Peter Mathias Bretanus Olsen Røwde (23 September 1876 – 21 April 1955) was a Norwegian rubber magnate. Famous for the Viking brand of boots and tires, he established a rubber factory in Askim in 1920 and owned such factories in Mjøndalen and Stavanger. He was also a leader of employer associations, local politician and consul-general for Hungary.[1]
He was born at Rovde in Møre og Romsdal. Already from childhood he ventured into small-time trade in his home village of Rovde in Western Norway. He moved away from home to work office jobs in larger cities in Western Norway, Ålesund and Bergen, also pondering emigration to the United States where a relative owned a rubber factory. In the 1890s he served his compulsory military service in the King's Guard; he also took commercial education. From 1897 to 1900 he worked as a traveling merchant.[2]
During December 1902, he married goldsmith's daughter Ragna Marie Bingen (1881–1972) at Kristiania (now oslo). The family resided in the mansion Villa Voksenhus at Voksenkollen in Oslo from 1922. Their daughters Teddy Røwde (1911-1994) married professor and sociologist, Arvid Brodersen and Bergliot Marie Røwde (1904–82) married author and journalist, Gunnar Larsen. [3][4][5][6]
Careeredit
In 1900, he established the wholesaling agency Røwde & Co. Among other things he imported Swedish Gislaved rubber products, but he also wanted such products to be produced domestically. In 1906, he established the rubber factory Viking Gummivarefabrik in Heggedal in Akershus. After it was destroyed in a 1913 fire, Røwde relocated the factory to Askim in Østfold, where it was re-organized in 1920 as Askim Gummivarefabrik.[7]
The Viking brand became known for its galoshes and rubber boots, as well as from 1931 for car tires. This factory expanded steadily; damages from a new fire in 1933 were repaired over only eight months.[2] In addition to expanding the factory in Askim, Røwde developed a corporation as he acquired Den Norske Kalosje- og Gummivarefabrik in 1932 and Vestlandske Gummivarefabrik in 1938.[8][9]
Røwde was a skilled advertiser with a sense for performing media stunts. In the 1930s he displayed a giant tire at a truckstop between Gjersjøen and Mosseveien in Ås. He instituted "the world's largest car race" from Oslo to Askim in 1939 and Rally Viking in the 1950s.[2]
He was also active in employer associations, chairing Manufakturgrossistenes Landsforening from 1925 to 1931 and being vice chairman of Norges Grossistforbund from 1929 to 1931. He was elected member of Akermunicipal council from 1929 to 1931,[10][11] representing the "non-political electors' list", i.e. a cooperative ballot of the bourgeois parties.[12] The consul-general for the Kingdom of Hungary from 1928 to 1947, Røwde issued a book about Hungary, Ungarn igår, idag og imorgen (1938) and also Kampen om råstoffene (1936) and Nye råstoffer (1942).[8]
^"Sammensetningen av det nye herredsstyre i Aker". Aftenposten Aften (in Norwegian). 24 October 1928. p. 2.
