from Tante Elske's letter:

"Henri became a Resident - comparable to a governor - of a section of the Dutch East Indies.

Helena went to the Indies as a governess to the children of a resident's family in Sumatra - and then married Geert van der Veen.

Jacques I know little about. He went to the Indies too, but I do not know what his function was. He marrried there and had one daughter, also an Elske. There were 3 Elskes' in that generation: Henry's Elske ('groot Els'); Helena's Elske ('kleine Els'="me") and Jacques Elske, ('Eckie') and I also have a niece "Elske" - brother Rutger's daughter!

Karel became the stationmaster of Breda, married but had no children.

Johan was the youngest - became a veterinarian in Bogor (Java), married Emma. They had no children. He retired young, lived close to us in the Hague and decided to become a lawyer. Went to the University of Leyden at the same time I went, so we attended lectures together when I studied law.

Rutger became a doctor (medical) was married to Mien. They had 2 daughters and one son Rutger who died when he was still rather young. Rutger and Mien separated, and he opened a practise in the Dutch province of Zeeland.

Marie's story I have always considered as having been pretty sad. She trained as an apothecary - lady pharmacist - and then had a job as such, which for that period was quite special for a lady. When her father died, it was decided that, as she was the daughter and unmarried, it was her job to quit work and look after her mother, while the rest of the family would pay her a stipend.When her mother died quite some years later she could not go back to her old profession and did nothing, as so many single ladies in those days did nothing. And was very unhappy. I knew her well because she often stayed with us...

I never knew Grandfather Rutger but remember my Grandmother quite well. I saw her quite often until I was about six.

...My grandmother could have gone to Nijmegen where she grew up and could have entered a 'ladies home' as she was still considered to be a 'Burgeress' of that City, even though she had not lived there since the time she married. The title 'Burgeress' was given to ladies whose family had lived there for many generations.

Just about 2 years ago 1992 when I was back in Holland for a visit with my brother Rutger, friends drove me to Breda where the old van Eck house was, and they made a special detour to see if it was stil there. And sure enough it was still there & looked exactly the same as about 70 years ago..."

Thank you, Tante Elske, for all the information.

The oldest photograph

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