Soldier or Postman?

[Max Rasmussen]

I received the attached photocopy of an old photograph from a relative some years ago. On the back of the original photograph someone had written "Postman J Christiansen, Nakskov, Denmark" (which she then copied onto the photocopy).

The only J Christiansen in the family, an uncle (Jacob) of my Greatgrandmother Karen Marie Ida Christiansen, lived and worked in Slagelse as a Weaver (Vevær). We know from various documents, although he lead a "colourful" life, he was not a Postman. He did however fight in the 1864 war (in 1st Coy 12th Infantry Regiment), and was awarded a (service) medal. This was later confiscated due to his behaviour, but subsequently returned to him in 1889.

My question is, could the J Christiansen in the photo be Jacob Chritiansen in his army uniform. I have looked at uniforms of the period (1880's - 1890's) and the type of tunic worn in the photo, looks similar to that of a soldier - except perhaps for the stripes on the cuffs. However, I have not been able to identify a Postman's uniform of the same period to see what type of unifrom the person in the picture is actually wearing - soldier or postman?

The other issue that would be troublesome for an identification as Jacob Chritiansen, is that other than through my Greatgrandmother (who moved from Slagelse to Nakskov when she married in 1894), Jacob had no link to Nakskov. He did become her guardian after her father's death in 1891, until his own death in 1899, so it is not entirely impossible that the original photograph was taken in a studio there.

Can anyone help to identify what type of uniform is being worn in the photograph.

Mvh
Max Rasmussen

[vedhæfting slettet af admin]

[Kaj Arne Jørgensen]

J. Christensen ..... not J. Christiansen, is the name.

[Lis B. Jensen]

Hi Max

Could it be this Family:

Husstand: Maribo, Lollands Nørre, Nakskov Købstad, 1901, 228 F1, Nørre Boulevard 21,

Kildenavn, Køn, Fødeår, Født kildedato, Kildefødested, Civilstand, Stilling i husstanden, Kildeerhverv, Trossamfund, Antal døde børn, Antal levende børn, Hvornår gift,
Julius Christian Christensen, 10-01-1840, Fehmern, Gift, Husfader, Stationsforvalter,Expeditør, Folkekirken, 3, 13, 1868,
Caroline Mathilde Christensen, 26-04-1847, Kjøbenhavn, Gift, Husmoder, Folkekirken,  1868,
Ingeborg Ida Christensen, 30-10-1868, Kjøbenhavn, Ugift, Barn, Lærerinde, Folkekirken,
Viggo Christensen, 29-07-1884, Nakskov, Ugift, Barn, Jungmand, Folkekirken,
Poul Christensen, 20-10-1889, Nakskov, Ugift, Barn, Folkekirken,
Ebba Christensen, 14-05-1892, Nakskov, Ugift, Barn, Folkekirken,
Alfred Christensen, 13-05-1877, Nakskov, , Ugift, Kontorist, Folkekirken,
Nielsine Olsen, 25-08-1884, Maribo, Ugift, Tjenestepige 1.maj, Folkekirken,

Julius is working at the Railwaystation

[Inger Toudal]

I couldn't find any postmen from Nakskov in the portrait database of the Danish Post & Telemuseum
http://www.ptt-museum.dk/, but I found this photo of a postman in a similar uniform:

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/billede/14d552fc52dd20365cc79ef9de80d4f18ee9bfcf

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/person/875/p:YTo0OntpOjA7czoxMjoiR8OlZW5kZSBQb3N0IjtpOjE7czo4OiJMYW5kcG9zdCI7aToyO3M6MTE6IkxhbmRwb3N0YnVkIjtpOjM7czo3OiJQb3N0YnVkIjt9/d:deathdate/df:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6NDoiMTg5OSI7fQ==/dt:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6NDoiMTg5OSI7fQ==/op0:0/op1:0

Best regards,
Inger Toudal

[Kaj Arne Jørgensen]

I have found this story, in danish, and it tells a lot about the person J. Christensen.
The story is told by a man, who lived in Nakskov as a boy, at that time Julius Christensen worked there.

I have made a google-translation of the text, where he is telling what he remembered about Julius.


http://www.aabne-samlinger.dk/lasa/temaer/lokalbaner/er_beretning_Nakskov1.asp

Stationmaster Christensen was chief of station in Nakskov. It was a distinct personality , as with authority led the station. I think that his subordinates had much respect for him , there was certainly things in order. He was a slender man with a marked face and whiskers . I've never seen him smile , but with a serious peace he replied politely to all questions . When I greeted him he greeted always friendly again by moving your hand up to the uniform cap . Because it was not all it took into account a little boy's greeting. I could list many who passed by without deigning the courtesy that was shown them a glance. Mother was very careful to impress upon us the virtue always show attention towards fellow human beings.
Later, when I had left Nakskov, and came back for short visits , I was delighted to always see the station master that I did not think had changed . He was always elegant with white gloves and saluted when the train came . This with the gloves he had , moreover, in common with his colleagues in Paramaribo and Sakskoebing . Both Thejls and Shwensens hands shone white when they approached the respective cities , and all showed the same sense and proper conduct. They were really presentable officials.
In addition to its stationmaster position occupied Christensen also the office of the consignor for the Northern Steamship Company , and after his morning service at the track was over, he walked with his light elastic time at Nørrevold down to the harbor to take over " Mjølner " departure when the time was 10 But the station master also had a hobby. On an area that belonged to the pitch , he had brought an orchard , consisting of squat pear and apple trees , and here he cultivated the glorious fruits. Oddly , it was that he could have these desirable delicacies in peace, for access to the garden was very easy , you just had over a low fence .
Well, that was another time when ownership was respected , but it may as well be that some ditty boy perhaps fell into temptation . The boys in Nakskov did not have any wings on the back .


