Until the middle of the 17th century, Porsgrunn was the name of a small island on the east side of the Porsgrunn River. It was renamed Tollbodøya when the Customs House was moved there in 1661. Porsgrunn was then little more than a cluster of buildings, 26 on the east and 12 on the west side. The Customs House was a gathering place and centre of activity provided by timber exports, commodity imports, small-scale trading and an inn. By 1801 the population had grown from about 200 to 1600 and in 1807 King Christian VII granted Porsgrunn municipal privileges.
Shipping had great significance for the business sector and local community. By the end of the 1850s, 18 shipowners were registered and Porsgrunn had become a sailing port. Most of the shipowners had started out as seamen. They saved up, bought shares in sailing vessels or started a shipyard where they built vessels and took them over. Between 1850 and 1881, the fleet grew from 45 to 110 vessels. Shipping was a commercial driving force in the town. The demand for timber, masts and yards from the rural communities increased, as did the influx of workers to the town. Trade flourished and craftsmen were in demand. Shipbuilding was the town’s third largest industry, after shipping and timber. The vessel on the commemorative stamp is the barque “Dione”, built at Jeremiassen’s shipyard in 1881.
Export of ice was another important industry. Ice merchants were located all along the Frierfjord. Porsgrunn’s exports of ice peaked in 1906 at more than 60,000 tonnes. Natural ice soon began to lose ground to more modern methods of refrigeration. In the meantime, however, other industry had sprung up. New factories replaced the many shipyards that had lain side by side along the Porsgrunn River. These were home of Porsgrunds mekaniske Værksted (engineering), Norrøna Fabriker (emery and grindstone), Porsgrunds Gjærfabrik (yeast) and Porsgrund Porselænsfabrik (fine china).
The china factory was established in 1885. It was then, and still is, the only one of its kind in Norway. The company’s main products were household china, but it also manufactured ornaments and exclusive utility goods. Its products won prizes and recognition at exhibitions at home and abroad and were the source of great pride to the local people. The china was called “white gold” and the town was known as “the porcelain town”.
Herøya also shares in Porsgrunn’s proud industrial history. This is where Norsk Hydro built its production plant for fertilisers. The company’s activities at Herøya were later diversified, but down through the years this area underwent great changes. Today, it is an industrial estate housing 90 companies. One of them is the highly successful REC, which makes multicrystalline wafers for the solar cell industry.
NK: NK 1644
Subject: Coat-of-arms, Customs house, Barque “Dionne”, Perfume bottle
Design: Sverre Morken
Value: NOK 7.00 (A-priority domestic)
Issue: 1 million No. per sheet: 50
Printing: Offset by Royal Joh. Enschedé, Netherlands
Sales prices:
First day cover NOK 10.00
Presentation pack NOK 12.00
Collector’s set NOK 27.00
Collector’s sheet NOK 27.00