Archief van de Weeskamer en Commissie van Liquidatie der Zaken van de Voormalige Weeskamer
Item
Country
NL
Name of institution (English)
Amsterdam City Archives
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
dut
Contact information: postal address
Vijzelstraat 32, 1017 HL Amsterdam
Contact information: phone number
0031 202511511
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
stadarchief@amsterdam.nl
Reference number
5073
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Archives of the Orphan Chamber and Commission of Liquidation of the Affairs of the Former Orphan Chamber
Title (official language of the state)
Archief van de Weeskamer en Commissie van Liquidatie der Zaken van de Voormalige Weeskamer
Language of title
dut
Creator / accumulator
Commissie van Liquidatie der zaken van de voormalige weeskamer
Weeskamer
Date(s)
1309/1859
Language(s)
dut
Extent
4,766 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Archief van de Weeskamer en Commissie van Liquidatie der Zaken van de Voormalige Weeskamer (Archives of the Orphan Chamber and Commission of Liquidation of the Affairs of the Former Orphan Chamber) comprises documentation of different poor relief and charity institutions. Internally, sub-fonds are organised by types of documents and ordered chronologically. There are also several series of loose pieces. Financial management, correspondence, and registers on orphans, poor people being supported, investments, and relations with other institutions, are some of the most frequent documents that can be found in this fonds.
Some examples of documents related to the Sephardic community in Amsterdam are the following:
893, Register van diversche memorien ende extra-ordinaris saecken (1652-1677), p. 92, May 16, 1656: letter from Manuel Dias Henriques, one of Rebecca Naar's appointed guardians, to the "Weesmeesters" (Orphan Trustees), arguing that Naar's property preserved at the Weeskamer should remain there for two decades.
1006, Boedelinventarissen (Estate inventories) (1749), no. 26, June 27, 1749: Inventory of the estate of Daniel Pereyra.
1006, Boedelinventarissen (Estate inventories) (1749), no. 45, November 20, 1749: Inventory of the estate of Abraham Jessurun d'Oliveira.
2072, Verklaringen van de bestuurders van de Hoogduitse en Portugese gemeenten betreffende de onvermogendheid van diverse personen (declarations of the administrators of the High German and Portuguese congregations concerning the inability of various people) (1798-1809).
Some examples of documents related to the Sephardic community in Amsterdam are the following:
893, Register van diversche memorien ende extra-ordinaris saecken (1652-1677), p. 92, May 16, 1656: letter from Manuel Dias Henriques, one of Rebecca Naar's appointed guardians, to the "Weesmeesters" (Orphan Trustees), arguing that Naar's property preserved at the Weeskamer should remain there for two decades.
1006, Boedelinventarissen (Estate inventories) (1749), no. 26, June 27, 1749: Inventory of the estate of Daniel Pereyra.
1006, Boedelinventarissen (Estate inventories) (1749), no. 45, November 20, 1749: Inventory of the estate of Abraham Jessurun d'Oliveira.
2072, Verklaringen van de bestuurders van de Hoogduitse en Portugese gemeenten betreffende de onvermogendheid van diverse personen (declarations of the administrators of the High German and Portuguese congregations concerning the inability of various people) (1798-1809).
Archival history
Traditionally, the Weeskamer (Orphan Chamber) was located in the Town Hall on the Dam, rebuilt after the city fire of 1452. In the chamber of the Weesmeesters (Orphan Trustees), located above the courtroom, chests of drawers were arranged along the walls, bearing coloured letters or numbers as inscriptions. Estate papers, money, jewellery, and other trinkets were kept in these drawers. The expansion of the Weeskamer's activity led to the growth of its documentation and the increasing lack of space to accommodate it.
In 1652, the Town Hall burned down again. However, the Weeskamer documents were saved from destruction due to the initiative of committed citizens. In 1655, the Weesmeesters could officially move into their new accommodation, which was, as before, located in the Town Hall, in a recently inaugurated palace on Dam Square. The Weesmeesters performed their duties there until 1808. In that year, their office was relocated, as well as the Town Hall, to the Prinsenhof at Oudezijds Achterburgwal. On May 9, 1811, the Weeskamer was dissolved and replaced by a municipal committee for the liquidation of orphan affairs. This committee operated until March 5, 1852, when a decree ordered the liquidation to a national general committee and the transfer of the Weeskamer archives to The Hague. The records only returned to Amsterdam in 1880, transported in 70 large archive boxes. N. de Roever (1850-1893), then the deputy archivist of Amsterdam, made a chronological arrangement of the estate inventories, divisions and accounts, as well as the estate papers and missions originating from the East Indian Weeskamers. He also arranged all kinds of loose documents. Other efforts to organise and catalogue this fonds were undertaken after Roever, but, in spite of that, many unidentified estate papers remained.
