20 Oct 2008.
20 Oct 2008.
I would love to hear from you. Email to hugo@accountant.com
Send me news or memorabilia of the Groote Beer. Or if you want any help in Australia or information ask me.
We left the Dutch port of Rotterdam on 25 October 1955. We are standing on the bottom row: in the centre is dad Jan (with hat and camera), then from right Sjon, me, Marlies and mum Ria.
Enjoying the hot weather on board the Groote Beer in the Red Sea. On the left is Dad, then sitting on the deck are Marlies, Sjon and me, with a friend Mr Scholten behind me sitting in the deck chair. My mother is sitting in the centre behind the table. With our family is the family Scholten who left the boat at Fremantle and then went to live in Melbourne.
See some photos of our migration.
ORIGINALLY IT WAS "COSTA RICA VICTORY"
Built by Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, Calif. in 1944, she was a standard wartime type 'Victory' ship. - 9,140 gross tons, length 455.3ft x beam 62.1ft, one funnel, two masts, single screw and a speed of 15 knots. There was capacity for 828 one-class passengers. Launched on 17/6/1944 as the "Costa Rica Victory" she was used as a US Army transport and in 1952 was sold to the Netherlands Government for use as an emigrant ship.
Managed by the Holland America Line, she was renamed "Groote Beer" (Great Bear) and on 18/6/1952 she commenced her first Rotterdam - Halifax - New York voyage. In August 1952 she made her first Rotterdam - Quebec sailing and in August 1965 made the last of 105 round voyages when she sailed from Rotterdam for New York.
Sold to Greek owners in 1965, she made four educational cruises between June and August 1966. In 1969 she was renamed "Marianna IV" and in 1971 was scrapped at Eleusis, Greece. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P. Bonsor, vol.4, p.1688] There is a photo of this ship as the "Groote Beer" on p.1686 of North Atlantic Seaway, vol.4. - [Posted to The ShipsList by Ted Finch - 10 June 1998]
People who migrated on the "Groote Beer" can contact me and you can have your name here! I have heard from several people so far. I am also collecting Passenger Lists and other memorabilia.
See Passenger List below
Liz Feillafe's father (Theodorus Thoolen) came to Australia on the Groote Beer on 21 March 1951 . He cannot remember the exact date. I am trying to find
specific information about arrivals in 1951, such as arrival dates,
passenger lists etc. Is there any information that would assist?
Liz's email is liz_feillafe@phoneware.com.au
Ben Heeren wrote:
I left my hometown of Eindhoven on the 22nd of February 1951 and
travelled by bus to Rotterdam or Amsterdam (I can not remember which
one) together with a bus load of other potential emigrants. Perhaps
the photo below will indicate that part of the city shown, which belongs to
either Amsterdam or Rotterdam.
We boarded the Groote Beer on the same day which then took us to Australia, arriving in Melbourne on the 21st March 1951. Being, for the first time in my life exposed to so much sensation is unforgettable. Anyway after disembarkation I flew with Ansett ANA to Adelaide. From then on we resided there as well as in several SA country towns until after retirement in 1987 we shifted to the Gold Coast in Queensland, where we are still living up to this date.
During my earlier days in the 1950's, whilst being employed by the ANZ Bank, I was appointed to conduct several migrant shipboard agencies in order to discuss banking facilities in Australia as well as pay out landings money to the emigrant families. One of those agencies was also conducted on the "Groote Beer" whilst it was sailing from Holland to Australia. I would fly to Perth and board the ship on arrival there and then sail with it until Melbourne. from where I would fly back home to Adelaide.
Ben's email is ben@coastweb.net
My father Rudolf Anthony Joustra, his siblings
Maarten and Elja, his mother Elizabeth Wilhelmina Johanna (nee van Seggelen)
and his father Ids Joustra travelled on the Groote Beer 26/5/1951-27/6/1951
from Holland and ending up in Victoria, Australia. From Kyle Joustra, email kjoustra@bigpond.net.au
Kyle sent in some Menus and a Seasick bag from the Groote Beer.
See Passenger list below.
My name is Piet Romijn and I was born in Lisse in May 1930. I left Holland on the Groote Beer on the 17th of August 1951 from the Java kade in Amsterdam . Most of the emigrants were young single men. For 453 of them the destination was New Zealand. We sailed via the Panama canal and Tahiti and arrived in Wellington on the 19th of September .
If I remember correctly this was the first sailing with emigrants to New Zealand and Australia that the Groote Beer did . Prior to this sailing had the boat been used as an hospital ship to transport the injured back to Holland during the war in Indonesia . The conditions on board during our sailing were pretty rough and that was the reason why in 1952 the boat was extensively upgraded.
