The history of the Fjäderholm Islands

A trading post, lively inns and a military base. The five-hundred-year history of the mini archipelago of Fjäderholm tells of innkeepers, rowing ladies, jazz girls, the Eurenius Empire and prohibitions on landing.

It was not until the 14th century that Stora Fjäderholmen could be seen rising out of the sea as several small islets. Later, during the reign of King Gustav Vasa in the 16th century, Stora Fjäderholmen began to take on its present appearance. The Fjäderholm Islands developed into the small mini archipelago we see today, consisting of four islets, a few scattered skerries and countless sunken rocks.

A meeting place for the people of the archipelago and city dwellers

The Fjäderholm Islands have historically been closely associated with inns. There was a pub on Stora Fjäderholmen as early as the 17th century, and islanders and city dwellers have come here to eat, drink and enjoy themselves ever since. The Fjäderholm Islands' proximity to the capital meant that the island also became a hub for trading. It therefore became a popular meeting place, attracting hungry and thirsty visitors from both the archipelago and the city. Traders from the city rowed out to the islands to buy fish and livestock that the archipelago men brought with them in their boats. At the same time, they also brought the latest news and gossip from the city.

During the 19th century, the inns on the Fjäderholm Islands were run by a number of female innkeepers, including 'Mademoiselle' Maria Wennerberg, who was described as "a woman with thick skin". Perhaps the profession demanded it, as inns were rough and rowdy. Innkeeping was one of the few professions open to women in Sweden at that time.

Life on the water

From the 17th century and well into the 19th century, female rowers were responsible for Stockholm's public transport by sea. These female rowers became a legendary part of Stockholm's history. Rowing was hard, dirty work, and was carried out in all weathers. The fact that it was practised openly in society – and within a predominantly male environment – also meant that female rowers were often subjected to slander, threats and attacks. They rowed where their customers asked them to, and these trips could go as far as the Fjäderholm Islands. During the second half of the 19th century, Stockholmers travelled out to the archipelago on steamboats that operated increasingly frequent routes.

Those who lived in the archipelago used traditional boats for fishing, hunting and transporting goods such as cows between the islands and fish to city dwellers. Boats and barges were repaired at Fjäderholm Boatyard between 1850 and 1890. Today, there is an outdoor exhibition of traditional boats on the Fjäderholm Islands.

Little Britain

The sugar factory owner Daniel Wilhelm Eurenius bought the Fjäderholm Islands in 1809, and renamed them Little Britain. Here, at the sea approach to Stockholm, he created his own summer idyll and spent large sums of money on renovations. The islands became known humorously as the Eurenius Empire, in reference to the British Empire.

Eurenius changed the appearance of the Fjäderholm Islands dramatically. Parts of the rock were broken away, and orchards and growing areas were set out. Eurenius' business acumen did not escape notice. On the flat surfaces of the islands, the fishermen of Vaxholm were allowed to dry their equipment for a fee, and the islet of Libertas was leased out, as were fishing rights. The sale of the Fjäderholm Islands in 1822 proved to be a good business deal, and Eurenius was able to buy the large Grunnevad estate in Västergötland.

A destination for the bourgeoisie

At the end of the 19th century the Fjäderholm Islands' role as a meeting place for archipelago dwellers began to decline, and it was instead visited by the city's bourgeoisie. In the early 20th century, the Fjäderholm Islands became a prestigious destination for excursions. The elegant-sounding Grand Restaurant Bellevue opened on Stora Fjäderholmen. Here, people danced 'the Boston' on an outdoor dancefloor. During the Roaring Twenties, the Fjäderholm Islands were branded by the press as "a haunt for intoxicated youths and jazz girls". Food and drink were brought in by boat, but the restaurant also had a small-scale farm of its own, with cows, pigs and chickens, on a level section of the old orchard.

A military island

During the Second World War, the islands resembled a well-armoured fortress and were used by the Navy as an ammunition depot. The islands have several large rock caverns and even preserved anti-aircraft guns, with their barrels aimed symbolically towards the inlet. After the First World War there was a need to strengthen the capital's preparedness, and in 1918 the Crown took over the Fjäderholm Islands for military purposes.

In the 1920s, a small war industry emerged on the Fjäderholm Islands. At its peak during the war years, 150 to 200 people – both permanent residents and daily commuters – worked and lived here. The workforce consisted of both men and women. The Navy's area was gradually expanded during the interwar period, and in 1940 a total prohibition on landing on the Fjäderholm Islands was introduced.

After the war years these operations on the Fjäderholm Islands were phased out, and when the landing ban was finally lifted the islands returned to being a summer resort.

In 1982 the Fjäderholm Islands were taken over by the Royal Djurgården Administration, and the tradition of using the islands as a meeting place, a recreation area and a dining destination was revived. Today, the islands are a popular destination for excursions, offering nature, culture, and good food and drink.

Top image: Stora Fjäderholmen from the east, with the old buildings Sjöstugan, Bryggstugan and Bakstugan, and Malmgård. Photo: A. Malmström, Stockholmskällan