Bugrovs XVIII-XX century. The private life of an Old Believer millionaire

The millionaire Old Believer industrialist Nikolai Bugrov, owner of the Bugrov Association of Steam Mechanical Mills, was an innovator, philanthropist, and successful businessman. He was one of the first in Russia to introduce the roller grinding method, which increased the amount of flour produced from the same volume of grain by 15–20% as with conventional grinding. Despite the fact that Bugrov owned virtually the entire flour-grinding business of the Volga region, the top management of his company consisted of only three people: himself, a clerk and an accountant. The structure of the company was so optimal that later Stalin brought it to his economists as a model of ideal management. Bugrov owned a whole fleet that transported his products along the Volga, and had the right to supply grain to the tsarist army. He was a millionaire merchant and the largest homeowner of his native Nizhny Novgorod- many historical buildings here were built by him. At the same time, Bugrov's business was fully socially responsible: the industrialist spent 45% of his profits on charity, he was the organizer of the first Old Believer sanatorium in Russia for workers, schools for their children, etc.

Nikolai Alexandrovich Bugrov was not Zuckerberg: he earned his millions not thanks to a new product that quickly became fashionable, but in the most traditional business - flour milling. Yes, and he did not start from scratch - for two generations of his family belonged to the wealthy layer. It was his grandfather, Pyotr Yegorovich, who in his youth was muttering on the Volga - he dragged bags of salt onto the barge, and then he saved up money for his own barge and began to trade in transportation and trade. In 1829, Bugrov-grandfather founded his own flour mill (he owned several water mills), and also built an iron-cutting plant. In the city he was called none other than grandfather: he was well known among the people. “I personally knew up to 15 people who were redeemed by him from the soldiery; each of them cost him at least 800 rubles, ”writes the author of the Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language, official Vladimir Dal, who from 1849 to 1859 managed the royal specific estate in the Nizhny Novgorod province, from where, in fact, the Bugrovs came from. Pyotr Yegorovich even allowed poor peasants to use his land for free. For three generations, the Bugrov family has not lost touch with the environment from which it emerged, despite the fact that they were friends with the governors, and ruined nobles who wanted to borrow money came to bow to them. Using connections with their community, the Bugrovs amassed a whole army of workers and managers, many of whom were Bugrov's relatives or in-laws.

Nizhny Novgorod province in the XIX century in terms of the development of capitalism was one of the exemplary: thanks to the largest water artery- The Volga and the development of crafts trade flourished here. The famous Nizhny Novgorod fair for a hundred years was the largest in Russia: goods were brought here not only from all over the country, but also from Europe, from Muslim countries - Turkey, Iran, the Emirate of Bukhara, etc. There was an exchange at the fair. At his peasant level, Bugrov-grandfather gave a rather deep philosophical justification for the social significance of capitalism. “It’s a sin to keep money in a chest, you need to let it go so that the people can feed on it,” the industrialist said. This favorably distinguished him from many other Nizhny Novgorod industrialists who were engaged in buying up and reselling the products of various workshops (the Nizhny Novgorod province was considered the first in the country in the development of handicraft production), but did not seek to expand trade to other cities that did not master new business sectors.

So, from the very birth (1837), Nikolai Bugrov already had good starting opportunities. Does this detract from his merit? Probably not. Did Darwin's scientific significance become less because his grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, was already interested in the evolution of the animal world? Was Alexander the Great a less talented commander than is commonly believed, because he inherited the royal power and army from his father Philip? So Bugrov Jr. not only did not squander the good he inherited (which was the sin of hundreds of young merchants who preferred drunken “downshifting” in taverns to commercial success), but also multiplied it many times, turning into one of the largest figures of capitalism emerging in the country.

The fate of Bugrov Jr. a prime example the power of technological modernization. Until the 1880s, Nikolai Aleksandrovich, helping his father, developed his grandfather's empire mainly extensively - increasing the number of buyers of flour from six family-owned mills, which, like centuries ago, worked on water traction and ground grain with the help of archaic millstones. However, in the 1880s, the Russian flour milling industry faced a difficult problem: due to the consequences of the global economic crisis that began in 1873, the prices of agricultural products in all countries fell sharply, and in addition, due to the rapid development of farms in the United States, the European market was littered with cheap American bread. In 1883, when Nikolai Bugrov took over the management of the family firm, bread was losing its role as one of the main export products of Russia before our eyes - domestic flour millers went bankrupt, the landowners who sowed bread could barely make ends meet.

