Johanna Elisabeth Swaving
Johanna Elisabeth Swaving (17 December 1754 in Weesp – 26 June 1826 in Haarlem),
Biography
She was born in
After her husband's death in 1799 she continued his business, especially the local newspaper, which had been wholly owned by her husband.[2] In this role she was able to exercise influence out over a wider community than just Haarlem, in the name of her family's company, which she managed on behalf of her sons.[2] She was a benefactor for the Nederlandsche Maatschappij van Kunsten en Wetenschappen, the Haarlemse Teken-Academie, and the actor's club Leerzaam Vermaak where she acted in 1791 with her husband and son in Jan van Walré’s Menschenhaat en berouw (a play after Menschenhass und Reue (Misanthropy and Repentance), by August von Kotzebue). In 1820 she was one of six leading women of Haarlem who set up a fund to help needy pregnant women receive medical help during their confinement called Caring Committee for pregnant women. The fund still exists today.[3]
In her role as leader of Joh. Enschedé, she discovered new ways to publicize the company's distinctive talents as font owners by using the Enschedé fonts in advertisements in her newspaper. It was her idea to use the expensive flop called "Parel muziek", a font developed by
She is known for setting up the management of the Enschedé firm (newspaper, publishing, and banknotes), though she was omitted from the company's later memorial publications such as Enschedé gedenkschrift 1743–1893. She died in Haarlem.[2]
See also
References
- ^ Het Huis Enschedé 1703-1953, Joh. Enschedé en zonen, 1953.
- ^ DVN.
- ^ Zorgdragende Commissie voor behoeftige Kraamvrouwen te Haarlem in the North Holland archives.