HLA

Axel Granlund's "Fräjdebok" corresponds to the more modern seaman's book. These books recorded enlistments, disenlistments and work certificates (so-called "testimony") for the seaman in question. The Fräjdebok was obtained by registering in a so-called seamen's house, in Axel's case the Seamen's House in Mariehamn. The purpose of the seamen's houses was to collect and communicate information about all domestic seafarers and all ships intended for trade that had their domicile within the kingdom, to keep a list of seafarers and ships, and to otherwise look after the seafarers and provide support for them and their surviving widows and children. Every seafarer in commercial shipping had to be registered at a seamen's house, normally the one in whose district he was registered.