Peter Anker

Peter Anker (31 July 1744 – 17 April 1832) was a Norwegian diplomat, military officer and colonial general. He served as Consul in Hull, consul general in London and later as governor for the Danish settlement of Tranquebar. He was also known for his watercolour illustrations documenting his travels and life. Biography Anker was born in Fredrikshald, Norway as a son of Erik Ancher (1709–1785) and Anne Catherine Tank (1723–1761). He was a brother of Carsten Tank Anker, and changed his surname from Ancher to Anker in 1778. He held the military rank of Major General, but was best known as a colonial governor for Denmark–Norway. He was the country's consul in Kingston upon Hull from 1773 to 1776. He was a careful illustrator and his diagrams of Newcomen steam engines from England introduced the concept into Norway and Denmark. Anker was appointed Governor-general of the Danish-Norwegian colony at Tranquebar from 1786 to 1808. While there he collected local art and made a series of drawing and painting which are now in the Ethnographic Museum at the University of Oslo.