In this difficult situation Bugrov drew attention to the vulnerabilities of his business. First of all, he completely re-equipped all the mills: instead of water wheels, double traction was used - water turbines in combination with steam engines, instead of stone millstones - steel rollers, which made it possible to obtain the finest flour of high quality. If the water wheels stopped working during the lowering of the water level in the rivers, then the new mechanisms allowed the mills to work around the clock and at any time of the year. As a result, six mills began to grind several times more grain per year than before - up to 8 million poods of wheat, about 1.5 million poods of rye and about 1.5 million poods of millet. Instead of the three varieties of flour that the company produced before, now 12 varieties were supplied to the shops. In 1896, Bugrov's company received the right to supply bread for the entire Russian army - this large government contract gave his business the necessary stability.
But Bugrov's management methods can hardly be called innovative. However, for all their archaism, they were effective: even after the revolution, when successful entrepreneurs Tsarist times fell into the category of bloodsuckers and world-eaters, even the first persons of the state spoke respectfully about the management techniques used by Nikolai Alexandrovich. The Soviet writer Felix Chuev cites the memoirs of one of the participants in the meeting with Stalin, which took place in the first months of the Great Patriotic War. The People's Commissar of Machine Tool Building was asked to increase the production of military equipment. The People's Commissar replied that he could not cope with the existing staff, and asked to increase the administrative apparatus to 800 people. Then Stalin gave the example of the “milling king” of tsarist times and asked:

What do you think, what kind of staff did Bugrov have to manage his entire economy, as well as control over it? - and continued: - Bugrov had: himself, a clerk and an accountant, to whom he paid 25 thousand rubles a year. In addition, the accountant had a free apartment and rode Bugrov horses. Apparently, the accountant was worth that kind of money, Bugrov would not have paid him in vain. That's the whole state. But the capitalist Bugrov could have recruited more workers. However, the capitalist will not spend money unless absolutely necessary, even though the money is his property.

In fact, everything was even more interesting: Bugrov did not want to hire these closest assistants either, preferring to handle complex cases on his own - he carried all the documents in his undershirt pocket. Trading partners persuaded him to keep up with the times - to get an accountant. Bugrov seemed to succumb: he ordered an experienced accountant from Moscow and put him in a richly furnished office. However, he did not hand over any cases to him - he referred to the fact that it would take years only to inventory the inventory, and he had no time for business. After spitting at the ceiling for three months, the accountant said that he was not ready to continue “working” in this way, and quit. However, later, when the number of trading partners with whom Bugrov worked grew almost tenfold, he recognized the need for an accountant and hired another who had worked for him for more than 20 years.

On the other hand, a whole army worked at the mills of Nikolai Alexandrovich - about 2 thousand workers and employees, a huge figure for firms of that time. A kind of loyalty reward system was built at the enterprises. Wage was higher than that of competitors (for example, the salary of sailors who served on the company's steamships was 32 rubles a month - the average worker did not receive so much even in Moscow), and the working day was surprisingly short: only eight hours. And this is at a time when in Europe, no laws limited the length of the working day! In addition, the employer provided its employees free meals and even gifts for the holidays.

In fact, there is something in Bugrov's methods consonant with the Soviet methods of encouraging workers. The capitalist Bugrov was perhaps the first person in Russia who came up with the idea of ​​rewarding for work: “I would give crosses and orders for work - to carpenters, machinists, labor, black people. He succeeded in his work - here is honor and glory to you! Compete further. And that in the course of things stepped on someone's head - it's nothing! We don’t live in the desert, without pushing, you won’t get through! Later, this idea was revived in Soviet awards, such as the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, for example.

Surprisingly: unlike the current oligarchs, the rich of that time were generous people and willingly spent money on public needs. In the charter of the Association of Steam Mechanical Mills, it was written that 45% of net profit should be allocated to charity annually. This figure is now striking: the Nizhny Novgorod millionaire spent almost half of everything he received from his mills for the needs of the poor. In order to fully understand the phenomenon of Bugrovsky patronage, we must remember that by religion he was an Old Believer fugitive. This Old Believer sense was once subjected to state repressions, and the active mutual assistance of fellow believers became an indispensable condition for survival. It is easy to see that most of Bugrov's charitable activities were directed precisely at the Old Believers. So, he opened an “Old Orthodox” school and three almshouses for fellow believers, the first sanatorium in Russia for his workers, most of whom were Old Believers. And in 1887, the industrialist, in alliance with his relatives, the Blinov brothers, built the Widow's House on Monastyrskaya Square - the first shelter in Russia for single women with children. The structure of the shelter was reminiscent of modern family-type student dormitories: widows were accommodated in 165 apartments with a shared bath and laundry. The children went to primary school, and then they were engaged in workshops, where girls were taught to sew, and boys to shoemaking. Bugrov was also known for his help to the victims of the fire, many of whom he rebuilt the huts and gave a horse or a cow to live on.

