Gasthuis (Almshouse) Bredevoort, Bredevoort

For centuries, the Gasthuis (also referred to as the Armenhuis or almshouse) served as a refuge for the poor, the sick, and the elderly in Bredevoort. From 1641 until approximately 1930, the institution occupied various locations within the city walls. The current Gasthuisstraat owes its name to this establishment.

The house of Misslich (Agnietenhuis)

The earliest known mention of an almshouse in Bredevoort dates to 1641. It occupied the old borgmanshuis (a fortified town house) and the orchard behind it, formerly belonging to Wolf Mislich, then Governor of the Lordship of Bredevoort. In 1639, Mislich drafted a will bequeathing his house and entire estate—valued at 15,000 guilders, a significant fortune at the time—to the poor relief of Bredevoort.

Following his death in 1639, the will was executed, giving rise to the local saying: “De armen van Bredevoort bunt rieke” (The poor of Bredevoort are rich).

The House of Misslich, also known as the Agnietenhuis, was presumably located in the vicinity of the later Ambthuis. Rental income from the property benefited the poor, and besides the Widow Mislich, two other families lived in the main house, while three smaller dwellings in the backyard were occupied by the needy.

‘t Walletje

Around 1800, records regarding the Mislich house become silent. An 1832 cadastral map shows the ‘Armen Gasthuis van Bredevoord’ located at ’t Walletje, in the extension of the Vismarkt (cadastral plots B126-B129). This complex consisted of four dwellings, ranging in size from 22 to 26 m².

Gasthuisstraat

The third and final almshouse was built in 1844 on the Gasthuisstraat and consisted of eight dwellings. The land was purchased from the Hof van Barnsveld, a former borgmanshuis.

On 14 August 1879, this building burned down completely, though it was subsequently repaired. In 1911, the almshouse underwent a thorough renovation, though it remained incomplete; the houses were eventually sold off and demolished one by one. In 1897, the Sint Bernardus building was purchased, where nursing care was provided around the turn of the century.

Residents

Population registers recorded each household on separate cards. Below is an overview of the inhabitants of the almshouse on the Gasthuisstraat over time:

Period 1838-1850

28	28	28	28	28	28
Maria Catharina Harmsen (Winterswijk, 26-01-1787)	Johanna Hendrika Lindeman (Bredevoort, 04-12-1786)	Andries Willemsen (Bredevoort, 14-08-1790)	Janna Geertruid Meinen (Bredevoort, 06-01-1789)	Jan Hendrik Duenk (Bredevoort, 17-10-1810)	Fredrik Boom (Bredevoort, 24-03-1797)

Period 1850-1860

28	28a	28b	28c	28d	28e	28f	28g
Janna Geertruid Meinen (Bredevoort, 06-01-1789)	Johanna Hendrika Lindeman (Bredevoort, 04-12-1786)	Hendrikus Kempink (Bredevoort, 16-09-1815)	Jan Hendrik Duenk (Bredevoort, 17-10-1810)	Fredrik Boom (Bredevoort, 24-03-1797)	Toni Blekking (Aalten, 15-07-1798)	Andries Willemsen (Bredevoort, 14-08-1790)	Gerrit Jan Sikking (Bredevoort, 14-10-1792)
				Hendrika Aleida Kalf (Aalten, 23-05-1822)		Jan Willemsen (Bredevoort, 28-02-1802)

Period 1860-1870

28	28a	28b	28c	28d	28e
Hendrikus Kempink (Bredevoort, 16-09-1815)	Jan Hendrik Duenk (Bredevoort, 17-10-1810)	Hendrika Aleida Kalf (Aalten, 23-05-1822)	Toni Blekking (Aalten, 15-07-1798)	Jan Willemsen (Bredevoort, 28-02-1802)	Gerrit Jan Sikking (Bredevoort, 14-10-1792)
				Grada Meinen (Aalten, 11-12-1797)

