A special meeting in Middenbeemster yesterday. Just like fifty years ago, such a hundreds of empty (h) waters come together for a family reunion in honor of the 450th birthday of their ancestor Jan Adriaanszoon Leeghwater. He grew into the Netherlands’ best -known hydraulic engineering.
Organizer Tosca Sombroek has been looking hard for this reunion in recent months. So with or without h. According to Sombroek, Leeghwater invented its name itself and the H has ‘fallen off’ in some family branches. “That is why we say: whether you have the H or not, you are certainly welcome at the reunion,” she said Earlier at NH.
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Fifty years ago there was also an Leeghwater reunion. Tosca: “When we had the plan to organize an anniversary year of Leeghwater 450, this was one of the first things that we said:” We are going to do that again. “
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Ernst Leegwater has only just arrived but is already having a good time. He comes from Drenthe for this day. Until recently, he didn’t know much about his family, but managed to dive back in time with the help of the internet. “Nice right? That this information exists at all.”
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He came into contact online with another empty water that looked like a combination between him and his brother in appearance. “I thought: that must be family. I had hoped that he would come today, but I haven’t seen him yet.”
The Jubilee year Leeghwater450 has not ended yet. On 30 and 31 August there will be a mini festival ‘The Slotfeest’ in De Rijp at the De Meelzak festival site.