William Henry O'Swald
Encyclopedia
William Henry O'Swald was a Hamburg overseas merchant
and Senator.
William Henry O'Swald's father was Johan Carl Heinrich Wilhelm O'Swald (1798–1859) a Prussia
n who in 1831 founded the company O'Swald & Co in Hamburg. In 1847 the company began trade with Zanzibar
, Lagos
and Palma
. The main office was in Zanzibar. Particularly successful was "Kaurischneckenhandel", the use of Shell money for trade. Scarce in West Africa
shells were purchased cheaply in the Seychelles
where they were common and sold at great profit to African middlemen involved in the slave trade
(Zanzibar was the main slave port in East Africa. The shell money was also currency in the to and fro trade of commodities and products, especially linen
between Zanzibar and Hamburg.
In 1849 the Company established further business links in Lagos, important for the oil trade
and in 1853 O'Swald & Co. bought the Hamburg merchant Diederichsen's Lagos factory. Five years later in 1858 the older brother Percy O'Swald Albrecht (1831–1899) was made a Partner of O'Swald & Co and in 1859 he was followed by William O'Swald. In the following years, the brothers changed the management of the company each year, one living in Zanzibar, the other in Hamburg. In 1859 William O'Swald negotiated with Majid ibn Sa'id, the Sultan of Zanzibar, a commercial contract for the Hanseatic
cities of Hamburg, Lübeck
and Bremen
, which had great influence in interior eastern Africa. The Sultan and benefited personally and Zanzibar benefited from the resulting increased tax revenues. In the following years using his position as Honorary Consul
in Zanzibar he established new branches of the company in Madagascar
, the Somali Coast
and the German Protectorate in East Africa
. O'Swald was also "Präses" (a kind of minister) of the trade and shipping department of the city of Hamburg. He promoted Hamburgs colonial trade and established in 1886 the Hamburg section of the "Deutsche Kolonial-Gesellschaft" (German Colonial Society) and was elected as a member of the board of that organisation in Berlin. He had however no enthusiasm in colonial political affairs and often criticized the politics of "Deutsch Ostafrikanische Gesellschaft" (= German East Africa Company) of Karl Peters
as did his friend, the Hamburg shipping magnate Johann Cesar VI. Godeffroy
.
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
and Senator.
William Henry O'Swald's father was Johan Carl Heinrich Wilhelm O'Swald (1798–1859) a Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n who in 1831 founded the company O'Swald & Co in Hamburg. In 1847 the company began trade with Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
, Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
and Palma
Palma
Palma, La Palma, Palmas, or Las Palmas may refer to:- Africa :* Palma, Mozambique, city* La Palma, one of the Canary Islands, Spain* Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, city and capital of Canary Islands, Spain...
. The main office was in Zanzibar. Particularly successful was "Kaurischneckenhandel", the use of Shell money for trade. Scarce in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
shells were purchased cheaply in the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
where they were common and sold at great profit to African middlemen involved in the slave trade
African slave trade
Systems of servitude and slavery were common in many parts of Africa, as they were in much of the ancient world. In some African societies, the enslaved people were also indentured servants and fully integrated; in others, they were treated much worse...
(Zanzibar was the main slave port in East Africa. The shell money was also currency in the to and fro trade of commodities and products, especially linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
between Zanzibar and Hamburg.
In 1849 the Company established further business links in Lagos, important for the oil trade
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
and in 1853 O'Swald & Co. bought the Hamburg merchant Diederichsen's Lagos factory. Five years later in 1858 the older brother Percy O'Swald Albrecht (1831–1899) was made a Partner of O'Swald & Co and in 1859 he was followed by William O'Swald. In the following years, the brothers changed the management of the company each year, one living in Zanzibar, the other in Hamburg. In 1859 William O'Swald negotiated with Majid ibn Sa'id, the Sultan of Zanzibar, a commercial contract for the Hanseatic
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
cities of Hamburg, Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
and Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, which had great influence in interior eastern Africa. The Sultan and benefited personally and Zanzibar benefited from the resulting increased tax revenues. In the following years using his position as Honorary Consul
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
in Zanzibar he established new branches of the company in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, the Somali Coast
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
and the German Protectorate in East Africa
German East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
. O'Swald was also "Präses" (a kind of minister) of the trade and shipping department of the city of Hamburg. He promoted Hamburgs colonial trade and established in 1886 the Hamburg section of the "Deutsche Kolonial-Gesellschaft" (German Colonial Society) and was elected as a member of the board of that organisation in Berlin. He had however no enthusiasm in colonial political affairs and often criticized the politics of "Deutsch Ostafrikanische Gesellschaft" (= German East Africa Company) of Karl Peters
Karl Peters
Karl Peters , was a German colonial ruler, explorer, politician and author, the prime mover behind the foundation of the German colony of East Africa...
as did his friend, the Hamburg shipping magnate Johann Cesar VI. Godeffroy
Johann Cesar VI. Godeffroy
Johann Cesar VI. Godeffroy was a German trader and Hanseat.He was the founder of Museum Godeffroy.-Family history and the trading company J.C. Godeffroy & Sohn:...
.
External links
- Deutsche Biographie
- Archive Org Text of the Treaty with Zanzibar