashionable and became accepted for women . The same thing happened when Nancy Edberg introduced lessons in teaching women to ice skate
Ice skate
Ice skates are boots with blades attached to the bottom, used to propel the bearer across a sheet of ice. They are worn as footwear in many sports, including ice hockey, bandy and figure skating. The first ice skates were made from leg bones of horse, ox or deer, and were attached to feet with...
(1864); this was initially considered so improper that a covered fence was put up around the place where the lessons took place to hide the women from public view; but when the queen and her daughter themselves joined the class, ice skating quickly became fashionable and accepted for women, and the fence was pulled down . Among her other students in swimming was the Princess of Wales, Alexandra of Denmark
Alexandra of Denmark
Alexandra of Denmark was the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom...
, and the Empress of Russia, Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) .
At the swimming exhibition at Gjörckes simskola in Stockholm in 24 August 1864; "Mamsell
Mamsell
Mamsell was a historical Swedish honorific used for unmarried women from about the mid 18th-century until 1866. The title was primarily used for middle class women and women in the cities.- History :...
Nancy Edberg displayed her skill in the art of swimming".
In 1865, she introduced swimming for women in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and then travelled to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
in Russia on a scholarship and recommendation from the royal couple to the Russian Emperor and Empress. Edberg introduced swimming for women in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Trondhjem and a multitude of Swedish cities "from Ystad
Ystad
Ystad is a "locality", or town, and the seat of Ystad Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden, with 17,286 inhabitants .Settlement dates back to the 11th century and the town has become a busy ferryport, local administrative centre and tourist attraction...
to Östersund
Östersund
Östersund is an urban area in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön, and is the only city in Jämtland. Östersund is the...
" . She married the Danish litographer Carl Andrésen (d. 1873) in 1867.
Nancy Edberg was given a front page biography as a tribute for her pioneer work at the feminist publication Idun
Idun (magazine)
Idun was a Swedish magazine founded by Frithiof Hellberg and named after the goddess Idun, who appears with her basket of apples on its masthead. It was published in 1887-1963. The paper focused on literature and gender equality....
in 1890.
Image
External links
- http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=336&dat=18930127&id=sxYcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0VUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7070,50696