Øregaard - an estate from the palmy days of Danish overseas trade

Øregaard Estate was constructed in 1806-8 for the merchant and plantation owner Johannes Søbøtker (1777-1854) and his family. Johannes Søbøtker was a partner in one of Denmark's largest trading companies and made his money on sugar plantations, shipping and the lucrative triangle trade between Denmark, Africa and the former Danish West Indies.

Sugar and slaves

Søbøtker's sugar plantations were located in the Danish West Indies (now the US Virgin Islands). On their way over, the ships would visit the African coast, where men, women and children were brought onboard as slaves and taken to the islands to do forced labour in the plantations. The ships would return to Copenhagen laden with exotic products - especially sugar but also cotton, tobacco, coffee and cocoa.

Like many of his contemporaries in trade and shipping, Søbøtker became a very wealthy member of the middle class that was becoming a predominant force in the 1800s. A middle class that was acquiring the habits that had previously been the exclusive domain of the aristocracy. For example, Jonannes Søbøtker commissioned portraits of his family by leading artists of the time, as was the custom in the nobility.

Summers in the countryside

The family, who spent their winters in Copenhagen, needed a suitable country estate outside the city. And thus, in 1806, Søbøtker and his wife, Johanne Margrethe (1777-1829), purchased the farm Øregaard in Hellerup north of Copenhagen where they constructed a stately summer home. At the time, farm houses were still scattered far apart, and horses and cows grazed the salt meadows by the Sound.

The extravagant Søbøtker loved entertaining and spared no expenses. In 1821 the coffers were empty, and Øregaard had to be put up for sale. Inclement times had also played their role for Søbøtker's dwindling fortunes. Among other events, the loss of the Danish fleet to Britain in 1807 and the national bankruptcy in 1813 were particularly hard blows for the trading company. However, Øregaard remained a peaceful and cheerful summer home for middle class families throughout the 1800s, only under new owners.

In the second half of the 19th century Øregaard was owned by the Hansen family. In this photo from around 1880 members of the family is enjoying the afternoon at Øregaard after a game of tennis. Photo Øregaard Museum