Sophia Wilkens
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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Sophia Wilkens was born in [[Kristianstad]], Sweden. Her father, Per Thomée (1780–1843) was a county governor and government official. Her mother, Maria Juliana Wideman (1797–1826) died when Sophia was eight years old. She was raised by her maternal grandmother in Karlskrona. |
Sophia Wilkens was born in [[Kristianstad]], Sweden. Her father, Per Thomée (1780–1843) was a county governor and government official. Her mother, Maria Juliana Wideman (1797–1826) died when Sophia was eight years old. She was raised by her maternal grandmother in Karlskrona. |
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She was the cousin of [[Johan Henrik Thomander]] (1798–1865), Bishop of the [[Diocese of Lund]] and belonged to the social upper classes of [[Karlskrona]], a notable city in Sweden in the mid-19th century. As was fashionable among upper-class females of her time, she was active as a social reformer through philanthropy. In 1838, she married Rudolf Wilkens (1809–1897) and settled in [[Karlshamn]]. They raised a family but lost their youngest child, Thomina, who died of [[scarlet fever]] at the age of four.{{cite web|url= https://litteraturbanken.se/%C3%B6vers%C3%A4ttarlexikon/artiklar/Johan_Henrik_Thomander|title= Johan Henrik Thomander, 1798–1865|publisher =Svenskt översättarlexikon|author= Karin Monié|access-date=December 1, 2018}} |
She was the cousin of [[Johan Henrik Thomander]] (1798–1865), Bishop of the [[Diocese of Lund]], and belonged to the social upper classes of [[Karlskrona]], a notable city in Sweden in the mid-19th century. As was fashionable among upper-class females of her time, she was active as a social reformer through philanthropy. In 1838, she married Rudolf Wilkens (1809–1897) and settled in [[Karlshamn]]. They raised a family but lost their youngest child, Thomina, who died of [[scarlet fever]] at the age of four.{{cite web|url= https://litteraturbanken.se/%C3%B6vers%C3%A4ttarlexikon/artiklar/Johan_Henrik_Thomander|title= Johan Henrik Thomander, 1798–1865|publisher =Svenskt översättarlexikon|author= Karin Monié|access-date=December 1, 2018}} |
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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Between the years 1850–1877, she |
Between the years 1850–1877, she established three facilities in Karlskrona: the Children's Home ({{Lang|sv|Barnhemmet}}), Deaf Institute ({{Lang|sv|Dövstuminstitutet}}) and Protection Center ({{Lang|sv|Skyddshemmet}}) which received people from throughout Southern Sweden. |
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In 1859, she was given the care of an intellectually disabled girl. The same year, she founded her own orphanage. In 1864, the commune decided to do something for the deaf and mute of the county and her school, being the only one in existence, were given financial support. The following year, it was moved into new localities, and from 1868 onward, it was given governmental support. |
In 1859, she was given the care of an intellectually disabled girl. The same year, she founded her own orphanage. In 1864, the commune decided to do something for the deaf and mute of the county and her school, being the only one in existence, were given financial support. The following year, it was moved into new localities, and from 1868 onward, it was given governmental support. |
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