Martin Christian Restorff

Martin Christian Restorff (1816-1897)

Merchant and baker. He was commonly known as old Restorff. The business he founded, M.C. Restorff og Sønner, was the biggest company in Tórshavn in its day. Tórshavn Municipality named him its first honorary citizen. He was deeply committed to aiding the poor.

M.C. Restorff. Source: The National Museum of the Faroe Islands

A throng of people followed old Restorff to his grave. He died on 24^th July 1897. The previous year, on his 80^th birthday, he had been named honorary citizen of Tórshavn. By then he had been a town resident for nearly 50 years. When he arrived from Copenhagen in 1848 he initially set up as a baker and pastry chef, but spent his later years at the helm of the company M.C. Restorff og Sønner. At the time of his death, his business had become the biggest taxpayer in town. His great-grandson William Heinesen offers this description of the firm in the short story ‘Small town and Babel’ (‘Småstad og babel’):

‘… The monopoly store annexes deep in the West Bay were taken over by a master baker from Copenhagen, and here he founded one of the islands’ largest klipfish firms. Baker Restorff’s flourishing enterprise soon grew to include a sizeable fishing fleet, in addition to two freight schooners and myriad smaller vessels used for local coastal transport. The expansive deserted cliff tongues girding the gaping bays offered superb fish drying conditions; new buildings cropped up on the shores, fish houses, salt stores, cooperage, fish oil smeltery, beer brewery and coffee roastery, and for the poor men and women of this port there was work to be had, good money to be earned and goods to purchase.’

In those days Tórshavn was plagued by poverty. William’s mother, Carolina Heinesen, recalls in her memoirs how her grandfather always tried to help the poor:

‘… grandfather had himself worked his way up from meagre means, so he understood poverty, and did all he could to improve their lot. When they came to the shop to buy bread, they would usually get a second one for free, and during the holidays he would boil entire brewer’s kettles of ræst meat and soup and invite anyone who so wished to come have their fill. He also always tried to find work for them, but when he came across a lazy person he was not inclined to help, he loathed idleness.”

Old Restorff was also famously fond of children. In 1878 he borrowed the parliament chamber to put on a Christmas celebration and bring joy to the children of Tórshavn. There is only one other honorary citizen of Tórshavn. In 1980 the very same honour was bestowed on his great-grandson author William Heinesen by the city council.

Sources:

Dødsfald. In: Dimmalætting 31^st July 1897. Tórshavn.

Heinesen, William. Fortællinger fra Thorshavn. 1995. Viborg.

Isaksen, Djóni (D.I.). Jól í Havn fyri 50 árum síðani. In: Tingakrossur 22^nd December 1909. Tórshavn.

Memoirs by Caroline Heinesen, born 1873 (unpublished manuscript).

Skatten efter Formue og Lejlighed til Thorshavns Kommune for Aaret 1897-98. In: Dimmalættng 6^th November 1897. Thorshavn.

Tíðindir úr Førjum. Í: Føringatíðindi 5^th August 1897. Tórshavn.

William Heinesen blivin heiðursborgari í Havn: – Eri ikki vísur í, um eg havi hetta uppiborið. In: Sosialurin 15^th March 1980. Tórshavn.