JACK, ALBERT [SSNE 1109]

Surname
JACK
First name
ALBERT
Title/rank
CAPTAIN
Nationality
SCOT

Text source

Albert Jack was both a merchant and naval officer in Danish service. Jack initially exported calfskins, herring, 'bunkefish' (apparently a sort of cured fish) to Koge and butter 1625, tar and Flemish herring (to Stralsund) 1628 and bought salt in the road of Elsinore in 1628. He owed money to his servant David Urquhart, a Scottish retailer who was buried at Rungsted November 1625. This may be the same individual who is noted in Stockolms Tänkeböcker, vol xxi 1633 as owed 100 daler by Thomas Glenn [SSNE 6132].

Apart from his commercial activities, Jack was appointed lieutenant in the navy on 23 April 1636, and served as a captain by February 1639 with effect from Easter 1638. He was sent to the Weser with the ship Gabriel in order to ensure the payment of customs of saltpetre to Denmark in 1640. Later he was sent with the Marekatten to take munitions to Christianopel in February 1644 with instructions to prevent navigation to and from Sweden through the Sound of Kalmar. Jack was called back to Copenhagen on 24 March 1644, but was dead by June of the same year. Thereafter his widow, Else Jorgensdatter, was exempted from taxes so long as she did not pursue an urban trade. His estate was divided on 17 March 1645 between his widow and their son Hans who was to have 200 daler deposited with his mother at 6% interest. Other references to Jack show that he served as Taxerborger (tax assessor) in 1627, 1630 and 1635. He was also one of the 26 electors of taxerborgere in 1631, and a member of the jury in a witchcraft trial in 1626. On 17 November 1636, Jack became the guardian of William Adamson's unnamed widow.

Sources: T. Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot (Odense, 1988), II, p.225. (Riis's references; LAS. Helsingor Radstue no.106: Tegnebog 1626-41, fol. 7v., 17v., 55v., 57v., 64v. and no. 107: Tegnebog 1626-66, fol. 78r., 81r., 84r., 86v.).

Service record

DENMARK-NORWAY,
Arrived 1625-01-01
Departed 1636-04-22
Capacity MERCHANT, purpose TRADE
DENMARK-NORWAY, NAVY
Arrived 1636-04-23, as LIEUTENANT
Departed 1644-06-26, as CAPTAIN
Capacity OFFICER, purpose NAVAL