The Old Believer rules ordered large sums to be donated to the needs of the suffering, and the public looked askance at those who violated this rule. On the contrary, the one who did not skimp became an influential person - one should not forget that the Old Believers remained deprived of their rights until 1917, and the participation of Old Believer merchants in municipal affairs allowed them to gain authority among the Orthodox, belonging to the official church. It was not for nothing that Bugrov received the title of honorary citizen of Nizhny Novgorod: in 1878, together with his father, he spent 75 thousand rubles on the reconstruction of the city's water supply. The largest homeowner of Nizhny Novgorod, he invested huge amounts of money in urban construction: a new building of the city duma, of which he was the vowel, was erected with his money; he also sponsored the restoration of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, the construction of a trading building (a sort of version of a modern supermarket) located along the Green Congress, the construction of a rooming house for vagrants in Skoba (a long, full-facing sign hung over the entrance "Do not drink vodka. Do not sing songs. Behave quiet" - in the Old Believers drinking alcoholic beverages was considered terrible sin), etc. And Nikolai Aleksandrovich received his “Anna on the neck” for participating in the arrangement of the XVI All-Russian Art and Industrial Exhibition in 1896 (Bugrov timed the construction of several buildings to this event, including the building of the Volga-Kama Bank) and especially for the assistance provided to the city authorities in preparing the visit of Their Imperial Majesties to Nizhny Novgorod in the summer of that year.

Homeowner, philanthropist and major philanthropist of the Nizhny Novgorod province and one of the largest in Russia.

Biography

Modernized the production of flour by introducing the roller milling method. Since 1896, he received the right to supply bread for the Russian army. To transport grain along the Volga, the Bugrovs maintained a whole fleet of barges and steamers.

Bugrov was the de facto secular leader of the Beglopopov Old Believer community in Nizhny Novgorod. Almost the entire production of Old Believer ladders was in the hands of Bugrov.

N. A. Bugrov is dedicated to one of the biographical essays of M. Gorky (“N. A. Bugrov”), I. V. Stalin said that it is necessary to learn from Bugrov how to manage people's commissariats - the entire huge fleet for transporting grain and flour and almost all mills on the upper and middle Volga (not counting local managers) were managed by Bugrov himself, a clerk and accountant, the latter of whom received 30 thousand rubles a year (a cow cost 3-5 rubles) and the right to use Bugrov's stable.

Charity

Nikolai Alexandrovich Bugrov devoted a lot of time and money to charity, the construction of almshouses, doss houses, etc. It is believed that during his life he only distributed alms about 10 million rubles.

He was the largest landlord in Nizhny Novgorod. He invested heavily in urban construction, part of the income from which regularly went to the maintenance of a lodging house for tramps, built by his father. In addition, Bugrov completed the construction begun by his father in Nizhny Novgorod "Widow's House", built the building of the Volga-Kama Bank (Rozhdestvenskaya St., 27), financed the construction of the City Duma building on Blagoveshchenskaya Square (currently the Palace of Labor, B. Pokrovskaya, 1).

The annual profit of Bugrov's enterprise was divided approximately in the following proportion:

• 45% for the needs of the city - mainly the construction of public buildings, doss houses (Rozhdestvenskaya 2), charity houses (for the illiterate - houses for widows with children) Sq. Lyadova, 2 and profitable buildings designed to cover the costs of the poor and widows (Zelensky congress, 10).
• 45% for company development
• The rest is at your own discretion - for your own needs, charity, etc.

Sewerage and Plumbing

At his expense, the first central sewage system was created, which was shifted only in the early 1990s in order to increase throughput(Pokhvalinsky congress) and the first water supply.

a prominent figure in the Old Believers, accepting the priesthood, passing from the dominant church (beglopopov consent), one of the largest Russian entrepreneurs, merchant of the 1st guild, manufactory-adviser and philanthropist. Born in 1837 in Nizhny Novgorod, in an Old Believer family. He became the successor of the business started by his grandfather, Pyotr Yegorovich, and his father, Alexander Petrovich. ON THE. One of the biographical sketches of M. Gorky is dedicated to Bugrov.