The census in 1880:

Maribo, Lollands Nørre, Nakskov Købstad, Nakskov Købstad, Lolland nørre herred, Jernbanestationen 435 a, 1, FT-1880, C9884

Navn:   Alder:   Civilstand:   Stilling i husstanden:   Erhverv:   Fødested:
Julius Christian Christensen    40    Gift   stationsforvalter      Burg, Fehmeren
Caroline Mathilde Christensen    32    Gift   hustru      København
Ingeborg Ida Christensen    11    Ugift   deres barn      København
Martin Holger Christensen    9    Ugift   deres barn      København
Peter Hendrik Christensen    7    Ugift   deres barn      København
Ernst Christensen    5    Ugift   deres barn      Her i Sognet
Alfred Christensen    2    Ugift   deres barn      Her i Sognet
Julius Christensen    1    Ugift   deres barn      Her i Sognet
Marie Mikkelsen    19    Ugift   tjenestepige      Samsø
Cathrine Hansine Jensen    14    Ugift   tjenestepige      Her i Sognet
Hans Heinrich Christian Jahn    18    Ugift   jernbaneassistent      Slagelse

[Max Rasmussen]

Thanks for all your responses - now I am not sure if I should also be considering a Sationmaster (stationsforvalter) as well as a postman and a soldier!

I had not notice the spelling error (i.e. that the name was "Christensen" rather than "Christiansen") which does seem to rule out Jacob Christiansen from Slagelse. Also having now seen the photograph of Ole Christoffersen from the Post & Tele Museum, the uniform does indeed seem to be that of postman - with the stripes on the cuff (or would a Stationsforvalter have a similar uniform?). It is a pity that my photo does not show a cap or hat (which might have the post-horn insignia on it that would clearly identify the wearer's profession).

The original photograph was the possession of my Greatgrandparents, who left Nakskov for København about 1897-1898 (and then England in 1901). The J. Christensen in the picture must have at least been known to them before that time for them to have kept his photograph (even if he became a postman after they left Nakskov.

Thank you Kaj, Inger & Lis for all your help.

Mvh
Max Rasmussen

[Lis B. Jensen]

Hi Max

It also Says Expeditør - which means salesman. Maybe he was Stationmaster, sold Stamps and took care of the post too

[Inger Toudal]

Julius Christian Christensen could very well have been Stationsforstander and Postekspeditør, like the gentleman
in this photo:

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/billede/cfba76a9c119c49a94d240301bf0f71d1f575efc

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/person/1145/p:YToxOntpOjA7czoxNToiUG9zdGVrc3BlZGl0w7hyIjt9/df:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6MDoiIjt9/dt:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6MDoiIjt9/op0:0/op1:0

Here's a Stationsforstander and Brevsamler with cap:

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/billede/5e7cc11819059419d310ae8b7cfb858d3b200b5d

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/person/1992/s:/w:/p:YToxOntpOjA7czoxODoiU3RhdGlvbnNmb3JzdGFuZGVyIjt9/d:/df:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6MDoiIjt9/dt:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6MDoiIjt9/op0:0/op1:0

Max,

If you could get a better copy of the photo, maybe the collar of the coat could be used to identify J. Christensen's profession.

Best regards,
Inger T.

[Max Rasmussen]

Hej Ingar,

I think that its likley that my picture could be of Julius Christian Christensen. He increasingly seems to fit the evidence. Very unfortunately there is no possibility to get a better copy of this photocopy (of the original photograph). I am stuck with this rather poor copy.

I have however magnified the picture to try to identify the collar and quite strangly the tunic appears to have no collar at all; it is just cut-off around the neck. Underneath J. Christensen is wearing a winged collar to his shirt. This does seem an unusual arrangement. Also I cannot see any evidence of the tunic having any buttons on the cuffs, just the stripes. The other pictures of postmands all have both. I am not sure if this is significant.

Mvh

Max R.

[Inger Toudal]

Maybe it could be the collar of a postman's tunic:

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/billede/4d5ae03f3a25770883f367c05e795ded83a1c538

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/person/885/p:YToxOntpOjA7czo3OiJQb3N0YnVkIjt9/df:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6MDoiIjt9/dt:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6MDoiIjt9/op0:0/op1:0

The buttons also might tell, but the copy is too poor in quality.

A postman without buttons on his cuffs, maybe:

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/billede/dc63378816d8dbcc59207bff32935e483e5d2264

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/person/2247/p:YToxOntpOjA7czo3OiJQb3N0YnVkIjt9/df:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6MDoiIjt9/dt:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6MDoiIjt9/op0:0/op1:0

This Postekspeditør has no stripes on his cuffs:

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/billede/b453307f033010bd5954a7cacb0ff8383bad7f04

http://person.ptt-museum.dk/person/59/p:YToxOntpOjA7czoxNToiUG9zdGVrc3BlZGl0w7hyIjt9/df:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6MDoiIjt9/dt:YTozOntzOjM6ImRheSI7czowOiIiO3M6NToibW9udGgiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjQ6InllYXIiO3M6MDoiIjt9/op0:0/op1:0

My best guess is that J. Christensen is a postman. The 1890 census for Nakskov, which may solve the mystery, is being transcribed at the moment.

Best regards,
Inger T.

[Max Rasmussen]

Hej Ingar,

Thanks for all the various examples of different postman uniforms. I was also very intrigued with the last example you found of a Johan Christensen - could he be a younger J. Christensen: who knows?

I agree the 1890 FT may cast some light on the issue (do you know when it is likely to be available on DDD). Julius Christian Christensen the Stationsforvalter & Expeditør is a good possiblity but does not entirely fit our man, as surely the note on the photograph would state "Stationmaster & Postman" in his case, not just simply "Postman".

Mvh

Max R.