Wilhelm Blakstad (2 February 1863 – 4 January 1936) was a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party.

Wilhelm Blakstad
Member of Parliament
In office
1919–1933
Personal details
Born(1863-02-02)2 February 1863
Asker
Died4 January 1936(1936-01-04) (aged 72)
NationalityNorwegian
Political partyConservative
RelationsFinn Blakstad (brother)
Ragnvald Blakstad (brother)
Bernt Holtsmark (first cousin)
Torger Holtsmark (first cousin)
ChildrenGudolf Blakstad

Personal life

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He was born at Blakstad farm in Asker as a son of Erik Jørgensen Blakstad (1827–1890) and his wife Laura Gabrielsen (1832–1868).[1] He was married to Gønner Kjos (1855–1932), and was the father of architect Gudolf Blakstad.[2] Wilhelm Blakstad was also a brother of Finn and Ragnvald Blakstad and a first cousin of Torger, Wilhelm and Bernt Holtsmark.

Career

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He took his education at Trondhjem Technical School from 1879 to 1881 and the Higher College of Agriculture at Aas from 1885 to 1886. After a strain of various jobs he worked as an engineer from 1886 to 1892, and then as a log driving inspector in the Skien Watershed from 1892 to 1898. From 1902 he was the director of log driving in Lower Glomma, based in Fredrikstad (Fredrikstad Tømmerdirektion).[1]

He was elected to Fredrikstad city council in 1907, and served as mayor from 1910 to 1918. From 1916 to 1918 he was a deputy member of the Norwegian Parliament, from 1918 to 1920 he was a board member of the Norwegian Association of Engineers, and from 1918 to 1921 he was a member of the supervisory committee of the Østfold Line. He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament for the first time in 1918, and was re-elected on four occasions, his last term ending in 1933. He died in 1936.[1]

The road W. Blakstads gate in Fredrikstad has been named after him.[3] A bust of Blakstad, sculpted by Waldemar Sefsland Dahl, stands outside the old headquarters of Fredrikstad Tømmerdirektion.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Wilhelm Blakstad" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Social Science Data Services (NSD). Retrieved 8 May 2009.
  2. ^ Johnsen, Espen. "Gudolf Blakstad". In Helle, Knut (ed.). Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
  3. ^ "W. Blakstads gate". Fredrikstad City Encyclopedia (in Norwegian). Fredriksstad Blad.
  4. ^ "Cicignongaten". Fredrikstad City Encyclopedia (in Norwegian). Fredriksstad Blad.