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Map of the week – Reclaimed land in North Groningen, 1685
This week’s map shows us land that was reclaimed from the sea by building a dike in the north of the province of Groningen. This includes land in the parishes of Hornhuizen, Wierhuizen, Pieterburen, Westernieland, Saaxumhuizen, Den Andel, Breede, Warffum, Usquert, and Uithuizen. The map was created in 1685 and lists all the owners of […]
Using Hospital Records for Social History – The Case of Cornelia Platschart
My ancestor Maria Cornelia Platschart was born in Breda in 1861. Her mother, Cornelia Platschart, was unmarried. As described in a previous blogpost, I suspected Cornelia Platschart may have been a prostitute. I have since found more evidence in hospital records.
Map of the Week – Plan to drain the South Sea, 1891-1892
In 1891, Cornelis Lely came up with a plan to claim more land from the sea. His ambitious plan involved building a dike between North Holland and Friesland to close off the Zuiderzee [South Sea]. That would make it possible to reclaim large sections of land and create a fresh water lake, the IJsselmeer. This […]
Yvette Hoitink, MLitt!
Today I graduate with a Master of Letters in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee. My grades allowed me to graduate with Distinction, the highest award that the university bestows. I started my studies during lockdown in 2020. I am not one to grow indoor tomatoes or bake sourdough bread, so I […]
Map of the week – Maastricht, 1585
In 1585, Braun and Hogenberg published an atlas with maps of different cities in Europe, including many in the Netherlands. This map shows Maastricht. What is nice about these maps is that it shows the people in their local costumes. It shows all the houses in the city, and you can see the different expensions. […]
Quick tip – Identity is more than a name
Identity is more than a name. Just because two records show the same name, does not mean they are for the same person. The reverse is true too. Just because two records show a different name, does not mean they are for different persons. People could use different names throughout their lifetime. Some examples: Some […]
Dutch term – Lijkschouwing
Lijkschouwing literally means corpse-assessment. It is the term for the assesment by a doctor after a person died, to determine whether the person died of natural known causes, natural unknown causes, or unnatural causes. This is typically done by the doctor treating the patient or the doctor who was on call when the patient died. If […]
