Education of Burghers’ Sons in the Late 18th Century Helsinki

Authors

• Juha-Matti Granqvist Helsingin yliopisto

Abstract

In the late 18th century, the number, wealth, and significance of bourgeoisie increased in all Western European countries, including the Swedish realm. In consequence, the bourgeoisie started to educate their sons more than before. In this article, I look into the formal education of burghers in one Swedish town, Helsinki, in 1743–1808. During this period, the sea-fortress Sveaborg was built off Helsinki, which made the town’s population sixfold and the number of its burghers threefold. However, the number of burghers’ sons in the Helsinki trivium (primary Latin school) did not rise alongside the growing population, but varied remarkably annually. The number of burghers’ sons from Helsinki, both in the trivium and at the university, was even below the national average. However, some upper-class distinctions like the use of private tutors began to appear among the burgher elite of Helsinki, contrary to previous beliefs.