1884 and were designed for the FSC maiden line to
The Emigrant Route
Hangö-Copenhagen-Hull
By Gunnar Damström, Bellevue
In the early part of the 19th Century Swedish
Ostrobotnia was an area where farming and associated
trades were dominating. Shipping was lively and
contacts abroad were good. Shipbuilding and tar
production were important trades in rural villages2).
During the latter part of the century the picture
changed. The population growth was strong. The
population of Swedish Ostrobotnia almost doubled
in 50 years. Finding employment for young people in
the rural areas became more and more difficult. The
shipping business went into recession with the coming
of the steam ship era. As a result shipbuilding and tar
export declined. The economical development of the
area stagnated. A similar famine struck the Maine
Passamaquaddy Bay area at his time.
The new age represented by railroads, saw mills and
industry was slow in coming to Ostrobotnia. Farms
had been divided among heirs and by the mid 1800’s
their size had reached the economical break-even
point. The number of crofters and cottars living
in the Vasa Province tripled from 1815 to 1875.
J.V.Snellman, renowned Finnish economist wrote
in 1869:”No matter how one views the situation,
manufacturing and home industry must find its way
to Ostrobotnia or the population must emigrate”5)
Snellman was right, and since the needed improvement
failed to materialize the situation was ripe for massif
emigration. One missing link was the unavailability
of cheap and comfortable transportation. That missing
link was filled when the railroad and the passenger
steam ships came. The Vasa railroad was opened in
1883. In 1885 Gamlakarleby got its rail connection.
The Finnish Steamship Company was founded in
1883 with the business idea to transport Finnish
butter to England via Hull1). The first FSC ships,
Sirius and Orion were delivered in May and June
Hull, England. Both vessels were freighters, however
each had accommodation for nine passengers in
cabins. FSC’s start as a passenger carrier had very
modest proportions.
Sensing the growing demand for passenger
transportation to the New World, the FSC placed
orders for two steam ships, which were combined
freight- and passenger ships. The Wigham Richardson
& Co shipyard in Newcastle-on-Tyne built s.s. Astrea
and s.s Urania, delivered in 1891. The ships had
accommodation for 22 passengers in first class; 34
in second class and 186 passengers in third class.
This did not prevent to company from accepting 509
emigrants on the Urania on at least one trip to Hull in
the spring of 1893.
Edvin Hjelt entered the employ of FSC in 1891
and was first officer and later master of Astrea from
delivery until December 1899 when he took charge of
the ship Polaris.
The following letter from an emigrant tells about the
journey to the New World.
“The (Finnish Steamship Company) agent met us
already in Hyvinge, which was good; because as we
stepped off the train in Hangö we were 350 exhausted
emigrants milling aimlessly about. At 11 p.m. we
were ushered onboard the Astrea, which caused
inconvenience for people with children that had just
fallen asleep. First people with small children were
allowed to embark, then the women, and lastly the
men. People who did not have appropriate passports
were escorted away by the police. We were led below
deck, where there were wooden bunk beds with an
inch thick mattress. No pillows or blankets were
provided.
In the morning we were given a tin can of coffee, a
quarter loaf of bread with butter, two round potatoes
and a herring. For dinner we got two round potatoes,
some meat gravy and a small piece of bread, which
was thrown on the plate like feeding a hog. Next
we were given a yellow soup that we called brass
soup. In the evening we were served tea and a small
sausage sandwich. The food was inadequate, but
fortunately we had some food with us from home so
we managed. At Hull the (FSC) agent arranged us in
several customhouse lines. The custom officials came
and inspected our suitcases and chests. We received
the train tickets for Liverpool. Horse carriages took
us to the houses of the America line, where we waited
three days for the ship’s arrival. (In Liverpool) we had
health screening. We had to watch out for thieves.
