Petrus Josephus was baptised at the Harderwijk Roman Catholic Church on 16 October 1796^[1].

Johanna Bernarda Hulsing Extract of Birth

Official marriage certificate dated 19 Dec
Roman Catholic Church book marriage entry of 25 December It appears that they married in the church 6 days after their "official wedding".

Petrus Josephus and Johanna Barnarda lived their entire lives in Harderwijk. When Antonia Maria Margareetha (1825) and Johannes Hendrikus (1826) were born, the family was living at Olijstraatje 471^[6,7]. This is also confirmed from a house list of 1825^[17]. This street has now disappeared and is covered by  a shopping complex^[8].

When Margareta Bernarda (1827) was born, they had moved to Schoenmakerstraat 442^[9] but moved to Bruggestraat 109 in 1829 when Hendrika Josephina was born. [Today, number 109 is number 16^[8]].


Location of Schoenmakerstraat 442

The 1830 Census of Harderwijk^[10] showed Petrus Josephus and Johanna Barnarda, living at Bruggestraat 109. Petrus was 33 years of age, unmarried and working as a Cabinetmaker.  Their religion was stated to be Roman Catholic.

Also living with them were three children – Karel Louwrens Theodorus, Margareta Bernarda and Hendrika Josephina. By this time, their second child, Antonia Maria Margareetha, had already died (28 April 1825^[11]) after living for only 3 days as had Johannes Hendrikus (24 April 1826^[12]) who only lived for 7 days.  Johanna’s mother, Margareta was also living at this address and was 71 years old.

They were still living at Bruggestraat 109 in 1832 when Anna Antonia was born^[13] and also in 1835 when Johannis Hendrikus was born^[14] and Petrus stated his occupation as Carpentry Joiner.  However when Theodora Lucia was born in 1839, Petrus and Johanna had moved to Bruggestraat 114^[15] and they were still there in 1841 when Fransina Maria was born^[16].

The Harderwijk Census of 1840^[18] stated that the family was living at Bruggestraat 111.  Was this a recording error or did they move from 114 to 111 and back again to 114 in less than a year?  The census also stated that there were four other adults living at the same address – so, a rather crowded house!  Petrus’ occupation was again stated as Cabinetmaker.

Harderwijk's register of inhabitants for the periods of 1862-1870 and 1870-1880 has Petrus and his family living at Bruggestraat 44^[21,22].  This the renumbered 114.  Throughout the period from 1862 to 1880, Petrus' occupation is stated as Carpentry Joiner.

Johanna Barnarda died in 1870 at their Bruggestraat house in Harderwijk^[5].  It is expected that this was number 44.

Karel Louwrens Theodorus lodged the death certificate for his father, Petrus Josephus, who died 10 months later at his house in the Bruggestraat, Harderwijk^[4].

This house was owned by Petrus Josephus but he never lived there.  The Harderwijk records describe it is a capital house with a garden.  In 1872, ownership passed to his daughter, Margareta Bernarda^[8].

In October 2003, it was a restaurant named De Dolle Griet (The Crazy Girl). It appears to have retained the original timber floor and ceiling panelling.  It has a warm, cosy interior.

The records of Harderwijk's St Martinus Roman Catholic church recorded Petrus' death and also noted that he was the church's Organist^[20].

The organ installed in the Grootepoortstraat church at the time was made made around 1820 and was moved from the Catholic Church in the Herenstraat in Utrecht to Harderwijk in 1827 and refurbished by the organ maker - Wander Beekes.  Beekes was well known as a maker of organs for the catholic church.

In 1913,  St Martinus Church was closed and the organ was again moved, this time to the new Catharina Church Convent.