“I found it very interesting to see where you come from. Because you come from a lot of different families. It’s nice to know what their history has been.”
On the train to and from work, Mirjam Leloux explains her family history. She came across the story of Katrina Siri, her great-grandfather’s mother. This Katrina turned out to be a woman after her own heart: someone who went her own way, despite outside disapproval. Katrina had lived in the Society of Benevolence since her youth. Leloux discovered, among other things, that her foremother had to marry under pressure, because ‘it is better to get married than to lead a life of frivolity’.
The Society of Benevolence was founded in 1818 to give poor people a chance to escape their poor existence. Men, women, orphans, families with children and veterans were sent from all over the country to the Colonies in Frederiksoord and Veenhuizen, among others. By working in the fields, it was thought that the poor could be educated to become useful and industrious citizens. The extensive and detailed archive of the Society of Benevolence is kept in the Drenthe Archives.
‘It’s a shame I didn’t know her’ During her commute to work, Leloux regularly delved into the digitally accessible archives: “Then I looked at the Belgian baptismal registers, because I was looking for the origin of the name Leloux. Because our ancestors come from Belgium.” During her search she also met Katrina Siri. Because her parents are in the penal colony, Katrina, together with her brothers and sisters, falls under the care of the Colonies of Benevolence. They receive food and shelter. Yet these rights appear to be accompanied by obligations. The management tells Katrina that she must marry Franciscus Johannes Leloux, a widower with five children.
Katrina doesn’t seem to mind it much. When her concerns are waved away with a moral sermon about frivolity, she thinks it’s enough. Katrina leaves Frederiksoord, together with a fellow colonist. A few days later she was found again. Barring a slap on the wrist, Katrina gets off easy. Ultimately, she marries Franciscus and they also have five children. Not an easy situation, but Katrina is building a life in Frederiksoord. Mirjam Leloux has admiration for her foremother: “I also think it’s a shame that I didn’t know her, because I think it was really cool of her to have done this.”
Text continues below the photo, scroll through for the podcast