July 1, 2008 145 years of abolition of Dutch Slavery

On July 1, 2008 it will be exactly 145 years ago that the Dutch slavery has been abolished in Surinam, The Netherlands Antilles & Aruba.

Some members of the Van Romondt Family also had slaves working on their plantation. Judith van Romondt-Rink Tielenius Kruythoff married Johannes Willem van Romondt and was owner of the RETREAT ESTATE in Sint Maarten N.A. August Alexander van Romondt and other members of the family also had slaves working on their plantation ( documents still have to be scanned)

In the book Cul-de-Sac people historian Mathias Voges writes about the plantation and the families that grew up there. The following pictures is taken from the book and lists the freed slaves owned by Judith van Romondt- Rink Tielenius Kruythoff.



Source pictures: Malaki Z. Croes (AUA)

We are looking for any living descendants of the many families mentioned in this document. If you know anyone please ask them to contact the Van Romondt W.I.B.Family Tree Research Project.

Our special contact Heather Nielsen send us the following information:
In the Curaçaosche Courant of May 25, 1822 there appears a letter adressed to Abraham Heyliger, St. Martin, dutch part, this letter had formerly been published in the Saint Christopher Courant on March 26, 1822 and it gives a list of the undersigners, first part white people, second part "free people of color" living in St. Martin at the time:

J. Ailen (or Allen), Abraham Arrindell jun., J.C. Arrindell, L. Arrindell, D. Atwell, Jacob F. Barry, John Barry, Benjamin Barton, Joshua Blakey, N.D. Blyden, John W. Burke, Richard Burke, Abraham Cannegieter, John H. Carty, R. Chippendale, James Cuthbert, John H. Davis, Lucas Davis, Jonathan Derrick, Johannes S. Gibbes, John Gruebey, Nathaniel Halman, Noah Hart, John Hirst, J.C. Hitzler, John H. Howell, William R. Howell, George Illidge jun., George Illidge, John Leverick, William Leverick, F.C. Machlott, Peter Maillard, William Hm. Maillard, Giles Mardenbrough, Alexander Nisbet, David Nisbet sen., David Nisbet jun., Abraham Oyen, Lucas Percival, Thomas Percival, James Peterson sen., James Peterson jun., John Daniel Peterson, Peter John Peterson, Thomas Peterson, William P. Peterson, M. Phillips, Jonathan Potter, Samuel Potter, John E. Richardson, R.R. Richardson, Thomas Richardson, P. Rogers, John J. Romney, Joseph Romney, Solomon Romney, Thomas Romney, John Rowland, Derick Smith, John D.Thomas, John Toland, L. van Britton, John Violenes, Nicholas Violenes, Azer Vlaun, Charles Vlaun, James Vlaun sen., James Vlaun jun., Peter Vlaun, Andrew A. Wade, Thomas L.P. Wade, P. Webster, Laurence Westerband, William Williams sen., William Williams jun.

Signed Phillipsburg St. Martin, 18.3.1822.


Second letter "We, free persons of the color... etc."
Kingsale Albert, Edward Azular, Robert Bailey, Samuel Bailey, A. M. Balborda, Isaac M. Balborda, A.F.R. Bancamper, Thomas R. Bart, George Barton, John Buntin, James Carty, John Carty, Richard Cashwell, John Creed, Elias Delyon, Lorang W. Discomb, John Doncker, William Gibbes, George G. Hanson, John William Hanson, A. van Heyningen, Peter Heyliger, Thomas Heyliger, Joseph Labega, John D. Pantoplet, Edward Richardson,

Signed Phillipsburg 15.3.1822.

Abolition of Slavery

Source: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/slavery/images/slavery_home.jpg

The UK has published their slave registry, period 1812-1823 of the Carribbean on ANCESTRY.COM. For more information log on to:Http://www.ancestery.co.uk
http://landing.ancestry.co.uk/intl/uk/barbados.aspx?o_iid=31428&o_lid=31428

Currently in Aruba the National Archives is also having an exposition on the slavery on the island together with the foundation "Exposicion Herencia di Slavitud" ( legacy of the slavery exhibition). From March 1st till the 1st of July 2008, the Foundation Exposicion Herencia di Sclavitud (Legacy of the Slavery exhibition) has set up an exhibition at the National Archives of Aruba telling the story of the slave history on the island of Aruba.

http://www.youtube.com/user/odalicious

Remembering the abolition of slavery

Source: Pic of remembering our Dutch Slavery by Malaki Z. Croes ( Aruba), at Slave Expocition at Plantation house Santa Martha In Curacao N.A.

