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Great need for signs of life in the Year of Disaster 1672

Great need for signs of life in the Year of Disaster 1672. Dr. Judith Brouwer, Utrecht University All At Sea: The Prize Papers as a Source for a Global Microhistory National Archives, London 7 October 2014.

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Great need for signs of life in the Year of Disaster 1672

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  1. Great need for signs of life in the Year of Disaster 1672 Dr. Judith Brouwer, Utrecht University All At Sea: The Prize Papers as a Source for a Global Microhistory National Archives, London 7 October 2014 Via Invoegen | Koptekst en Voettekst invoegen Subafdeling<2spaties>|<2spaties>Titel van de presentatie

  2. Bemende man, ick en kan niet sigghen hoe kluchtigh en hoe misselijck dat het mij is dat ghij weer na Oostinien bint, want waner dat ick mij wend of keer, ick mis ul tegenwoordigheyt die welke mij bet aengenaem was dan al het goet vande weerelt. • Dear husband, it’s hard to tell you exactly how unfair and unpleasant it is for me, now that you have left again for the East Indies; no matter what, I miss your presence, which I am longing for more than anything in the world . Lintjen Leenders to Adriaen van Boort - Enkhuizen, 10.11.1672 (HCA 30-223) Jan Peeters, Enckhuysen 1674

  3. Year of Disaster 1672 • Captured letters • Dissertation research • Daily life in wartime • Subjects • Examples • Final remarks Today

  4. 1000 letters - ThirdAnglo-Dutch War (1672-1674) • 200 letters • Batavia & Curaçao • Province Holland/Amsterdam • Unique material • 70% lowerclasses • women Year of Disaster 1672: captured letters

  5. HCA 30-651-1, The National Archives (Kew, London)

  6. Twomain research questions: • How didpeople in the Dutch Republicexperience • the war (e.g. howdidpeoplewriteabout the war, whichnews sources • didtheyuse?)? • In what way did the letter writersexperiencedaily life in • war time (e.g. whatoccupiedtheirminds, which state of mind do the • letters show?)? • Letter writers of 1672: • Mainlywives of sailors • Husband at sea/overseas • Wartime • War & daily life: uncertainty Year of Disaster 1672: dissertation research

  7. Absence • Longing • Maritalstrains • Parents andchildren • Growingkids • Family without father • Child mortality • Misery • Financial problemsandpoverty • Diseaseanddeath • Quiringh Gerritsz. van Brekelenkam, A mother feeding her child • porridge (1650-1669) Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Daily life in wartime: survival and uncertainty

  8. Meijntje Meijndert to Willem Luckassen in Batavia - • Enkhuizen, 10.11.1672 (HCA 30-223): • Ghij schrieft mij dat ghij het kussen ter nacht als ghij • in de koeij [scheepskooi] sijt in de arm neemt ende • dat ghij u dan inbeelt of ick bij u mijn alderliefste ben • ende dat ick, schrief ghij mij, oock soo moet doen, maer • het is als vergeefs gedaen. • You write to me that you’re holding your pillow at night, lying in your bunk and imagining it is me you’re with, my dearest. And you tell me I should do the same, but it’s all in vain. • N. Maes, Girl at a window, known as ‘The Daydreamer’ (1650-1660) Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Absence/longing

  9. Brechje Claes to Aris Diercksen Nuevel in Ceylon - Medemblik (?), 12.9.1672 (HCA 30-223): • Ick most onse sooen op der vaert sende want ick konde hem de kost niet langer geve ende hy is noch soo jonck, hy is maer 9 jaer oudt. Denckt eens wat een verdriet het myn is sulcken jongen kint te [laten] varen. Ick mach daer niet van harde. Daerom helpt myn doch uijt dit verdriet. […] Doet doch barmachtich aen myn ende ul kint, want hy is jonck. • I was forced to send our son to sea, because I couldn’t feed him anymore, and he’s still so young, he’s only 9 years old. Only think how much it hurts to send him away. I can’t bear it. So please help me out of my misery. Please be merciful to me and your child, because he’s so young. Parents and children/family without father

  10. Year of Disaster 1672 • Capturedletters & dissertation research • Letters of 1672/lower class women: • Daily ins andoutsin wartime • Subjects & examples • Signs of life Conclusion/final remarks

  11. J.Brouwer@uu.nl

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