British citizen in Elsinore Helsingor Denmark in 1785

Question

I'm working on a profile of Alexander  Wood (1817-1884), the doctor who invented the hypodermic syringe, apparently inspired by the stinger of bees.  I'm doing this for a Medical Edition of a Quest for Great Grandparents

In the 1851 Scotland Census, Alexander's father James  Wood (1785-1865) seems to have been born as a British Citizen in Denmark.  Ancestry.com has a christening record but does not have an image.  Can anyone locate a online source for this christening that is not behind a paywall?

Denmark, Births and Christenings Index, 1631-1900s

View Record

Name

James

Gender

Male

Christening Age

0

Birth Date

7 Jun 1785

Christening Date

16 Jun 1785

Christening Place

Sankt Olai, Helsingor, Frederiksborg, Denmark

Father

151053166 Walther Wood

Mother

301053166 Anne Wood Wood

** editted to add the bit about being inspired by bees

Answer 1

Hi

He is here - Last record right page

Helsingør Domkirke (Sankt Olai), Lynge-Kronborg herred, Frederiksborg amt

https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?bsid=151194#151194,25107125

They seem to get 4 children in Helsingør and have a black man with african parents christened too - as per register

https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17256678#211801,40015842

Comments

Wow!  Thanks so much!  

Does it give any indication of what a family from Cupar, Fife, Scotland was doing in Denmark?

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Walther Wood was a merchant in Helsingør at all 5 baptism. Among the godfathers, there are other English merchants including Anne's brother, but also Danish higher society. The black man was from Senegal.

Wife and chidren may have left in 1787 Census

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But before that, he was a captain. On October 5th 1767 he asks for cargo from Copenhagen to Sct. Croix, The West Indies for his flagship Jomfru Anne (Virgin Anne) and he  returns June 24 th 1768. And on December 11th 1769 he passes Helsingør on his way from Danzig to Tenerife with wheat.

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Wow!  This is great! Thanks so much!  I have also found a memorandum written by his grandson and namesake, saying (at the top of page 3) he was a merchant in Elsinore, so for sure we have the same person.  

What seems to be the relationship with the black family?

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No family - Thomas was an 18-year-old slave. Walther Wood was one of the godfathers and was mentioned as   Hans Herre (His Master). Peter baptized on the same day was mentioned as Sin Indianer (his Indian). The godfathers at both baptism were all notabilities. 

The route from Copenhagen direct to Sct. Croix was unusual. Normally textiles and manufactured goods from Copenhagen to Africa, slaves from Africa to the West Indies, and then sugar and tobacco back to Copenhagen.

Walther Wood had citizenship in Copenhagen on April 16th 1764. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find the citizen protocol online.

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Triple wow! Do those Helsingør notables have profiles on WikiTree?

Is it unusual that Thomas and Peter would not have been baptized previously?  Is it unusual that they are getting baptized at all?  Why are notables getting involved?  Is there a story here somewhere?

Should i be starting this as a new question?

Cheers

Shirlea

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I have searched WikiTree without finding any of the persons involved. But I have some for you.  At Marianne's baptism Jenet Wood the child's faster (fathers sister,) and John Wood the child's morbroder (mother's brother) were godfathers. And at Jenet's baptism Jfr. (Unmarried) Marie Wood the child's faster (father's sister) also was godfather.

Yes, I think you should start a new question about the baptism of slaves, I don't know; actually, this was my first time I found a slave being baptized in Denmark. I think Walther Wood has been very rich cf. all the servants in the 1787 census and owing a slave in Helsingør was not normal, so he probably would show his acquaintances, some came all the way from Copenhagen to see a black man.

Thanks for the WW