The Building

In the beginning, rooms in the Admiral Superintendent of the Navy Yard’s offices were placed at the disposal of the Society, but it soon became clear that it needed its own premises. A petition was therefore sent to the Crown, requesting the use of the two-storey building in the Navy Yard known as “Rabin House” which then stood empty. King Karl XIV Johan (1763 – 1844, King of Sweden 1818 – 1844) gave his gracious assent to the proposal, and the whole building was then moved lock, stock and barrel to the Admiralty Square where in 1821 it was inaugurated. Ten years later in 1831 läsesällskapet (eg. reading society) was given rooms there, and renamed the Naval Officers Club. At various times during the following years several extensions were made to the original building, entailing considerable costs to the Society’s members. According to then valid Rules and Regulations the aims of the Society were “to meet twice weekly in order to converse, gain admission to the Royal Society of Naval Sciences’ library and amuse oneself with simple parlour games”.

In the beginning of 1880’s, financial pressure forced the Society to petition the King yet again, this time with the proposal that the property should return to Crown ownership. The offer was accepted but it would seem that the new owners had not read the fine print, for they now found that they were responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the building for all time.

In 1929, the Society received a considerable donation from the Bank Director K.A. Wallenberg to build and equip a library in the house on Admiralty Square. The result of this donation can now be seen on the second floor of the building.