Piet is organising a reunion in 2001 on the 50th Anniversary of that sailing with the migrants from that voyage to New Zealand. His email is peterromijn@paradise.net.nz
My name is Lynley Jerphanion and my father is Frans Willem Jerphanion. He came from Leidschendam. He emigranted to New Zealand aboard the Groote Beer in September 1951. I am hoping either you or someone reading your page can help me. I am trying to put something together for my father as it is 50 years since he arrived. Her email is payjer@paradise.net.nz
Ria van Dijk wrote: My father Nicolaas Jan Willem van Dijk, born in Ingen,Gelderland, landed in Halifax from Rotterdam on the "Groote Beer" June 21, 1952, with his parents "Adrianus Gerald & Maria Adriana van Dijk" ,along with two other siblings.
Ria's email is Anrvdm@aol.com
Ron Nieuwenhuis's parents and oldest brother emigrated from Holland to Canada in June 1952. Their names were Bareld and Tietje Nieuwenhuis. My brother's name is Ben (Bareld) Nieuwenhuis. They landed in Halifax on June 25, 1952 and made their way to Ontario Unfortunately both of my parents are dead. I am putting together a family tree and came across your site during my research. I am hoping other Nieuwenhuises will read this and possibly send information to help me.
Ron's email is rnieuwenhuis@netflash.net
Ron sent an Immigration Certificate. Click Here
Richard Post migrated in September 1952 from Parrega,
Friesland to the USA. Mother and father Eile and Tjitske Post and family of four spent 10
days on a somewhat stormy North Atlantic crossing aboard the Groote Beer
arriving on October 2, 1952 in Hoboken, New Jersey.
We settled in Sussex County, New Jersey. A Dutch-American community stills exists there, largely centered around the Christian Reformed Church. It was there that I married Edie (born Yttje) Oord whose family had come from the Joure in Friesland in 1955 aboard the Johan Van Olde Barnevelt.
Fries was natuurlijk mijn eerste taal. Nederlands had ik geleerd op school voor dat wij naar Amerika emigreerde. Of course English is now my first language.
Richard's email is postr@ohiou.edu. He now lives in southeast Ohio.
See Passenger list below.
The grandparents of Bonnie Delyea migrated to Canada in the Groote Beer. Their children included Bonnie's mother. The Groote Beer left Rotterdam on 20 Feb. 1953 and arrived in Halifax March 1953. Bonnie's email is brandonmandy@sympatico.ca
Bonnie sent me the Passenger list of the Groote Beer of the journey and also a map of the journey travelled.
My name is Simon Knuist. I was born in Alkmaar 1928, emigrated 1953 with the Groote Beer in February to Canada. Simon and his wife are shown on the Passenger list of 20 Feb 1953. Simon's email is ansikn@hotmail.com
Our family immigrated to Canada from Wassenaar Holland on April 8th 1953. My parents Cornelis (Kees) and Hermina (Mein) NELL, brothers Thys, Casey, Johan (Joe) and myself Hennie (Joan). We arrived in Halifax April 16th after a rough voyage. I remember one night my brother's crib sliding to and fro in the cabin with the movement of the ship, and had to be tied to one of the bunk beds. My mom and I were more or less confined to our cabin, as she was seasick the whole voyage and I had a broken leg with a cast. This had happened the day before we were to depart so needless to say my parents weren't happy about having to carry me about. My dad was kept busy looking after my other two brothers as they were wandering about the ship. One of the highlights of the voyage was the sighting of an iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland. Joan Robb's email is robbj@cadvision.com
For more of Joan's migration story Click here.
John Willems sailed on the Groote Beer to Canada in 1953 in August. John's email is johnwillems1@ns.sympatico.ca
Geertje Verheul (now Geraldine Bruno) migrated on the Groote Beer from Rotterdam to Canada and we arrived on October 28th 1953. I was born on April 1st, 1946, in Amsterdam, Holland. My father was Rocus Verheul, my mother Marta van Tol, my brothers are called Rocus, Leonardus, Cornelius, and Dirk.
We arrived in Halifax, and from there took a train for three days and stopped in Ontario, to go to Aurora, where my father had a sister. We bought a farm there close to Orangeville, and from there started our new life.
