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 It was interesting to learn that the most prominent entrepreneur in Omsk M.A. Shanina was the first woman in the city to
join merchant elite in its first guild.
She was born on the 24th of March 1864 in the family of omsk bourgeoisie Alexander Egorovitch Nakladov . As a child
Mary had quick wits and a glib tongue. Being a young girl she began to help her father in his shop situated at the foot of
a hill on Mokrinskiy forstadt. Many years later Maria Shanina opened her shop there. In her 16 she was a pretty girl with
grey eyes an independent character which was evident to everyone who bought tar and carriage grease in Nakladov's shop.
Her father's business though slowly but developed. Early in 1881 when she was not even 17 Maria married Mikchail
Nikonorovich Shanin a hereditary freeman of the city Vyazniki, Vladimirskaya province. She was registered as a merchant's
daughter and among the witnesses were Trofim and Matvey Tchasovitin, prominent Omsk merchants. Mikhail Shanin was a
widower 13 years older than Maria. He came to Omsk to set up his business and to represent a wealthy merchant Dyorov from
Volga region. Maria led a usual life of most of merchant's wives.
Mikhail went to trade fairs, run his business and she gave birth to seven daughters within 9 years. However only 3
survived. In those years Maria had no time for commerce as she was absorbed in her family life. Their shop traded in
cotton and woolen fabric brought from central Russian provinces. But there was one bad thing. Mikhail began to drink.
Perhaps it was a result of his long separation from the family or the lack of Maria's attention during their first years
of family life. Shanin drank more and more and when drunk he brawled and rowed therefore sometimes he had to be isolated
from people. Maria never complained of her fate but didn't want to yield to it. Having the experience she gained in her
father's shop, gradually Maria began to take over the business. She intended to build a large beautiful shop in Omsk
trading in goods all over the world. In December 1896 after showing a firm grip she bought a lot for a half of its
original price offered by a city council. Thus, a beautiful two-storied house with large mirror windows appeared in Omsk.
In the early 1910s in a shop's annex Shanina opened sewing workshops.
After her husband's death Maria successfully developed her business. Shanina was one of the first to realize that in
order to get a profit she must invest.
Maria Aleksandrovna was sympathetic to other people sorrows as she had a difficult life herself. She donated her money to
the victims of the earthquake in Kazakhstan and contributed to repair of the only Omsk museum.
In 1916 in honor of Omsk 200-anniversary she made the largest donation of 25 thousands rubles for establishing Omsk
Popular University which was never opened.
After the revolution her houses were nationalized, her deposits were impounded. In 1920 Shanina left for Moscow. Since
then though she was not heard of, everybody remembered Maria Shanina not only as a businesslike person but also as a kind
and sympathetic woman who along with business talent had a broad Russian soul. Everyone who was in her service received a
dowry when they married. She was exacting but kind mistress.
Shanina was not only successful and lucky entrepreneur. City Duma awarded her with hereditary freedom of the city as an
evidence of her services to the city she had lived in almost the whole life.
In society it was usual for a wealthy woman to join trustee organizations or charitable committees. Shanina was not an
exception. In 1905 Tsar Government rewarded her with a small gold medal for her constant contribution to Charitable
Society by donating clothes and money.
Her charitable activities were remarkable for breadth of application and constancy. She paid special attention to
helping orphans in organization of commercial education. She was well known by her donations to Olginsk orphanage, Omsk
refuge for poor children, Akmolinsk Stepnoy Trustee organization for widows and orphans.
Shanina's Estate
The reason why the estate was redeemed is unknown. It could be a charitable purpose, religious convictions, memory of a
daughter who died shortly before or just commercial reason. There were several buildings constructed in the estate: a
steward's house, a merchant's wing, a lodge, a bath house, stables, a small church, barns and a poultry house. From the
people who told us about the history of Shanina's estate we've learnt that she ordered to build here a two storied house
for orphans. In the centre near the house grew an ash tree. There hung a big cast-iron plate with a hammer to beat with
in case of danger. On the territory of today stadium a pool with a Cupid figure was situated. Near the pool there were
stables, pride of the estate. The children were taught equestrian. Shanina didn't spare money and bought pedigree horses.
The children took care of the horses and showed their skill on a race track. Nikolay Ruchkin was their teacher. Moreover,
we have learnt that there were three large gardens in the estate: a northern one, a southern one and one near the
steward's house.
Shanina loved beauty and could appreciate it. She wanted to share her love with the children. Therefore the children not
only took care of trees but they tried to create an atmosphere for rest. There were benches and alleys for walking in the
gardens. Diligence and love for animals thus brought up in children helped them become true citizens. One can see care for
safety of the estate as we still can observe ditches surrounding the gardens. One of them was a border of the estate.
There were different trees growing in the gardens: lime trees, pear trees, apple trees, ebony tree brought from Japan, a
rabbitberry tree, a lot of lilac trees, dogrose and hawthorn. Around the gardens grew acacia. Everything was planted
manually.
A gardener and a forester were chief stewards and Shanina's assistants. It is pleasant to mention that the children run
the house themselves. On the territory of today 12th microdistrict there were fields where people raise corn, and behind
them a ground for hay. In the estate there was even a well to take water from.
Translated by Omsk interpreter Asya
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