zondag 27 september 2009
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dinsdag 1 september 2009
maandag 31 augustus 2009
maandag 24 augustus 2009
dinsdag 27 januari 2009
zondag 4 januari 2009
Genealogy
I have no intention whatsoever to engage myself in researching my family tree. But my postcard fascination made be wonder whether there exist postcards of the windmill my grandmother Gerarda Sevens (my mother's mother) grew up in. So far, I haven't found a postcard yet, but I did manage to find a picture, so at least now I know what I am looking for.
There are three windmills in Hamont, a small town on the Belgian-Dutch border. While two mills date from the early nineteenth century, the youngest was built in the 'Loo' area in 1905 (some sources say 1903) by Frans Sanders-Widdershoven. It was bought by Pieter Sevens-Raeymakers (my great grandparents) in 1912 (some sources say 1910). My grandmother (°1910) – the next to one youngest of 10 children, 3 boys and 7 girls - was a little more than a toddler at the time, but lived on the mill until she got married in her mid thirties, around the end of the second World War. When Pieter Sevens dies in 1926 (my grandmother was only 16 then), his widow and sons take over the family mill (some sources say Pieter Sevens had already left it to his son Gerard in 1924). One of the sons (Antoon) leaves the house to become a priest, while the others Gerard (known as 'ome Gerrit') and Harrie (known as 'ome Harrie) keep working on the mill. When Harrie dies in 1942 (a bombardment on a train – an event I must find out more about), the mill is left to Gerrit Sevens (now married to a woman named Tips), the oldest son of Pieter Sevens Raeymakers and the oldes brother of my grandmother. If you take a close look at the picture above, you see him standing in front of the mill. He was famous for his rather wild curly hair, so he's easy to recognise.
In 1960 the mill is sold to Dujsters-Paesen (locally known as ‘den Duster’), presumably for 250.000 Belgian franks. My mother remembers being present at the sale. In 1968, the mill was demolished.
I am still determined to find out whether there exist postcards of this mill too. I have found cards of the other two, so I am pretty confident. Time allowing, I want to check the Dexia library, kindly pointed out by my friend N.
Sources:
Herman HOLEMANS en Werner SMET, "Limburgse windmolens in heden en verleden", Uitgeverij Ten Bos, Nieuwkerken, 1981, pp. 52-62 (the picture is ill. 51 on page 63)
www.molenechos.org
Many thanks to Mr. Lieven Denewet, who pointed out the whereabouts of the picture to me and to my brother in law who found it for me.
There are three windmills in Hamont, a small town on the Belgian-Dutch border. While two mills date from the early nineteenth century, the youngest was built in the 'Loo' area in 1905 (some sources say 1903) by Frans Sanders-Widdershoven. It was bought by Pieter Sevens-Raeymakers (my great grandparents) in 1912 (some sources say 1910). My grandmother (°1910) – the next to one youngest of 10 children, 3 boys and 7 girls - was a little more than a toddler at the time, but lived on the mill until she got married in her mid thirties, around the end of the second World War. When Pieter Sevens dies in 1926 (my grandmother was only 16 then), his widow and sons take over the family mill (some sources say Pieter Sevens had already left it to his son Gerard in 1924). One of the sons (Antoon) leaves the house to become a priest, while the others Gerard (known as 'ome Gerrit') and Harrie (known as 'ome Harrie) keep working on the mill. When Harrie dies in 1942 (a bombardment on a train – an event I must find out more about), the mill is left to Gerrit Sevens (now married to a woman named Tips), the oldest son of Pieter Sevens Raeymakers and the oldes brother of my grandmother. If you take a close look at the picture above, you see him standing in front of the mill. He was famous for his rather wild curly hair, so he's easy to recognise.
In 1960 the mill is sold to Dujsters-Paesen (locally known as ‘den Duster’), presumably for 250.000 Belgian franks. My mother remembers being present at the sale. In 1968, the mill was demolished.
I am still determined to find out whether there exist postcards of this mill too. I have found cards of the other two, so I am pretty confident. Time allowing, I want to check the Dexia library, kindly pointed out by my friend N.
Sources:
Herman HOLEMANS en Werner SMET, "Limburgse windmolens in heden en verleden", Uitgeverij Ten Bos, Nieuwkerken, 1981, pp. 52-62 (the picture is ill. 51 on page 63)
www.molenechos.org
Many thanks to Mr. Lieven Denewet, who pointed out the whereabouts of the picture to me and to my brother in law who found it for me.
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