On the ocean liner Westerlund we were accommodated
in 20 person cabins, men in the fore ship, women
further back. Here we were provided a pillow and a
blanket but got no sleep, for everybody was yelling
constantly in his or her language. People were
singing and playing cards the whole night long, so
we had plenty of entertainment, however little sleep.
Not a good trade off. Food was scarce. The menu
included many modern dishes, but the Finns had little
appetite for those, accustomed as they were to flour
puddings etc.
And we were inoculated, providing we did not have
scares as proof of precious inoculation. On the
twelfth day we were outside Philadelphia where we
were met by a pilot and a physician who conducted
health screening. Next arrived 20 custom officials
who inspected our luggage. On shore our eyes were
inspected and we were asked how much money we
were bringing with us, where we were going, etc.
Next we arrived at the (America line) offices where
we received train tickets and so we traveled in
comfortable, upholstered coaches and were able to
rest on the benches. The conductor helped us with
transfers to other trains.
Herman S.” 4)
Edvin Hjelt was the
first master of the
Polaris. He continued
in this capacity until
he took charge of the
steamship Titania
December 8, 1908. In
1913 he celebrated his
1000th voyage across
the North Sea.
1898 was a milestone for the FSC. That year
two steamers designed specifically for passenger
transportation were delivered. Wellamo and Oihonna
were designed for the Hanko-Stockholm and Åbo-
Stockholm route respectively.
In 1899 two new steamers were delivered from the
Gourley Brothers Dundee shipyard. Arcturus and
Polaris were larger vessels intended for the Hull-line.
Polaris, of 2018.85 tons had accommodation for 80
passengers in first class and 167 passengers in third
class. She was constructed for traveling in ice and
had a motor capacity of 3500 hp.
The famous Finnish author and reporter Guss Mattsson
was a frequent traveler on the FSC ships. He wrote the
following report on his trip with Polaris 3) :
“ Traveling on board the bigger Hull ships is always
a special treat. Polaris and Arcturus are the best
ships of the Baltic Sea and both provide a taste of
Atlantic cruising when selected for transportation.
One detail seems unpleasant to me. On our Finnish
ships it is customary that second-class passengers are
provided the same right as the first class passengers
to walk the entire decks for exercise and to enjoy the
first class food. On the Polaris segregation system
has been implemented mirroring the customs on the
Ocean liners.
As soon as the Polaris leaves Hangö all kinds of gates
are applied on the decks and locked with sturdy pad
locks. The tiny space on the aft deck and port side
walkway is reserved for the second-class passengers
who have to share the space with Russian emigrants.
The special menu provided in the aft dining room also
has a character of second class. By telling this, my
purpose is not to blame the Company, it is entitled
to reduce the degree in comfort in proportion to the
reduced fare. I mention it encouraging passengers
who like myself normally are content with a second-
class bunk bed during sea voyages to select first class
accommodation on the Copenhagen ships for the
added comfort and good food.
Emigrant life on board provides entertainment,
although it is depressing to see these able men and
women leave their Finnish turf. But they are in a
merry mode, laugh, play and dance. Already the first
night, as the August night descended on the Baltic Sea
and the silhouettes of passengers became obscure, the
sound of a violin could be heard and in a minute one
could see couples bouncing around on the narrow,
tarred parquet between rope coils and boxes. This
was down on the poop deck. Up on the aft deck the
same music provided for the ring dances applied in
a triangle, though. The violin was recessed and the
viola filled in with hilariously falsified upper class
melodies. On the aft hold cover the Russians were
seated in close rows busy with small talk while the
tea from the samovar was passed around and the boy
who was dispatched to bring more each time secretly
sucked the premier brew through the kettle spout.