I remember that boat like a fairy tale, because I was only six years old. I remember going out in the morning early, so we could watch the dolphins jumping in and out of the water as the people from the garbage disposal dumped all the waste of the kitchens into the ocean. The fish followed the boat just for the scraps. Perhaps the Groote Beer was not the largest ship in the world, but it seemed huge to me. I used to get seasick every day, and everyone had to carry little paper bags just in case they would need to vomit. I remember that the women and men were separated, and different cabins.
I remember a large playroom, and a lot of other things, but most of it is vague. I am a grandmother now, and I emigrated to Venezuela from Canada 26 years ago. I live in a place called El Tigre, and have two grown sons. My husband is Italian. I like to go on to the internet on a sort of nostalgic journey, because I'm separated from both my countries, Canada and Holland.
That is how I found my family tree The Rocus Verheul homepage. We can trace our family directly back to 1595. I have family living in Australia too, by the name of Verheul. Gerri's email is geriverheul@hotmail.com
Yvonne Dunlop came to Canada in October 1953 and I remember some of the trip although not all of it as I was only 5 years old at the time. My family consisted of my father (deceased 1997) my mother (deceased 1956) my sister and myself. My sister is still living. I remember my mother and father were both very, very sea sick on the voyage over and that they slept in separate quarters. Women were with women and the men were with the men in dormitories.I remember running up and down the decks with my sister and throwing small woolen dolls off the end of the ship (not sure what that end is called). We sailed from Rotterdam to Halifax and then took the train west to Vancouver, British Columbia where we have resided ever since. I was wondering if there is a passenger list for that particular sailing and if so, where can I go to find it. Yvonne's email is ydunlop@telus.net
Dad (Cornelius Klerks, age at time 13) and his family came (to Canada)
in "1953". There were Cornelius Klerks, Ted Klerks, Helen Vanderloo, Agatha (Quakenboos) Klerks, Govert Klerks. Dad remembers things like seeing a flying fish, a surfaced sub passing by, and times when the weather was stormy and the waves washed over
the 3rd deck and they were locked in. with an edge placed around each
table to keep the dishes in place and at times heavy with fog where the
fog horn was blown every few minutes. They were able to walk around most
of the ship when the weather was good.
After arriving in Halifax they had the long train ride through Northern Quebec, Northern Ontario and down through Chesley (Ontario, current pop. 2,000) where your Aunt Helen and her family the Vanderloo's left the train to be met by their relatives the Vandervoort's. Uncle Ted and Aunt Helen met on the Groote Beer. The Klerks went on to the last stop which was Windsor (Ontario) where Aunt Em and Uncle Janus were living (Harrow) and a farmer had a job for your grandfather as well as a house to live in. The beautiful scenery and great expanse of the country seen from the train really impressed Dad and his family.
Cornelius Klerks and, his wife, Joan still live in Chesley, Ontario. They have two children, Lisa, married with three boys, Kevin (me), married with one daughter and three step-daughters. From Kevin Klerks, emailkklerks@webtv.net
See Passenger list below.
My name is Cornell (Kees) Wynnobel. I was born in Leiden, Holland on August 12, 1946.My family including my Father (Geil), Mother (Johanna) brother (Leendert) and myself (Cornellis) immigrated to Canada on the Groote Beer on May 10th, 1954. We landed in Quebec City for "processing" by Canadian Immigration and then continued up the St. Lawrence River to Montreal. We then went on the train to Winnipeg, Manitoba where my family still lives.
I presently live just 40 kms west of Calgary, Alberta and look out my kitchen window at the beautiful Rocky Mountains.
Cornell's email is wynnobec@cadvision.com
Cornell also sent a Passenger list of the voyage (see bottom of page) and photos of the Groote Beer(see Groote Beer Links page below).
See Passenger list below.
The parents of Maria Struyke-Laurin migrated to Canada from Holland on the s.s.Groote Beer on "Donderdag 2
Juni 1954" from Rotterdam to Quebec. The family came from Limburg. They landed at Montreal.
At present we live in Exeter, Ontario, Canada (along Lake Huron, north of
London, Ontario).