In 1652, the Town Hall burned down again. However, the Weeskamer documents were saved from destruction due to the initiative of committed citizens. In 1655, the Weesmeesters could officially move into their new accommodation, which was, as before, located in the Town Hall, in a recently inaugurated palace on Dam Square. The Weesmeesters performed their duties there until 1808. In that year, their office was relocated, as well as the Town Hall, to the Prinsenhof at Oudezijds Achterburgwal. On May 9, 1811, the Weeskamer was dissolved and replaced by a municipal committee for the liquidation of orphan affairs. This committee operated until March 5, 1852, when a decree ordered the liquidation to a national general committee and the transfer of the Weeskamer archives to The Hague. The records only returned to Amsterdam in 1880, transported in 70 large archive boxes. N. de Roever (1850-1893), then the deputy archivist of Amsterdam, made a chronological arrangement of the estate inventories, divisions and accounts, as well as the estate papers and missions originating from the East Indian Weeskamers. He also arranged all kinds of loose documents. Other efforts to organise and catalogue this fonds were undertaken after Roever, but, in spite of that, many unidentified estate papers remained.
Administrative / Biographical history
In the late Middle Ages, as a result of the growth of the cities, the councils or the burgomasters, traditionally the chief guardians of widows and orphans, received more and more powers and became less able to meet all their obligations. Thus, they had to delegate several of their tasks to specially created administrative bodies, including the responsibility of taking care of underage orphans and their property.
In Amsterdam, this task was entrusted to a dependent body, the College van Weesmeesteren (College of Orphan Trustees). The name Weeskamer is often used since these magistrates were assigned a chamber in the Town Hall on Dam Square. Its founding date is unknown but it likely dates back to the second half of the 15th century.
When someone died leaving forsaken children, the "doodgravers" (gravediggers) had to report it to the Weeskamer. These cases were registered by the Weeskamer's clerk in the so-called "doodboeken" (death books), also known as "begraafregisters" (burial registers). Then, the Weeskamer became responsible for the management of these orphans' estates and the supervision of their guardianship.
Besides the care of orphans, the Weeskamer's jurisdiction also extended to other "personae miserabiles", such as the mentally disabled and other people placed under guardianship. All those registered in the Weeskamer were denied free disposal of their goods.
The board of the Weeskamer was formed by the College of the Weesmeesters. Every year, the burgomasters had to elect the members of the Weeskamer and confirm them in their office. The Weesmeesters (Orphan Trustees) had to have a "poorterschap" (burghership) for seven years and be at least 40 years old. They were often chosen from the circles of the former burgomasters and aldermen. Their office was mostly one of prestige: in rank, they followed the aldermen and the treasurers. Politically, however, the Weesmeesters were of little significance. These magistrates found a safe haven in the Weeskamer (Orphan Chamber), which, apparently given the advanced age of its members, was sometimes called the "Oude Mannenhuis" (Old Men's House).
The College of the Weesmeesters was subject to considerable expansion over time: two in 1466; three or four in 1563; and finally, four from 1625 onwards. Later, there appeared to be as many as eight people in office at the same time, until this number was reduced to six in 1760. On January 28, 1764, a resolution of the Oud-Raad (Old Council) fixed the number of Weesmeesters at four.
The Weeskamer was abolished in 1811, during the French rule. Its functions were taken over by a municipal commission for the liquidation of orphan affairs, which lasted until 1852. On March 5 of that year, a decree ordered the transfer of the responsibility over the estate funds and records to a national committee.
In Amsterdam, this task was entrusted to a dependent body, the College van Weesmeesteren (College of Orphan Trustees). The name Weeskamer is often used since these magistrates were assigned a chamber in the Town Hall on Dam Square. Its founding date is unknown but it likely dates back to the second half of the 15th century.
When someone died leaving forsaken children, the "doodgravers" (gravediggers) had to report it to the Weeskamer. These cases were registered by the Weeskamer's clerk in the so-called "doodboeken" (death books), also known as "begraafregisters" (burial registers). Then, the Weeskamer became responsible for the management of these orphans' estates and the supervision of their guardianship.
Besides the care of orphans, the Weeskamer's jurisdiction also extended to other "personae miserabiles", such as the mentally disabled and other people placed under guardianship. All those registered in the Weeskamer were denied free disposal of their goods.
The board of the Weeskamer was formed by the College of the Weesmeesters. Every year, the burgomasters had to elect the members of the Weeskamer and confirm them in their office. The Weesmeesters (Orphan Trustees) had to have a "poorterschap" (burghership) for seven years and be at least 40 years old. They were often chosen from the circles of the former burgomasters and aldermen. Their office was mostly one of prestige: in rank, they followed the aldermen and the treasurers. Politically, however, the Weesmeesters were of little significance. These magistrates found a safe haven in the Weeskamer (Orphan Chamber), which, apparently given the advanced age of its members, was sometimes called the "Oude Mannenhuis" (Old Men's House).
The College of the Weesmeesters was subject to considerable expansion over time: two in 1466; three or four in 1563; and finally, four from 1625 onwards. Later, there appeared to be as many as eight people in office at the same time, until this number was reduced to six in 1760. On January 28, 1764, a resolution of the Oud-Raad (Old Council) fixed the number of Weesmeesters at four.
The Weeskamer was abolished in 1811, during the French rule. Its functions were taken over by a municipal commission for the liquidation of orphan affairs, which lasted until 1852. On March 5 of that year, a decree ordered the transfer of the responsibility over the estate funds and records to a national committee.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is divided into eight sections, each one subdivided into series and subseries.
Access, restrictions
Digital copies of part of this fonds are available online:
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Joana Rodrigues and Kevin Soares, 2022
Bibliography
Linked resources
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Stadsarchief Amsterdam | Collections (official language of the state) |