Christian Ancher Collett

Christian Ancher Collett (30 April 1771 – 10 January 1833) was a Norwegian engineer.
He was born as the oldest child of Peter Collett and Johanne Henriche Ancher. He had two older half-siblings, as well as eight younger siblings, of whom one died before reaching the age of one.
He married Anna Karine Bie (1775–1856). The couple had five children. Their daughter Johanne Benedicte married Peder Christian Hersleb Kjerschow, bishop of the diocese of Bjørgvin. Through this marriage Christian Ancher Collett had the great-grandson Christian Michelsen, statesman and Prime Minister.
An engineer, Christian Ancher Collett was a director of Kongsberg Silver Mines. In 1816 King Charles II appointed him as a consultant (Statlig bygningsinspektør) to manage the royal buildings around Christiania. The construction of the Royal Palace commenced during this period. He held this position until his death in 1833, and was succeeded by Christian Heinrich Grosch. The position is considered the predecessor of the government agency Statsbygg.