SK Fram

Skiklubben Fram was a Norwegian skiing club, based in Oslo but with its sporting facilities in Vestre Aker—and from 1902 to 1923 in Oppland. Fram was founded in 1889, and after a down period around 1900 it was refurbished as an exclusive gentlemen's social club in a skiing setting. Early years, 1889–c.1900 The club was founded on 24 November 1889 at Framnæs near Skillebekk, whence the Fearnley family had moved here the same year. The club was named after the property and is thus one of very few Norwegian sports clubs named Fram not to derive its name from Nansen's vessel. The founders were ten young boys; Harald Andresen, N. O. Young Fearnley, Thomas Fearnley, Jr., Jens P. Heyerdahl, Waldemar Kallevig, Gerhard Kallevig, William Schiøtt, Johs Schiøtt, Søren Christian Sommerfelt and Sverre Smith (died in 1892). Sommerfelt served as the first chairman. A few new members were admitted before the turn of the century; Barthold A. Butenschøn, Sr. and Oscar Collett in 1890, Giert Giertsen and August Walle-Hansen in 1891, Westye Parr Egeberg in 1895 and Fritz Mowinckel in 1898. August Walle-Hansen became the second chairman in 1895, succeeding Sommerfelt. Fram participated in skiing contests while the boys were in school. Jens P. Heyerdahl was the most skilled member, but none of Fram's members competed at a high international level. The club did draft some skilled skiers in the 1890s, but their tenure as club members was short. Its closest rival club was SK Ondur. The somewhat older skiing clubs Christiania SK, SK Ull and SK Skuld were similar in structure to both Fram and Ondur, but attracted people from an older age segment. Christiania SK was the outspoken ideal of the Fram founders, as this club had achieved sporting success and already owned its own skiing cabin in Nordmarka. Fram rented cabin space at Øvre Tangen from 1893, thus becoming neighbors with Ondur, but in 1895 they acquired their own cabin near the lake Skjennungen. A cabin was designed by architect von Hanno, built downtown and then transported to the lakeside. The nearby hills Fossekneika and Skjennungsbakken were used for ski jumping. The club badge is circular, encapsulating the word Fram as well as a ski, a knapsack and a torch. It was designed by Kristofer Sinding-Larsen.