Helgøy

Coordinates: 70°06′46″N 19°21′47″E / 70.11278°N 19.36306°E / 70.11278; 19.36306
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the former municipality in Troms, Norway. For other uses, see Helgøya.
Helgøy Municipality
Helgøy herred
Former municipality
Helgø herred  (historic name)
View of Torsvåg on Vannøya, a part of Helgøy municipality
View of Torsvåg on Vannøya, a part of Helgøy municipality
Troms within Norway
Troms within Norway
Helgøy within Troms
Helgøy within Troms
Coordinates: 70°06′46″N 19°21′47″E / 70.11278°N 19.36306°E / 70.11278; 19.36306
CountryNorway
CountyTroms
DistrictHålogaland
Established1 Sept 1886
 • Preceded byKarlsøy Municipality
Disestablished1 Jan 1964
 • Succeeded byKarlsøy Municipality
Administrative centreHelgøya
Government
 • Mayor (1948-1963)Konrad Hansen
Area
 (upon dissolution)
 • Total659.3 km2 (254.6 sq mi)
 • Rank#148 in Norway
Highest elevation
[1]
1,049.3 m (3,442.6 ft)
Population
 (1963)
 • Total1,517
 • Rank#532 in Norway
 • Density2.3/km2 (6/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Decrease −5%
DemonymHelgøyværing[2]
Official language
[4]
 • Norwegian formBokmål[3]
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-1935[5]
Data from Statistics Norway

Helgøy is a former municipality in Troms county, Norway. The 659-square-kilometre (254 sq mi) island municipality existed from 1886 until its dissolution in 1964. It was located in the western part of the present-day Karlsøy Municipality. The municipality included the islands of Helgøya, Grøtøya, and Nordkvaløya, large parts of the nearby islands of Rebbenesøya, Ringvassøya, Vannøya, and many smaller surrounding islands. The administrative centre was located on the south side of the island of Helgøya in a small village where Helgøy Church is also located.[6]

Prior to its dissolution in 1964, the 659.3-square-kilometre (254.6 sq mi) municipality was the 148th largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Helgøy Municipality was the 532nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 1,517. The municipality's population density was 2.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (6.0/sq mi) and its population had decreased by 5% over the previous 10-year period.[7][8]

General information[edit]

From ancient times, the parish of Helgøy had existed. On 1 January 1838, municipal self-government law was introduced in Norway (see formannskapsdistrikt law), and the Helgøy parish was made a part of Karlsøy Municipality. Helgøy grew as a trading post under Christian Figenschou, but residents soon became dissatisfied with the municipal government based in Karlsøy.

On 1 September 1886 the parish of Helgøy was separated from Karlsøy Municipality to form a municipality of its own. Helgøy Municipality had an initial population of 828. Despite being separated, the two municipalities still had a common priest, sheriff, and doctor, but all these were residents in Karlsøy. From 1886 to 1892, Christian Figenschou was the mayor of Helgøy. After 1886, residents began developing a local town center on Helgøya island, with Helgøy Church, a rectory, a farm, and flourishing trade. A small village grew up around the church site and a permanent school in the parish was added on Helgøya island. Steam ships regularly stopped here and a post office was established. After 1928, a doctor and sheriff were permanently located here.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Helgøy Municipality was merged with the island portions of Karlsøy Municipality to form a new, larger Karlsøy Municipality. (The mainland areas of the old Karlsøy Municipality became part of Lyngen Municipality). Prior to the merger, Helgøy had a population of 1,495.[9]

Name[edit]

The municipality is named after the island of Helgøya (Old Norse: Helgøy) since the first Helgøy Church was built there. The first element is helgi which means "sanctuary" or " holy". The last element is øy which means "island". Thus the name means den hellige øy or "the holy island".[6][10] Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Helgø. On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Helgøy.[11]

Churches[edit]

The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Helgøy. It was part of the Karlsøy prestegjeld and the Nord-Troms prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Churches in Helgøy
Parish (sokn) Church name Location of the church Year built
Helgøy Helgøy Church Helgøya 1742

Geography[edit]

The highest point in the municipality was the 1,049.3-metre (3,443 ft) tall mountain Soltindan, which was located on the municipal border between Helgøy Municipality and Karlsøy Municipality.[1]

Government[edit]

While it existed, Helgøy Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[12] The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Mayors[edit]

The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Helgøy:[13]

  • 1886-1892: Christian Figenschou
  • 1893-1895: Guttorm Guttormsen Raste
  • 1896-1898: Edvard Raste
  • 1899-1901: Christian Figenschau
  • 1902-1903: Edvard Raste
  • 1904-1907: Hans Raste
  • 1907-1909: Søren Hansen
  • 1910-1913: Hans Raste
  • 1914-1922: Peder Nilsen
  • 1923-1925: Hans Raste
  • 1926-1934: Elias Olsen
  • 1935-1941: Edvard Baardsen
  • 1941-1941: Iwan Figenschou
  • 1941-1943: Matteus Grindberg
  • 1943-1943: Dmitri Figenschow
  • 1943-1943: Nils G. Rasthe
  • 1943-1945: John Olsen
  • 1945-1947: Edvard Baardsen
  • 1948-1963: Konrad Hansen

Municipal council[edit]

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Helgøy was made up of 15 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Helgøy herredsstyre 1960–1963 [14]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 10
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 5
Total number of members:15
Note: On 1 January 1964, Helgøy Municipality became part of Karlsøy Municipality.
Helgøy herredsstyre 1956–1959 [15]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 10
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 5
Total number of members:15
Helgøy herredsstyre 1952–1955 [16]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 5
  List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) 2
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 5
Total number of members:12
Helgøy herredsstyre 1948–1951 [17]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) 2
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 2
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 2
Total number of members:12
Helgøy herredsstyre 1945–1947 [18]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 4
Total number of members:12
Helgøy herredsstyre 1938–1941* [19]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 3
Total number of members:12
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Høgaste fjelltopp i kvar kommune" (in Norwegian). Kartverket. 16 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  3. ^ "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1932. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 453–471. 1932.
  4. ^ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  5. ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
  6. ^ a b Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (9 April 2018). "Helgøy". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  7. ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  8. ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 1951). Norges Sivile, Geistlige, Rettslige og Militære Inndeling 1. Januar 1951 (PDF). Norges Offisielle Statistikk (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: H. Aschehoug & Co.
  9. ^ Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  10. ^ Rygh, Oluf (1911). Norske gaardnavne: Troms amt (in Norwegian) (17 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 174.
  11. ^ "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1908. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Kristiania, Norge: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 24. 1908.
  12. ^ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  13. ^ Bratrein, Håvard Dahl. Karlsøy og Helgøy Bygdebok. Karlsøy kommune 1989-94 (in Norwegian).
  14. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  16. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  18. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 18 March 2020.

External links[edit]

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