Archief van de Weeskamer: begraafregisters
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
https://www.amsterdam.nl/stadsarchief
Contact information: email
stadarchief@amsterdam.nl
Reference number
5004
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Archive of the Orphan Chamber: burial registers
Title (official language of the state)
Archief van de Weeskamer: begraafregisters
Language of title
dut
Creator / accumulator
Commissie van Liquidatie der Zaken van de Voormalige Weeskamer
Weeskamer
Date(s)
1563/1811
Language(s)
dut
Extent
115 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Archief van de Weeskamer: begraafregisters comprises documentation related to people buried in Amsterdam who left forsaken orphans. The so-called "Calisregisters" contain burial records of people considered nomadic or itinerant by city authorities upon their death. They also include information on individuals who died at sea or were missing.
The documentation on burials should be used in parallel with the Doop-, trouw-, en begraafboeken (baptism, marriage and burial records) fonds, as the information is, in most cases, complementary.
Examples of documents with references to Sephardim are the following:
110, Calisregisters (1683-1705), fol. 108: mentions Josua Furtado, indicating that he was on the charity list on this date. He had a store, where he sold oil, sugar, cacao and flour. As his business was not successful, he was at times on the charity list. November 30, 1683 (Bernfeld 2012, 197-198).
110, Calisregisters (1683-1705), fol. 125: contains information on Abigail Mendes, who arrived in Amsterdam with her son after her husband, Jeronimo Almanza, died in San Martin, Spain. August 24, 1700. See also Doop-, trouw-, en begraafboeken, 702, fol. 93. (Bernfeld 2012, 53-54).
110, Calisregisters (1683-1705), fol. 146: refers to the widow of Moses Gedalia, a tobacco spinner, who had to receive support from charity after her husband died. September 29, 1701. (Bernfeld 2012, 131).
The documentation on burials should be used in parallel with the Doop-, trouw-, en begraafboeken (baptism, marriage and burial records) fonds, as the information is, in most cases, complementary.
Examples of documents with references to Sephardim are the following:
110, Calisregisters (1683-1705), fol. 108: mentions Josua Furtado, indicating that he was on the charity list on this date. He had a store, where he sold oil, sugar, cacao and flour. As his business was not successful, he was at times on the charity list. November 30, 1683 (Bernfeld 2012, 197-198).
110, Calisregisters (1683-1705), fol. 125: contains information on Abigail Mendes, who arrived in Amsterdam with her son after her husband, Jeronimo Almanza, died in San Martin, Spain. August 24, 1700. See also Doop-, trouw-, en begraafboeken, 702, fol. 93. (Bernfeld 2012, 53-54).
110, Calisregisters (1683-1705), fol. 146: refers to the widow of Moses Gedalia, a tobacco spinner, who had to receive support from charity after her husband died. September 29, 1701. (Bernfeld 2012, 131).
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. 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 for organising and cataloguing this fonds were undertaken after Roever, but, in spite of that, many unidentified estate papers remained.
In 1652, the Town Hall burned down again. 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 for organising and cataloguing 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 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' estate and the supervision of their guardianship.
Besides the care of orphans, the Weeskamer's jurisdiction was 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, 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 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' estate and the supervision of their guardianship.
Besides the care of orphans, the Weeskamer's jurisdiction was 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, 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
Documentation is mostly organised by church and cemetery. Each series is organised chronologically.
Access, restrictions
The documentation is available online:
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2022
Linked resources
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Stadsarchief Amsterdam | Collections (official language of the state) |