Maria's email is meseau@hotmail.com
My name is Broer (Bruce) Burghgraef. I migrated from Workum, Friesland, from Rotterdam on the Groote Beer and landed at Halifax on February 6 1955, from there I moved on to Omemee Ontario Canada, and at present reside in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. My email address is byjanke@sympatico.ca
We immigrated to the US leaving Rotterdam on the Groote Beer on 23 Feb 55 and landed in New York via Hallifax about 8 days later. My parents names are Cornelis and Truus (Trijnje) Van Helden and then my sister, Ineke and myself, Teunie. I remember the trip very well since I was nearly 7 yrs. old then. We settled in South Dakota and I now live in Spencer, Iowa. I have looked at some sites for passenger lists, but I have never been able to find our names or this particular sailing. Tony van Helden's email is helden@ncn.net
Hette Van Ravens migrated on 4 May 1955 in the Groote Beer and arived in Quebec on May 13th 1955. I was born in Schiedam and my wife Margaretha (nee Taal) is from Vlaardingen. Back in those days for a young couple to qualify to have your name put on a waiting list for an appartment in Holland, the couples age had to total 60. So we decided to set up house in Canada. We are still happily married and have been richly blessed with 3 children and 9 grand children. Now we are happily retired. Hette's email is edvanrav@stn.net
Jack van den Kieboom now lives in Owen
Sound, Ontario, Canada. He migrated in May 1955 and landed at Quebec City and travelled by
train to Montreal. He later met Marian there and married. His wife Marian's email is marianv@bmts.com
John van der Heide now lives in Tara,
Canada. He came from a village Oosterend in Friesland (it is about 11 kilometers north
west of Sneek) in May 1955. His parents are Peter and Betske (nee: Nauta) and migrated
with 5 children: Jan, Klaas, Hessel, Ietsje and Hendrik. They arrived at Quebec City and
from there took the train to Toronto. His email is j.rvanderheide@bmts.com
My name is Dora Smeets-Buren. I was born in Alkmaar. My Father (P.N.G.Buren) had a grocery store on the Laat 223. We migrated May 5th and arrived in Quebec May 12th 1955.
There were 9 children in the family who migrated. When we arrived in Canada we lived in Delaware Ontario, close to London. When we all got married and my Dad past away in 1969, my Mother moved to Byron, she past away in 1996. at the age of 94.
Dora's email is ldsmeets@sympatico.ca
See Passenger list below.
Jan du-Pree emigrated from Rotterdam on May 27 1955 on the Groote Beer with his parents Albertus and Nellie, brother Arie Pieter, sisters Nellie and Alberta. I turned 18 years old on May 29 on the boat. I remember we had a storm and stopped the boat for 2 days to let the storm clear, lots of people seasick but not our family, we had waiters all around us. We landed in Quebec on June 4 1955 and took a train to Windsor Ontario, I lived in Windsor 12 years before emigrating to San Francisco Bay Area Aug. 1967. I have visited Rotterdam twice since then, including the camp in Apelvaken- Sweden I was sent to in 1948 to recuperate from war starvation. Jan now lives in Concord,Ca and his email is GibsonGirl_1@email.msn.com
Luuk came over on the Groote Beer in May of 1955. I remember the voyage
well, sea sick for 9 out of 10 days. The only day I felt well was
a day so stormy no one was allowed on deck. The dining hall almost
empty, it is the only day I remember eating and keeping it down.
Olav den Ouden sailed from Rotterdam landing at Halifax on October 10 1955. His father and mother Nico den Ouden and Thelca Helena Kleinherenbrink came with with 6 children and Mom pregnant with the 7th, Gerard, Emmie, Thea, Paul, Olav and Jose with Nico (Jr) born in 1956. A train ride to Quebec City and from there the train took us to Kingston, Ontario. My uncle, Rijk den Ouden picked us up took us to Picton, Ontario.
Olav now lives in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada and his email is 2ulips@home.com
My parents and I emigrated to Canada in 1955 aboard the Groote Beer. I was
too young to remember the voyage. From Minke Stornel, email minke52@shaw.ca
The family Tillemans came to Australia in October 1955 on the Groote Beer and first stop was in Fremantle, November 1955 then on to Sydney where they travelled to the Upper Hunter Muswellbrook to settle. This information came from daughter Sharon Atwood and her email is woodta@hunterlink.net.au.
This is the same voyage on which I (Hugo) came out.
Jennifer Quick wrote: My father
emigrated from the Netherlands in 1955 and stopped in Perth where he has lived since.
He is Annechienus Reemeijer (called "Alec"). He is from Groningen, but also lived in Amsterdam, Hilversum and Utrecht. (He went back in 1960 for a short holiday - met my mother and got married in Wales - she's Welsh). Jennifer's email is antjenn@iinet.net.au
Gerry Kaldenhoven sailed on the Groote Beer from Rotterdam on March 13 1956 by himself and arrived at
Halifax March 22 1956. He has a passenger list of the trip.
I was born in Bunnik (Utrecht) and have been living in Alberta, Canada
ever since I arrived here. Met my wife in 1958 and raised five children.