January 01, 1970
røwde, peter, mathias, bretanus, olsen, røwde, september, 1876, april, 1955, norwegian, rubber, magnate, famous, viking, brand, boots, tires, established, rubber, factory, askim, 1920, owned, such, factories, mjøndalen, stavanger, also, leader, employer, assoc. Peter Mathias Bretanus Olsen Rowde 23 September 1876 21 April 1955 was a Norwegian rubber magnate Famous for the Viking brand of boots and tires he established a rubber factory in Askim in 1920 and owned such factories in Mjondalen and Stavanger He was also a leader of employer associations local politician and consul general for Hungary 1 P M Rowde c 1930 Contents 1 Background 2 Career 3 Honors 4 ReferencesBackground editHe was born at Rovde in More og Romsdal Already from childhood he ventured into small time trade in his home village of Rovde in Western Norway He moved away from home to work office jobs in larger cities in Western Norway Alesund and Bergen also pondering emigration to the United States where a relative owned a rubber factory In the 1890s he served his compulsory military service in the King s Guard he also took commercial education From 1897 to 1900 he worked as a traveling merchant 2 During December 1902 he married goldsmith s daughter Ragna Marie Bingen 1881 1972 at Kristiania now oslo The family resided in the mansion Villa Voksenhus at Voksenkollen in Oslo from 1922 Their daughters Teddy Rowde 1911 1994 married professor and sociologist Arvid Brodersen and Bergliot Marie Rowde 1904 82 married author and journalist Gunnar Larsen 3 4 5 6 Career editIn 1900 he established the wholesaling agency Rowde amp Co Among other things he imported Swedish Gislaved rubber products but he also wanted such products to be produced domestically In 1906 he established the rubber factory Viking Gummivarefabrik in Heggedal in Akershus After it was destroyed in a 1913 fire Rowde relocated the factory to Askim in Ostfold where it was re organized in 1920 as Askim Gummivarefabrik 7 The Viking brand became known for its galoshes and rubber boots as well as from 1931 for car tires This factory expanded steadily damages from a new fire in 1933 were repaired over only eight months 2 In addition to expanding the factory in Askim Rowde developed a corporation as he acquired Den Norske Kalosje og Gummivarefabrik in 1932 and Vestlandske Gummivarefabrik in 1938 8 9 Rowde was a skilled advertiser with a sense for performing media stunts In the 1930s he displayed a giant tire at a truckstop between Gjersjoen and Mosseveien in As He instituted the world s largest car race from Oslo to Askim in 1939 and Rally Viking in the 1950s 2 He was also active in employer associations chairing Manufakturgrossistenes Landsforening from 1925 to 1931 and being vice chairman of Norges Grossistforbund from 1929 to 1931 He was elected member of Aker municipal council from 1929 to 1931 10 11 representing the non political electors list i e a cooperative ballot of the bourgeois parties 12 The consul general for the Kingdom of Hungary from 1928 to 1947 Rowde issued a book about Hungary Ungarn igar idag og imorgen 1938 and also Kampen om rastoffene 1936 and Nye rastoffer 1942 8 Honors editHe was decorated as a Knight First Class of the Order of St Olav 1932 and the Order of Vasa He was also made an Officer of the Legion of Honour and Commander of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria citation needed and was awarded the Hungarian Cross of Merit 10 He died during April 1955 in Oslo 2 References edit Peter Mathias Bretanus Rowde lokalhistoriewiki no Retrieved July 1 2017 a b c d Smith Meyer Trond P M Rowde In Helle Knut ed Norsk biografisk leksikon in Norwegian Oslo Kunnskapsforlaget Retrieved 30 August 2012 Villa Voksenhus Oslo Museum Retrieved July 1 2017 Anny B Fremmerlid Teddy Rowde Store norske leksikon Retrieved July 1 2017 Ragnvald Kalleberg Arvid Brodersen Norsk biografisk leksikon Retrieved July 1 2017 Randi Bard Stormer Gunnar Larsen Norsk biografisk leksikon Retrieved July 1 2017 Rolf Bryhn Askim Gummivarefabrik Store norske leksikon Retrieved July 1 2017 a b Godal Anne Marit ed P M Rowde Store norske leksikon in Norwegian Oslo Norsk nettleksikon Retrieved 30 August 2012 Viking Gummivarefabrikk lokalhistoriewiki no Retrieved July 1 2017 a b Steenstrup Bjorn ed 1948 Rowde Peter Mathias Bretanus Hvem er hvem in Norwegian Oslo Aschehoug p 455 Retrieved 30 August 2012 Hoffstad Einar ed 1935 Rowde P eter M athias Bretanus Merkantilt biografisk leksikon in Norwegian 1st ed Oslo Yrkesforlaget p 661 Retrieved 30 August 2012 Sammensetningen av det nye herredsstyre i Aker Aftenposten Aften in Norwegian 24 October 1928 p 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title P M Rowde amp oldid 1191844019, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
