Latest updates: Statistics Births 1850-1859 (8 June 2022), Focus on 1850-1899 (1 January 2022)
About the Study:
Welcome to my One Place Study (OPS) for Moerkapelle, Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands. I started this OPS in October 2021. I became interested in Moerkapelle because it has been the home of at least one branch of my family for several generations. My main interest is in what the community of Moerkapelle was like, but I will probably also take a look at the surrounding polder (land made dry) de Wilde Veenen, as it is closely connected with the town itself in regards to the people living there, the work they were doing, and the growth of the town.
Though not a very large town, at least in the nineteenth century and before, Moerkapelle has a long history going back to around 1400, however it was only a separate municipality (Dutch: gemeente) from 1 April 1817 until 1 January 1991. Since I do not want to bite off more than I can chew, I am (for now) going to restrict myself to the 19th century. Later years become more difficult, due to privacy concerns and restrictions on records and 1817 was when Moerkapelle was officially its own municipality.
Because I can’t do everything at once and I needed a place to start, I’ve decided to first look at the 1850-1899 time period, as a lot of my ancestors lived in Moerkapelle during this time period. I am currently focusing on population statistics in this time period.
Current and tasks I am working on:
- Analyzing birth, marriage and death records of 1850-1899; with a current focus on 1850-1859
- Get a feel of the professions and surnames present in the community during the 1850-1899 time period
- Get a feel for the agricultural sector in Moerkapelle during the 1850-1899 time period and how this might have changed considering nation-wide events such as the industrialization of agriculture and the agricultural crisis of the late 19th century.
What This Study Is Not:
This study is not meant to build databases for sources, especially as many sources are already (being) indexed on sites of local, regional, or even national archives. I do not mean to replace these websites with databases of my own making.
This study is a hobby and something I do for fun. I do not claim to be a historian, nor do I have a background in any type of historical research aside from my own genealogical research. I am not a professional and therefore this study will probably not adhere to professional standards. Again, this is a hobby and done for fun, read this blog with that in mind.
Last, but not least, this study is not meant to be all-encompassing. That is something that is impossible anyway. The direction of this study is determined by my interests and therefore will focus on some areas, while leaving other areas unresearched.
Contact:
Anyone interested in what I am doing, who has questions, or wants to join in the fun, is welcome to contact me (see the contact page).
Image credit:
Home page image and center image on banner: public domain image of map, published by Hugo Suringar (Leeuwarden), held by Streekarchief Hollands Midden (sahm.nl, Gouda). Image can be found here.
Banner image left: public domain image of the Dorpsstraat in northern direction, ca. 1905, published by Boekhandel van Nooten – Schoonhoven, held by Streekarchief Hollands Midden (sahm.nl, Gouda). Image can be found here.
Banner image right: public domain image of the previous town hall, 15 juni 1970, published by Provincie Zuid-Holland, held by Streekarchief Hollands Midden (sahm.nl, Gouda). Image can be found here.
Moerkapelle 