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+47 33 18 34 87
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Kirkestredet, 3263 Larvik


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Colin Archers House
Larvik


The world famous naval architect Colin Archer was born and raised in the house, located at Tollerodden. He is most famous for the rescue boats and the polar ship FRAM used in both Fridtjof Nansen’s and Roald Amundsen’s polar expeditions.

After school and 1.5 year as ship builder apprentice, he went to Queensland, Australia and joined six of his elder brothers doing sheep farming. Colin there became the administrator and were in charge of transporting cargo to the coast on and up and down the Fitzroy River.

In 1861, Archer returned home to Larvik for an 18 months “service” to look after his old parents. Under this stay he took up boat building and studied international shipbuilding and decided to stay in Norway. In 1869 he was married to Karen Sophie Wiborg (1838-1908) with whom he had five children. In 1872 he had built a house for his family next to his parent’s house.