This postcard from Edvin Hjelt’s collection shows the

Polaris, brimming with emigrants entering Hull Harbor.

Emigrant ball on the Polaris. From Edvin Hjelt’s

stereographic photo collection.

The second day, yes, alas the second day……A brisk

southwesterly wind shredded the white wave tips
and made the Polaris behave like a rocking horse.
The daughters of Finland were lining the railings,
standing on their toes, spitting. Those who were
This picture showing emigrants crowding the decks of
unaffected walked hence and forth, slapping their
the Polaris is from Edvin Hjelt’s stereographic photo
backs while laughing and humming the polka tunes
collection. At times the Company accepted as many as
of last night. Soon the spindrift covered the fore ship
500 emigrants for the Hull trip. Keep in mind that she
and the emigrants were crowding the on the aft deck
had accommodation for 167 third class passengers.
for cover. The upper class passengers passed ice
cubes, lemon wedges and stiffeners. Approximately
three showed up at the supper table. One had herring,
one enjoyed a piece of dark rye bread, and one sat
staring out in space. I imagine the honored reader
has experienced this kind of entertainment? If not, it
is worthwhile to give it a try. In particular staring is
a thrilling stage”
Polaris continued to travel the Finland-Copenhagen-
Hull line until Word War I broke out in August 1914.
In 1914 the Imperial Navy requisitioned Polaris and
two years later she was expropriated and sailed for St.
Petersburg, never to be seen again in Finnish waters.
The luxury liner Titania was built at the by now Polaris’ sister ship Arcturus, famed for transporting the
famous Gourley Brothers Dundee shipyard. Titania, 27th Ranger Battalion home to Finland in February
of 3490 DWT had births for 739 passengers, 86 in 1918. Arcturus continued in service until 1957.
first class, 68 in second, and 585 in third class. She She was scrapped in 1960.
continued trafficking the Finland-Copenhagen-Hull
route until World War I broke out. At that time she from Finland, 97,932 returning to the motherland.
happened to be in Hull where she remained until 1916 1909-1911 saw the peak of the emigrant movement.
when she was expropriated by the Royal Navy. Two Those years 67.939 trans ocean passengers and
weeks later she was torpedoed while on convoy duty emigrants traveled on the FSC ships. 1912-1914 the
and sunk east of Scotland. numbers declined to 56.833. During the war years the
number of trans ocean passengers was only 11,797.
During the years 1870-1914 58,441 persons from
Swedish Ostrobonia emigrated. This should be
seen in relation to the total population of Swedish
Ostrobotnia, which in 1910 was 129,7122). Of the
emigrants 25%-30% eventually returned to the
motherland.
With the introduction of US immigration quotas
in 1924 (471 Finnish emigrants per year) and the
improved employment situation in Finland the heyday
of the immigration movement had definitely passed.
Some emigrants then headed for Canada. However
the Canadian Government introduced quotas in 1930.
The depression effectively ended the emigrant mass
movement from Finland to the New World.
S.s. Titania, ready for departure in Hull Harbor,
passengers knitting, playing chess, reading. The Master, 1) Thure Malmberg, Arnold Neumann: De Vita Båtarna,
Edvin Hjelt standing at the railing in the background 1) Finska Ångfartygs Aktiebolaget, Helsingfors, 1970
2) Bengt Kummel: Emigrationen från Svenska
Österbotten 1870-1970, En Översikt, Svenska
Österbottens Historia III, Svenska Österbottens
Shortly before World War I broke out, one of the Landskapsförbund, Vasa, 1980.
most celebrated ships ever to sail in the FSC flotilla, 3) Nya Pressen September 16, 1906.
the Ariadne was delivered. During WW I she was 4) Österbottniska Posten July 5, 1901.
requisitioned by the Imperial Army as hospital 5) Åkerblom: Lantbruket i Svenska Österbotten, 1954.
ship and was stationed in Helsinki. After the war
and much-needed repairs she was commissioned
to service the Finland-Hull route during the winter
months. She continued to traffic the Baltic Sea until
1969 when she was sold as scrap metal.
In 1919 as the world was recovering from the war,
FSC, having lost major tonnage through sinking and
expropriation put in two veteran ships, the Astrea and
the Arcturus on the Hull line. Edvin Hjelt, close to
retirement was given the command of the Astrea, the
ship he had surrendered command of twenty years
earlier.
In 1925 The Oberon was delivered. She was the
largest Finnish ship at the time and was considered
the sturdiest passenger and cargo ship built in Europe
for travel in ice. The engine delivered 4500 hp, the
speed was 15 knots, the length was 305 feet and the
cargo capacity was 1000 tons. In first class Oberon
could accommodate 115 passengers and in third class
242. Oberon trafficked the Hull line until her tragic
sinking December 19, 1930.
The Wellamo was delivered in June of 1927.
From 1891 to 1924 the Finnish Steamship Company
transported 417,015 emigrants, 319,083 traveling