He was a major grain merchant, since 1896 he received the right to supply bread for the entire Russian army, the owner of many steam mills, a dozen steamships, and a whole flotilla of cargo barges.

"Association of Steam Mechanical Mills" N.A. Bugrova had representative offices in 20 largest cities of Russia. Bugrov carried out major banking operations, was a member of the board of Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow banks.

Bugrov was respected. It was considered a great honor to have tea with him at the Nizhny Novgorod Stock Exchange. Bugrov's authority was so high that when he and the Nizhny Novgorod governor visited the Minister of Internal Affairs, they first invited Nikolai Alexandrovich, and then the governor. When one of the governors expired, Bugrov presented him with a bunch of torn gubernatorial bills on a silver tray as a gift, which meant: he forgives the governor all his debts.

Bugrov is especially remembered by the people of Nizhny Novgorod for his generous charity, he allocated not crumbs for it, but annually 45% of his net income. It is believed that during his life he distributed about 10 million rubles. alms. With the participation of brother-in-law Blinov, he built the Widow's House, where he settled widows who did not have the means to live, with children. There is water heating in the building, ovens in the kitchens. To services of tenants - free-of-charge hospital and school, by holidays - gifts. A special room with a cradle was even equipped, where would-be mothers could discreetly put the child. Bugrov accepted everyone, knowing that "God guards the stranger, the sire (orphan) and the widow accepts."
Bugrov could not stand parasites and drunkards, but he believed that the one who stumbled should be helped. Therefore, together with his father, he built an overnight shelter on Rozhdestvenskaya Street, the Charter of which refuted the then widespread saying "a Russian person consists of a soul, a body and a passport."

In the photo: the inhabitants of the Bugrov doss house

Bugrov ordered not to ask for passports. Anyone could spend the night here, observing the rules: "do not drink alcohol, do not smoke, do not bawl songs." Found for a while a haven in this rooming house and A.M. Peshkov, who came to thank Bugrov for this, had already become Maxim Gorky. By the way, it was Nikolai Aleksandrovich who gave Gorky money to open the Stolby tea shop with a library for the poor.

Bugrov, together with his father Alexander Petrovich, the merchants Blinovs and Kurbatovs, built and donated a water pipe to the city, which residents could use for free. In addition, Bugrov helped many shelters, kept Old Believers in the city and villages.

Since 1879, he was constantly elected as a member of the Nizhny Novgorod City Duma. Since 1907 - permanent chairman All-Russian Brotherhood in the name of Saint Nicholas.
With his own funds, he supported the Komarovsky and Malinovsky sketes resumed after the persecution, built a temple in the latter in the name of the appearance of the Kazan icon, built the Assumption Church in Gorodets, and renewed the revered grave of the Kerzhen elder Sophronius.

This support was so tangible that in colloquial speech the Beglopopovites were often referred to as Bugrovtsy, Bugrovsky consent. He helped with money not only the fugitive communities, but also the Chernukhinsky skete of the neo-okrugs. At his expense, the All-Russian congresses of Beglopopists were held in Nizhny Novgorod. He financially supported the fruitless efforts of his brothers at that time to find a bishop, but at the same time he often received bishops and priests of the Belokrinitsky hierarchy in his house, whom he treated with unfailing respect. In his view, the unification of the Belokrinitsky Old Believers and the Beglopopovtsy should have taken place on equal terms after the Beglopopovtsy accepted the bishop.
Presidium of the Congress of Old Believers, in the center - N.A. Bugrov

Until his death, he did not forget the Old Believer villages. In Popovo, the magnificent brick buildings of the school and a residential building for students have survived to this day. There is a church built by him, under the mountain - a bathhouse for students, once finished with ceramic tiles.

After 1905, Nikolai Alexandrovich ensured that the Old Believer school with Old Believer teachers, with the teaching of the Church Slavonic language and hook singing, received equal rights with mainstream schools. This school existed on interest from the capital invested by Bugrov. Old Believers brought their children from all over the area to this school.

According to the will, all institutions built by Bugrov were to function even after his death, subsidized by money held in bank accounts specially designed for this purpose. The same special account was left by Nikolai Alexandrovich for elderly workers, as well as for those who suffered in the service. Bugrov generally treated his workers well. They had, for example, an eight-hour day and free meals.