Recently in the month of March 2007, Britain Commemorates Abolition of Slave Trade 200 Years Ago.

Be that as it may, Britons this week are commemorating the 200th anniversary of The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, passed by Parliament on March 25, 1807. Yesterday a commemorative service was staged in Westminster Abbey, attended by Prime Minister Tony Blair and Queen Elizabeth II. Later, the monarch lay flowers at a memorial to those affected by slavery.

Source: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/03/28/041056.php

On the island of Sint Maarten slavery was ended in 1848 due to the fact that slavery was abolished on the French Part of the island, Saint Martin. Members of the van Romondt family who were active in Government and living on Sint Maarten had also experienced this history. Judith Rink Tielenius Kruythoff van Romondt wife of Johannes Willem van Romondt ( son of Diederik Johannes van Romondt and Ann Hassell) was owner of the "Golden Rock Retreat Plantation" in Cul-de-Sac, Sint Maarten, N.A. that she purchased from former Governor Willem Hendrik Rink. In the book Cul-de-Sac People by Mathias Voges (2006) several families whom beginning in St. Martin can be traced over the last hunderd years to the Cul-de-Sac of the Dutch Side of the island are described in the book such as The Scott family, The Hazel Family, The Wilson family, The Heward/Dollison family and many more.

John Willem (Johannes Willem) van Romondt was governor of Sint Maarten during the slave period on the island. On the 8th of April 1848 the French commander informed the Governor by writing that the Republic of France will declare the freeing of the slaves on the French Colonies as od the 17th of april 1848. The governor had to make certain decisions and take measures on the Dutch side of the island due to the freecall of slavery on the French part of the island, Saint Martin and the consequences that it will have for the Dutch side. The Governor sent out ships to Curacao to inform the governor in Curacao, called for soldiers and was in contact with his collegegues on the french side to discuss certain matters. This last didn`t turn out and the slave went into action. Several meetings were held with the slaves owners and the Colonial Advisory concerning the matter. Due to illness Governor John was not able to attent the meeting with the Colonial Advisory on the 6th June 1848. Old-Governor D.C. van Romondt attented the meeting instead. Other members of the van Romondt family active during this time was also August Alexander van Romondt (brother of governor Johannes Willem van Romondt). He sailed out to Holland to plead for free charges for the slave owners on Sint Maarten. On 1 July 1863 with a 21 salut shots abolition of slavery was declared on the Dutch islands Sint Maarten, Saba and Sint Eustatius. The governor read the proclamation and there were several church services held. The population celebrated the victory with many festivities. Slavetrade and slavery were now considered history and the many consequences of the emancipation are part of the general history. On the 1th July 1883 the abolition of slaves was remembered with music, dance and parades. (Source: Geschiedenis van de Nederlandse Antillen, De bovenwindse eilanden, dr. Joh. Hartog., chapter five, The Slaves).
In 2003, it was commemorated exactly hundred forty years ago that slavery was abolished in the Dutch colonies. On and around 1 July several meetings had been planned where descendants of slaves and descendants of slave holders, slave traders and dignitaries met each other and quietly stood at this black page from our common past.

In 2008 it will 145 years ago that in the Dutch colonies slavery was abolished.


The following websites give some more information:


http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/West-Indische_Compagnie#De_Slavenhandel

http://www.kb.nl/dossiers/slavernij/slavernij.html

http://www.herensiadisklabitut.com/index.php?page_id=12&style_id

http://www.kurahulanda.com/04a_museum_info.html

http://geschiedenis.vpro.nl/dossiers/25425144/

http://www.galeries.nl/mnexpo.asp?exponr=11466

http://landing.ancestry.co.uk/intl/uk/barbados.aspx?o_iid=31428&o_lid=31428