Gunhild Maria Olga (Björn) Svensson (1913 - 2001)

Born 20 Feb 1913 in Lövlyckan, Gullered, Älvsborg, Sweden

Ancestors

Wife of Folke Karl Svensson — married 14 Jun 1951 in Breared, Halland, Sweden

Descendants

Died 23 Sep 2001 at age 88 in Skogsbacken, Hyltebruk, Färgaryd, Halland, Sweden

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Biography

Birth and Christening

Gunhild was born February 20, 1913, at her grandparents' house Lövlyckan in Gullered parish, as the daughter of farm worker Karl Björn and Elin Karlström. She was christened Gunhild Olga Maria February 28, by J. F. V. Nordholm, and her godparents were the homeowner Johan August Johansson and his wife Anna Matilda Mansén at Boared.^[1] Karl and Elin had gotten married in late December the previous year and were still living with their parents. Elin had moved back home in November from the parish of Marbäck, and were thus far gone in her pregnancy when she got married. In May 1913 mother and daughter moved to the parish of to live with Karl at Röshult.^[2]

Getavad, Södra Säm

The small family moved from Röshult in December 1914^[3], and moved around a bit. In 1917 they move from Marbäck to Sverkestorp in Kölaby parish.^[4] Then they moved to become crofters at Getavad in the parish of Södra Säm. A second child, Ingvar had been born in the parish of Kölaby in 1919, and a third was born in 1930, Göte.^[5]

The Björn Family

Occupation

As a young woman Gunhild worked on the large farm Bystad where she plucked beats out of the ground during the harvest.

The area in and around Gällstad is known for its textile industry. Gunhild had several jobs within the industry, like knitter and seamstress.

Marriage

Gunhild worked in a factory where they sew shirts and she put a note with her name and adress in at least one shirt pocket. That shirt was bought by the bus driver Folke Svensson in Odensjö, Kronoberg. They started exchanging letters and moved in together in Södra Unnaryd.^[6] They got married June 14, 1951, in the church of Breared.^[7] Their son Lars was born in 1952.

Gunhild and Folke's wedding photo

Farming

Edit, the wife of Folke's eldest brother Simon, died in September, 1954. Simon and Edit did not have any children so it was decided that Folke and his family should take over Bexet Södergård. Gunhild had sworn to never become a farmer's wife but ended up becoming one any way.

Gunhild had continued to work in the textile industry by knitting socks at home. Later she crocheted blankets and other garments.

Breeding dogs was another hobby, mainly Norwegian Elk Hounds and French Bulldogs. The Elk Hound puppies were sold almost before they were born, often to Norrland, because of their good hunting skills.

Golden Years

In 1990, the son Lars took over the farm and Gunhild and Folke moved into the town of Hyltebruk to live in a flat. Folke died in March the following year leaving Gunhild a widow for many years. She stayed in the block of flats for several years before moving a house in the small village of Rydöbruk. There she lived for a couple of years until she became to ill to live on her own. She did not want to live in an old people's home so she stayed in a care unit the rest of her life.

Death and Burial

Gunhild died September 23, 2001, a couple of weeks after seeing her first great grandchild. She was buried October 5 at Färgaryd Parish Cemetery.^[8]

Censuses

• 1941 Getavad, daughter, knitter^[9]
• 1946 Getavad
• 1950 Södra Unnaryd, unmarried woman, textile worker.^[10]
• 1970 Bexet, Färgaryd^[11]
• 1990 Bäckgatan, Hyltebruk^[12]

Sources

• Skatteverket / The Swedish Tax Agency

1. ↑ Gullered, Skaraborg 'County (P), Birth Records, volume C:4 (1895-1938) Image 40 / Page 32, Arkiv Digital
2. ↑ Gullered , Älvsborg County (P), Household Records, volume AIIa:1 (1895-1932) Image 130 / Page 120, Arkiv Digital
3. ↑ Gällstad, Älvsborg County (P), Household Records, volume AIIa:4 (1910-1935) Image 168 / Page 438, Arkiv Digital
4. ↑ Kölaby, Älvsborg County (P), Household Records, volume AIIa:1 (1895-1920) Image 780 / Page 71
5. ↑ Södra Säm, Älvsborg County (P), Household Records, volume AIIa:2 (1910-1935) Image 30 / Page 19, Arkiv Digital
6. ↑ 1950 Census, Arkiv Digital
7. ↑ Marriage License
8. ↑ Gunhild Svensson, Färgaryds kyrkogård, Gravar.se
9. ↑ Redvägs och Kinds häradsskrivare, Älvsborg County (P), 1941 Census, volume FIIc:578 (1941-1941) Image 50, Arkiv Digital
10. ↑ Sweden 1950 Census, Arkiv Digital
11. ↑ Sveriges befolking 1970, Sveriges Släktforskarförbund
12. ↑ Sveriges Befolkning 1990, Riksarkivet, SVAR - Svensk arkivinformation