April 16, 1911 after prolonged illness Nikolai Alexandrovich died. "Live in peace, do not offend anyone" - his last words.

After the death of N.A. Bugrov, all his fortune passed to four nieces - his daughters older sister Enaf Alexandrovna. One of these nieces was the Samara Old Believer Anfisa Bezpalova, an active member of the Samara Beglopopovskaya community. After the death in 1916 of Bugrov's other sister, unmarried Zinovia Alexandrovna, the Bugrov family name itself ceased.

In preparing the article, data from the Dictionary of S.G. Vurgaft and I.A. Ushakov "Old Believers: Persons, Events, Objects and Symbols", as well as materials from the Nizhny Novgorod press, were used.

The Bugrovs are the most eminent surname among the pre-revolutionary Old Believer merchants of Nizhny Novgorod. They are remembered by the people of Nizhny Novgorod not so much for their riches as for their generous charity. The Bugrovs, like all entrepreneurs, did not miss the opportunity to increase their capital. But at the same time, they always acted honestly and fairly, firmly observing the entrepreneurial credo formulated by the founder of the company: Do it so that you feel good and no one is bad: The history of P.E. Bugrov, the founder of the dynasty, clearly proves that getting rich honestly is not easy, but possible. By this he set an instructive example for all modern business people. He himself expressed himself briefly and clearly on this subject: “If God gave a person a mind, then it is necessary to work with him: And he skillfully used the possibilities of a new service. Bargainism has always been considered a social quagmire. could. Therefore, already here, at the barge haul, "thanks to his industriousness and sobriety, he could initiate the initial accumulation" - necessary condition entrepreneurial business.

In 1825, Pyotr Yegorovich bought a barge-barge for 5,000 rubles, which laid the foundation for the Bugrovskaya river flotilla, which his heirs would multiply. And Petr Bugrov himself became a major salt contractor. Pyotr Bugrov achieved a lot in salt and grain contracts. But most of all, he became famous for construction contracts, during which he grew into the best organizer of the construction business in Nizhny Novgorod, he always performed construction work so soundly that the buildings erected by him still adorn Nizhny Novgorod. We will list only some of the largest charitable investments of P.E. Bugrov.

Strengthening the slope of the Volga embankment is the main contribution of P. Bugrov to the reconstruction of Nizhny Novgorod (more than a hundred thousand rubles were spent).

In 1846-1850, P. Bugrov, for 13,104 rubles, contracted to repair spring damage along the Otkos, Kremlin Boulevard, Zelensky Congress, on Lykovaya and Varvarskaya dams. Repaired the provincial offices in the Kremlin. Completed the decoration of the amazing Alexander Garden on the Otkos, which has lost its former beauty in Soviet time.

He signed a large contract for paving the main square of the city, then called Verkhnebazarnaya (now Minin and Pozharsky Square). Following this, Bugrov paved the parade ground in front of the governor's palace in the Kremlin, paved the square in front of the building of the Nobility Assembly (now the Sverdlov Club). Pyotr Yegorovich agreed to lay out cobblestones and all the main streets of the city: Pokrovskaya, Alekseevskaya, Varvarskaya and Rozhdestvenskaya.

For society, it is not so much property capital that is important as moral capital, that is, the moral character of the entrepreneur. P.E. Bugrov was a convincing example of a morally honest, compassionate entrepreneur who behaved decently both in everyday life and in business. No wonder V.I. Dal, in his flattering assessment of Pyotr Yegorovich, relied on authority public opinion: "I can refer to the whole of Nizhny Novgorod, where, I have tea, there is not a single person who would not remember grandfather Bugrov kindly, would not call him an honest man and benefactor of the people:

In Russia, a "dormitory" is known, described by A.M. Gorky in the play "At the bottom: N.P. Bugrov was elected mayor, was chairman of the Council of the Nizhny Novgorod fair. He was awarded Russian orders.

The father's work was continued by Nikolai Bugrov, a well-known baker and shipbuilder. He donated half of his profits to charity. He built dozens of schools, hospitals, orphanages, churches on the territory Nizhny Novgorod region.

