Kirkkokatu street 12, Fontell's House. The window on the far left at the edge of Pekkatori Square.
After the fire of 1810, many of Raahe's powerful families built houses near Pekkatori Square. Michel Fontell's house on the north side of the northeast corner of Pekkatori Square was completed in 1813.
After the fire of 1810, many of Raahe's powerful families built houses near Pekkatori square: the Langis, Fontellis, Montinis, Sovelius-Soviots, Friemans, Hedmansons, and Reinis. The builders were the town's most prominent burghers, councilmen, merchants, and shipowners.
Merchant Michel Fontell's (1783–1856) house on the north side of the northeast corner of Pekkatori was completed in 1813. Both wings of the corner house are under the same roof. The market wing was completed in 1813, shorter than the two eastern window axes, which date from 1913 and 1920. The roof was hipped on the west side, but gabled on the east side. Nine windows opened onto the market square. In addition, there were two false windows at the west end.
The room on the market square side served as a shop and had a double door with high wooden steps. Traces of the door are still visible today. The main entrance was located in the middle of the courtyard wall, in its current location.
In 1819, Fontell informed the magistrate that he intended to extend his house with two rooms to the north. A long wing was completed along Kirkkokatu by 1838. The porches on the courtyard side date from the 1850s. Later, numerous repairs were made to Fontell's house. According to Samuli Paulaharju's book Wanha Raahe (Old Town Raahe), the property was owned by merchant Henrik Montin in the 1850s and 1860s.
The archives of the Technical Agency's Real Estate and Surveying Department show that Jakob Krank and Zachris Cajander purchased the property in 1890. In 1895, the children of merchant Fredrik Sovelius, Ebba and Matts August, were registered as the owners.
The property changed hands several times during the 20th century. After the war, the building became the property of the city and was used as a rental property. The last renovation was carried out in 1989–1990, when changes were made to the room layout.
The Fontell house and plot have been transferred to the ownership of the city's rental housing company (Kummatti Oy). New rental apartments have been built on the northern part of the plot.
The Trade Association handled trade matters
As early as the 1700s, merchants had joined together to form a trade association. It handled all matters related to trade in the city.
In May 1826, the merchants' association received its first donation, 333 riksdaler, from merchant Michel Fontell and his wife Elisabeth Rysslander. They stipulated that the interest should first be paid to their youngest son, Fredrik Ferdinand Fontell (1811–1864), to cover his schooling. When Fredrik turned 21 or had been a university student for a year, part of the donation was to be given to a poor merchant as a pension.
Sons Johan, Isak, Michael, and Fredrik
The eldest son, Johan, was born on April 5, 1810. He studied at the Oulu Trivial School in 1821. Johan graduated from high school in Turku in 1827. He moved from Raahe in 1833 and served as a clerk in Finland's 1st Marine Corps (a naval unit in the Grand Duchy of Finland's army).
Isak was born on December 6, 1812. His short life ended on February 15, 1813. Michael was born on June 14, 1815. He died at the age of 24 on July 29, 1839, in Liverpool, England.
The youngest, Fredrik, was born on November 18, 1811. He studied at the Oulu Trivial School from 1823 to 1828. He graduated from Turku on June 25, 1828. He was a sailor and captain from 1833 onwards. He served as a burgher in Raahe from 1836. He lived as a landowner in Kalajoki from 1848 to 1849 but moved back to Raahe. He made nine sea voyages. He is said to have known 12 languages. His life ended in Raahe on March 11, 1864. (Student register and Geni)
The head of the family, Michel Fontell, was also a shipowner, as he owned the sailing ship Adonis, tonnage 24, built in 1815 in Raahe and registered in 1823.
It is quite strange that Fontell himself had to receive assistance from the trade association. In 1850, the trade association decided to grant Fontell interest on donations for the rest of his life. He had to be taken care of and provided with full care in the countryside. (Alma Söderhjelm: The City of Raahe 1649–1899)
Fontell's house is now a residential building owned by Kiinteistö Oy Kummatti.
More information
Henrik Lilius: Raahen Pekkatori
Back to the front page of the Old Town Raahe Advent Calendar