Period 1870-1880

30/1	30/2	30/3	30/4	30/5	30/6	30/7	30/8
Mina Helmig (Bredevoort, 05-07-1824)	Christina ten Pas (Winterswijk, 21-08-1812)	Hendrikus Kempink (Bredevoort, 16-09-1815)	Hendrika Aleida Kalf (Aalten, 23-05-1822)	Jan Hendrik Duenk (Bredevoort, 17-10-1810)	Janna Geertruid te Slaa (Winterswijk, 05-04-1802)	Jan Willemsen (Bredevoort, 28-02-1802)	Berendina Villekes (Bredevoort, 26-06-1800)
Johanna Ribbink (Winterswijk, 01-08-1810)		Theodora Berendina Grotenhuis (Henxel, 01-01-1829)	Berendina Hijink (Lichtenvoorde, 19-06-1834)		Derk Willem Bloemers (Woold, 10-02-1821)

Period 1880-1890

38/1	38/2	38/3	38/4	38/5	38/6	38/7	38/8
Johanna Ribbink (Winterswijk, 01-08-1810)	Berendina Hijink (Lichtenvoorde, 19-06-1834)	Theodora Berendina Grotenhuis (Henxel, 01-01-1829)	Christina ten Pas (Winterswijk, 21-08-1812)	Jan Hendrik Duenk (Bredevoort, 17-10-1810)	Derk Willem Bloemers (Woold, 10-02-1821)	Gerritjen Duenk (Lichtenvoorde, 28-01-1824)	Frans Julius Römer (Mittweida/D, 02-11-1815)
		Willemina Kwak (Wisch, 04-04-1829)	Berendina Villekes (Bredevoort, 26-06-1800)		Mina Helmig (Bredevoort, 05-07-1824)		Hendrika Harmina Schoppers (Dale, 09-11-1821)
		Geertruid Kobus (Winterswijk, 02-08-1842)	Jan Hendrik Grotenhuis (Henxel, 22-07-1832)				Gerritjen Dina Scholtz (Aalten, 31-12-1834)
			Janna Berendina Dreijers (Aalten, 25-05-1833)

Period 1890-1900

30/1	30/2	30/3	30/4	30/5	30/6	30/7	30/8
Johanna Ribbink (Winterswijk, 01-08-1810)	Berendina Hijink (Lichtenvoorde, 19-06-1834)	Geertruid Kobus (Winterswijk, 02-08-1842)	Janna Berendina Dreijers (Aalten, 25-05-1833)	Jan Hendrik Duenk (Bredevoort, 17-10-1810)	Mina Helmig (Bredevoort, 05-07-1824)	Gerritjen Duenk (Lichtenvoorde, 28-01-1824)	Gerritjen Dina Scholtz (Aalten, 31-12-1834)
Janna Geertruid te Wieske (Winterswijk, 11-11-1840)	Gerrit Hendrik Mengerink (Neede, 07-01-1851)	Harmen Jan Piek (Aalten, 09-03-1826)		Maria Hendrika Slats (Aalten, 03-05-1823)	Geertruid Kobus (Winterswijk, 02-08-1842)	Gerrit Hendrik Piek (Vragender, 24-08-1834)
Gerrit Hendrik Piek (Vragender, 24-08-1834)
Janna Berendina Dreijers (Aalten, 25-05-1833)

Period 1900-1910

27	27/3	27/4	27/5	27/6	27/7
Janna Berendina Dreijers (Aalten, 25-05-1833)	Harmen Jan Piek (Aalten, 09-03-1826)	Maria Hendrika Slats (Aalten, 03-05-1823)	Geertruid Kobus (Winterswijk, 02-08-1842)	Gerrit Hendrik Piek (Vragender, 24-08-1834)	Gerritjen Dina Scholtz (Aalten, 31-12-1834)
Tonia Gesiena Oonk (Miste, 05-09-1869)
Jan Derk Wilterdink (Miste, 02-11-1860)