(according to electronic media) In general, the nature of intra-company relations in Russia at the end of the 19th century, as a rule, was such that employees valued their work very much, leaving only with the intention of starting their own business. Enterprises where employees changed frequently due to mistreatment were not respected in society, they were contemptuously called "gateways". The development of domestic business culture in the XX century

Ethics of modern Russian business was influenced by two cultures of business behavior that existed in the country before the reforms of the 1990s.

The first culture is associated with the administrative-command system that has dominated since the early 30s of the XX century. The moral norms that are introduced into business ethics depend on the origin of the entrepreneurs who make up the class of Russian businessmen.

These are, first of all, representatives of state structures (party, Komsomol nomenklatura, as well as business executives who occupied a leading position in industry). These people largely adhere to the ethical values ​​of the former bureaucratic relations, including the traditions of "feeding" under the state, but some of them brought with them ideas of service to society in business.

At the same time, other entrepreneurs also entered the business. They are generally characterized high level intelligence and high enough moral character. Their hallmarks are interest and attention to the pre-revolutionary traditions of Russian business, the desire to restore these traditions, taking into account the norms accepted in world practice business ethics. However, their activities lie mainly in the field of small business.

In fact, all these groups lack a historical perspective. Currently, at the intersection of the behavioral traditions of these groups, a kind of search for new viable forms is taking place. Accordingly, the ethics of the new class of businessmen in Russia is a complex and contradictory phenomenon. He is influenced different forces, various ethical traditions and value systems, as many people are employed in Russian business different nationalities, different religions and different ethical views, having a different economic basis. In addition, in Russian business in the 90s of the XX century. citizens came foreign countries whose activities are based on the canons of well-established Western ethics.

Contacts with them cause a very peculiar interweaving of the restored national Russian features with global ones, which partly facilitates the inclusion of Russian business in the system of world ethical standards of business conduct.

At the same time, there are serious difficulties in the formation of Russian business ethics.

1. In Russia, the main fundamental principle modern Western society - the inviolability of private property. Private property in Russia is not sacred.

2. Russian business operates in conditions of rejection by a significant part of society of prosperity as such, wealth in any form, even as a result of their own labor. We have not yet fully formed a culture of success.

3. There was a peculiar attitude towards the law and the role of the state. The ethical paradox of Russian business is that the ethics or unethical nature of certain actions is often not determined by law or personal choice, but is dictated primarily by the need for the entrepreneur to survive in conditions of uncertainty, imperfection and non-compliance with laws, indifference, and often oppression. from the side of the state.

4. The system of partnership between business and the state in modern Russia exists mainly in the form of merging of large business structures with corrupt officials in the form of an oligarchy.

Nevertheless, the moral foundations of Russian entrepreneurship are becoming extremely relevant for our society. Experts identify the buyer's market as a priority area of ​​Russian business ethics, since only consumer choice can ultimately become the basis for business success. In such conditions, violation of ethics can cost the enterprise more. Ethical behavior is more effective than winning a direct competitive battle using immoral means.

All this led Russian organizations to pay close attention to their own business reputation. The problem of managing business reputation has become one of the key issues in domestic business ethics, revealing an inseparable fusion of economic and moral components. Created in our country National Institute study of reputation, dealing with the problems of technology and methods of its management. Many of the research results of this institute are of great practical importance for us.

Questions for self-control:

1. Highlight the most milestones development of the ethical tradition of doing business in Russia.

2. List the most famous Russian merchants-patrons.

3. What problems characterize the current level of Russian business ethics?

4. List the components of the business reputation of the organization.

5. Name the moral foundations of Russian entrepreneurship

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Bugrov Nikolai Alexandrovich(05/03/1837 - 04/16/1911) - businessman, the largest philanthropist of Nizhny Novgorod.

Nikolai Alexandrovich Bugrov. Photo from 1890

His son Alexander (1809-1883) inherited the flour milling industry, was engaged in the supply of salt and timber, and construction. More than once he won the so-called fair contract for the construction of shopping arcades at the largest Nizhny Novgorod (Makarievskaya) fair in Russia. In the early 1870s, Bugrov bought out the rented mills and installed steam engines. As a result of modernization, production increased, Bugrov's enterprises took leading positions in the flour-grinding industry of the Volga region.

As a deputy of the city duma, in 1880 Alexander Bugrov proposed to arrange a municipal doss house for people who came to Nizhny Novgorod to work. Bugrov began construction, but did not live to see the opening of the doss house, and his son Nikolai completed the work.

