by Christine Swan
I have decided to journey back about four hundred years in this week’s post. After an exciting few days in Leiden, Netherlands, I wanted to share with you my amazing journey through time to explore the world of my European ancestors.
Upon discovering that I had Huguenot ancestors, I decided to carry out some online research, which to my great surprise, led me not just to France, but also to the Netherlands. I learned that in fact, there had been waves of immigration, in several directions, when religious intolerance towards Protestants, became unbearable persecution. I had not realised that the wave that travelled east took place far earlier than the wave north to the UK. The Walloons belonged to a French-speaking area of what is now Belgium although, I have discovered that many of my family were ethnically French, so therefore Huguenot but both groups shared language and religion.
In the late sixteenth century, part of the Netherlands was under Spanish control. The First Refuge took place at this time and over the next one hundred years or so, about 65,000 refugees fled to the Netherlands. In fact, cities competed to be the most welcoming, with rights and privileges offered as incentives. There was recognition that an influx of skilled labour would boost the economy and resultant prosperity for all.
The ancestors that came under my magnifying glass, moved to the growing city of Leiden. Immigration records do not exist from this time but thankfully, detailed baptism and marriage records have provided me with a good deal of evidence. Nicholas du Hamel, my 11th great grandfather, hailed from Artois, which was under Dutch control for some time. Nicholas worked as a wool comber (wolkamer) in Achtergracht, Leiden. In my quest to retrace Nicholas’ steps, I discovered that he lived on the opposite side to the back canal (achter gracht), behind the modern Hortus Botanicus. The gardens have existed since 1590, when they were part of the University that was dedicated to the study of plants, so would have existed when Nicholas lived there.
Hortus Botanicus , Leiden
To discover more about the work of a wool comber and the fabric trade more generally, I went in search of Leiden Cloth, once coveted across the continent. Expert weavers flooded into the City of Leiden during the seventeenth century. Some of the roles were specialised and whole families would have been involved in production. However, there were quality checks in place so that only the very highest standard of production could be maintained across a disparate workforce. The Museum de Lakenhal was the original trade hall, built in 1641 to sell and inspect cloth.
The Museum de Lakenhal
Lead stamps to add seals to the Leiden cloth to verify that it meets quality standards
The stamping room, complete with ornate fireplace with Delft tiles, and a map of the world showing how far Leiden cloth was traded
Traditional weaving loom
Wool combers at work
This room was used to interview those whose cloth was below acceptable quality standards
Modern Leiden cloth, commissioned by the Museum
The tools of the cloth dyer, including indigo
The Museum de Lakenhal is a very interesting place to visit and includes an extensive and detailed history of the City, it’s annual celebration on the 3rd October, celebrating the breaking of a devastating siege by Spanish forces. There are also displays of classic and modern art and a delightful traditional Dutch kitchen. All of the information signs are in English as well as Dutch and the cafe served delicious cakes and beverages.
Appeltaart en koffie – perfect!
Nicholas’ occupation as a wool comber, would have been hard, physical work. He would have combed the fleeces to remove dirt and twigs, preparing the wool for the next stages of dyeing, spinning and weaving. In 1632, Nicholas married Judith Verdois, who was born in Leiden and living in the adjacent street of Zegersteech (now Zegersteeg). The witnesses were both fathers, Judith’s mother and sister. The marriage took place at the original Walloon church, the Vrouwekerk. Sadly only a few ruins remain, in the middle off a small square, in the centre of the City. There is another Wallon church that still stands in Leiden, which accommodated the overspill as the population increased. Vrouwekerk was demolished between 1837 – 1840 but the number of Huguenots and Walloons had decreased due to mass emigration. This allowed the smaller chapel of Saint Catherina Gasthuis, the Waalse Kerk, to become the sole place of worship. Services are still conducted weekly in French today.
Nicholas du Hamel marriage record to Judith Verdois
Walloon church (Waalse kerk)
The ruins of the Vrouwekerk
“And bless Leiden” a sign from the original town hall now on the ruins of the Vrouwekerk
Nicholas du Hamel, my 10th great grandfather, was born in 1634 and baptised in the Vrouwekerk, where his parents had married two years previously. Nicholas junior married in 1654 and was recorded as working as a greinwerker. I had assumed that this was a grain worker i.e. a miller. However, with help from the excellent Leiden History Centre, I learned that Nicholas worked with silk. I was familiar with the fabric grosgrain, usually applied to ribbon, meaning coarse grain. This was the correct etymology and a major discovery – this was the first of my ancestors to have worked with silk that I am aware of. Generations beyond continued to do so, including here in the UK. Nicholas was living in Corte Colffmaekersteech, now Kolffmakersteeg. This short road runs parallel to Zegersteeg, just a very short distance away. Nicholas’ bride, Magdeleine Blanchette, was born in Delft but with a distinctively French surname.
Looking down Kolffmakersteeg. Such a bizarre experience to stand in the street where Nicholas lived
Leiden has a poetry trail – including a contribution here from Kraftwerk
Nicholas and Magdeleine’s daughter Judith was born in 1655. At some point, and for some reason, Judith left the Netherlands, and travelled across to England, to settle in Canterbury. I have not found any records of her journey, or the circumstances in which she left Leiden but she met and married Claude Gaffee. Judith was my 9th great grandmother, and this is how she came to England.
The Weaver’s House Museum – a small and authentic weaver’s house with a very informative host who was exceedingly helpful in my quest to discover the life of a Leiden weaver
Nicholas du Hamel remained in Leiden. His first wife Magdeleine Blanchette died and he remarried Marie d’Anglois, who was born in Lonnen, which I believe is near Utrecht. Marie’s surname means “of the English” which adds an interesting piece of intrigue to this part of the tale. When dealing with such old records, there are plenty of gaps. My imagination fills these with visions of a young girl travelling to England, crossing the Channel to seek a better life. I negotiated the reverse journey this week, under the sea in a Eurostar train and then speeding across the Northern European countryside in a number of high-speed trains, in just a few hours.
I stood in Kolffmakersteeg and walked its length. I visited Lakenhal and preserved weaver’s house museum. I breathed in the last four hundred years. They were there and now, so was I.
Leaving Leiden
All photographs by the author.
More information
Visit Leiden – https://www.visitleiden.nl/en
The Huguenot Refuge in the United Provinces – https://museeprotestant.org/en/notice/le-refuge-huguenot-dans-les-provinces-unies/
Museum de Lakenhal – https://www.lakenhal.nl/en
The Leiden Weaver’s House Museum – Authentic and original weaver’s house housing textile art from local artists – https://wevershuis.nl/english/
The Leiden Walloon Church – https://eglisewallonnedeleyde.nl/fr/histoire/les-communautes-wallonnes.html
WieWasWie – Dutch ancestry records site – https://www.wiewaswie.nl/
Leiden history centre – https://www.erfgoedleiden.nl/
Leiden Tourist Information Centre – the staff in here were so very helpful https://www.visitleiden.nl/en/plan-your-visit/tourist-information
Old to new street names for Leiden – such a helpful tool, link provided by the Leiden History Centre – https://www.oudleiden.nl/werkgroepen/jan-van-hout-archiefonderzoek/buurthouden-1400-1795/oude-straatnamen
Translation from old to new Dutch – link provided by the Leiden History Centre – https://gtb.ivdnt.org/search/
I stayed at: Ibis Leiden Centraal – I had an excellent stay and staff were exceedingly kind and accommodating. Very central location with all sites within easy reach.
I travelled with: https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en
Awful Rigours and Wretched Pay 