For Dutch families, the December festive season traditionally begins with Sinterklaas, or Saint Nicholas. Children are told that Sinterklaas arrives from Spain aboard a steamboat and travels through towns on a white horse. They place a shoe near the fireplace, sing traditional songs and hope to receive sweets or a Read more
Lou Casch, born Lodewyk Nanlohy, was an Ambonese guitarist whose career connects the former Netherlands East Indies with the emergence of Australian rock and roll. Best known for his work with Johnny O’Keefe and the Dee Jays, he brought a background in jazz to one of Australia’s pioneering rock bands. Read more
Robert Pikler’s career connects the musical life of the Netherlands East Indies with Australia’s post-war concert halls. A Hungarian musician who worked in the Dutch colony and survived Japanese internment, he subsequently became an influential performer and teacher in Australia. Born in Fureszfalu, Hungary, on 24 January 1909, Pikler studied Read more
Egbert Adriaan van der Sluijs, known as Bert, was born in Sliedrecht on 20 September 1892. He was a son of Johannes Abraham van der Sluijs and Sija Helena de Lint. His varied working life took him from the Dutch dredging industry to Curaçao and, later, Australia. Bert worked as Read more
Anne Pieter Erkelens was born in Sliedrecht on 27 August 1911. He was a son of Adriaan Erkelens and Elizabeth Visser and grew up with his brothers Cornelis and Adriaan in a community closely connected with the river and maritime industries. On 18 April 1942, Anne Pieter married Cornelia Leeuwestein, Read more
Dirk Baan was born at Wijk A 981 in Sliedrecht on 10 December 1904. He was a son of Maarten Baan and Neeltje Jannigje van de Graaf and grew up with one brother and three sisters. In 1936, Dirk married Angelina Anna van Dooren in Antwerp. The couple later lived Read more
Willem de Vroom was born in Amsterdam on 28 March 1914. He was the son of Jan de Vroom and Geesje Oord, who lived in Heiloo. Willem trained and worked as an engineer. On 8 May 1940, Willem married Hendrina van de Water in Amsterdam. Hendrina had been born in Read more
Arie Hougee was born in Dordrecht on 15 December 1899 and grew up in a family closely connected with inland shipping and towage. Like his father, he chose a working life on the water and became a tugboat captain based in Lobith, an important shipping centre on the Rhine. His Read more
Adrianus Borsje, known as Adrian, was born in Sliedrecht, the Netherlands, on 6 August 1913. He died in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, on 31 August 2000 and was buried at Geelong Western Cemetery. He was a son of Jan Philippus Borsje (1871–1932) and Francina Stuij (1881–1952). According to the available information, Read more
Jacobus Leendert de Looff was born on 24 June 1924 in Wissenkerke, on the Zeeland island of Noord-Beveland. He was the son of Jacob de Looff, who worked as a farm labourer, and Janna van der Moere. He grew up in Zeeland during the interwar period and experienced the Second Read more