Nikolai Bugrov owned the Association of Steam Mechanical Mills and was an entrepreneur on an all-Russian scale. Journalists called him the bread king. The personal life of Nikolai Bugrov developed dramatically. Having been widowed for the third time and having buried three children, by the age of 36 he lost interest in luxury, began to live as a bean, and “He transferred all his love and cares to the poor people”(magazine "Zlatostruy", Nizhny Novgorod, 1911).

The merchant donated about 10 million rubles to charity. (the exact amount is unknown, since many of Bugrov's donations were secret).

In 1883, Nikolai Bugrov completed the construction of a doss house for 900 people and named it in memory of his father “A.P. Bugrov. The construction of a three-story stone building designed by architect Fyodor Falin cost Bugrov 75 thousand rubles. So that the maintenance of the shelter would not be a burden on the city budget, Bugrov bought a building with commercial and warehouse premises as a gift to the city. All income from rent (8-10 thousand rubles per year) went to the needs of the doss house.

Overnight shelter named after A.P. Bugrov in Nizhny Novgorod. Late 1890s. Photographer Maxim Dmitriev

Accommodation in the overnight shelter named after A.P. Bugrova

From 1893 to 1909, Bugrov built three more almshouses in the Nizhny Novgorod province - in the villages of Filippovka, Malinovka, and in the village of Gorodets. The buildings were of good quality. The two-story brick house of the almshouse in Filippovka was supported by interest on the capital (80 thousand rubles) contributed by Bugrov to the bank. The construction of a women's almshouse in Malinovka for 300 people cost the philanthropist 125 thousand rubles. Now here is the sanatorium "Filippovsky". In Gorodets, two almshouse buildings were built: with 22 beds (for men) and with 100 beds (for women). Now the buildings belong to the Pedagogical College.

The trustees of all almshouses were representatives of the Bugrov family: Nikolai, his younger sister Zinoveya, nephews.

Almshouse in the village of Filippovka, Semyonovsky district. Built in 1894.
Photo from the book “In Memory of N.A. Bugrov" (Nizhny Novgorod, 1911)

The merchant regularly helped and medical institutions. The modern Nizhny Novgorod maternity hospital No. 1 is the former Mariinsky free maternity hospital, which was built in 1884 with donations from Bugrov and six other entrepreneurs from Nizhny Novgorod.

At the same time, he gave money for the construction of a hospital at the station of the Seimas of the Balakhna district. Here were his flour mills. The philanthropist annually allocated 5 thousand rubles for the maintenance of the hospital. The hospital served not only workers of flour mills, but also other residents of the county, a total of 17 thousand people. Together with the merchants Maltsovs, he donated money to create a 40-bed sanatorium in Essentuki "for the poor and indigent consumptive patients" (now the sanatorium "Istok").

Sanatorium Bugrov and Maltsov in Essentuki

Bugrovsky charitable building, where the City Duma worked

By Bugrov’s dying order, 50 percent of the profits of the Association of Steam Mechanical Mills should be deducted annually for charity: 15 percent for the maintenance of the establishments under his care during his lifetime, 30 percent for benefits to fire-fighted peasants and poor families, 5 percent for pensions and benefits for persons serving in Partnership (in Russia there was no state pension system).

The death of Nikolai Bugrov was reported in the leading Russian newspapers « Russian word”, “Russian Vedomosti”, “New Time”. In an obituary published in the Old Believer magazine Zlatostruy (Nizhny Novgorod, 1911), he was named "an unforgettable benefactor, a feeder of orphans and widows, a comforter in troubles." Bugrov was buried next to his parents in the family tomb at the Old Believer cemetery in Nizhny Novgorod. In Soviet times, the cemetery was destroyed, and residential buildings were built in its place.

In 1997, on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of Bugrov's birth, at the initiative of the townspeople, a memorial plaque was erected on the wall of the Bugrov Charitable Building. The building is recognized as an architectural monument federal significance(now there is a branch of the bank).

For further reading
1. In memory of Nikolai Alexandrovich Bugrov (print from the Old Believer magazine "Zlatostruy"). Nizhny Novgorod, 1911.
2. Sedov A.V. Kerzhaki. The history of three generations of merchants Bugrovs. Nizhny Novgorod, 2010.
3. Ulyanova G.N. The practice of charity in the provincial city (on the example of Nizhny Novgorod) // Ulyanova. G.N. Charity in Russian Empire. 19th - early 20th century. M., 2005. S. 365–382.

Galina Ulyanova