Gerry's email is kaldenho@telusplanet.net
My name is Tony Wildeman and I live in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. I emigrated to Canada with my family on the Groote Beer in
March/April 1956, landing in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
I believe Gerry Kaldenhoven, whose story is on the web-site, may have been on the same sailing as we were. The information on the web-site indicated that Mr Kaldenhoven has a passenger list which my mother and I are very interested in seeing. Tony's email is tswildeman@shaw.ca.
Tony sent in a photo of the family aboard the Groote Beer.
The man on the far right is my father, Hendrikus who passed away in 1992. He is holding me, Antonius and my mother, Catherina is standing to our right. My baby sister, Nora, is not in the picture and the other man is my mother's uncle who came aboard to see us off
The family of Rinke and Jacoba Kruis migrated from Sneek, Friesland. They left the Netherlands with 5 boys departing from Rotterdam in April, 1956 on the Groote Beer.
The children were Richard (Rinke junior), John (Jan), Sam (Siebren), Joe (Jouke) and Pete (Pieter). The crossing over took about 10 days and they endured stormy conditions throughout the journey.
They landed in Quebec, Canada and traveled by Greyhound bus to Hammond, Indiana in the United States. The bus trip took about 40 hours. From there, they were greeted by members of the First Reformed Church of Alsip, Illinois, which had sponsored his family's journey. The family eventually settled in Alsip, where Oma Jacoba still lives.
Rinke (senior) passed away in 1973, but Oma is still going strong at age 88. She has 18 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. They still have family in Friesland.
The family can be contacted by email through Lisa Kruis-Pavalon, mlpavalon@msn.com who is the daughter of Rinke (junior).
Bill Boogaart and family came from Den Haag and left Rotterdam on September 21, 1956. The next day was spent floating
in the English Channel as a scheduled stop in Le Havre, France was
cancelled due to a dock workers strike. This was at the height of the Suez
Crisis, and the Channel was filled with British warships on their way to
Egypt. That evening we docked at Southampton, England to take on more
passengers and then left during the night for Canada.
On the way across we passed a disabled ocean liner that declined help from the Groote Beer, saw icebergs in the distance and several fishing boats and freighters. We also endured a violent storm that sent waves crashing across the windows of the lounge, which was several decks above the main deck. Most passengers were extremely seasick as a result. As we were going across on a tight budget, we were bunked in dormitories in what had to have been the lowest deck that passengers could be in.
We saw land a few days later and then sailed through the Straight of Belle Isle with Labrador to the north and Newfoundland to the south. It was our first view of Canada. All we could see were pine trees, and it was bitterly cold. The next day we docked in Quebec City to let off passengers and freight. The following morning, September 30, we arrived at our final destination Montreal. We watched them unload all the cargo during the day, and finally towards the end of the day passengers were being allowed off the ship.
All passengers had to find their belongings in a huge freight hall and wait by it, as Canada Customs and immigrations officials processed the new immigrants. In a random check of a crate belonging to some other immigrants, Customs officials found tulip bulbs hidden in a shoe. With that find, all crates were opened and searched, delaying our exit from the docks. However, we did make it in time to the railway station to catch the train that took us to Calgary, arriving there three days later on Oct 3, 1956. There we were met by relatives who had made the trip a few years earlier. That was the start of our new life in Canada.
Bill's email is fordnatic@canada.com
Margo van Eerten now lives in New
Washington, Ohio, USA. Her family migrated from Wolvega, Friesland in 1956 to Canada and
after disembarking from the Groote Beer at Quebec City travelled to the USA to live. There
were Father Jacob, Mother Grietje, Brothers Tiemen and Gerrit and Margo. Her email is margo@cybrtown.com
My name is Fred van Deventer and was born in Zwijndrecht, Holland in
1950. My father (Matthijs - born in Leiden), mother (Elisabeth "Bep" -
born in Den Haag) and brother (Reinhard "Rein" - born in Vlissingen)
left Rotterdam on the "Groote Beer" in December, 1956 and landed at
Hoboken, New Jersey in January, 1957 via Halifax, Nova Scotia and
ultimately settling in Wilmington, Delaware, USA.
I was six years old and remember that it was a horrible trip to cross the Atlantic in the winter! The sea was ferocious with the Groote Beer constantly climbing over huge waves with the bow pouncing back down again with waves washing over the decks. The wind and rain were relentless and I was surprised that no one was ever washed overboard. It was like this almost every day of the voyage which seemed to last forever. Mostly all on board were seasick and the dining room was nearly empty for every meal. The lasting experience that I can still remember to this day was the smell of consomme soup permeating through the vessel. That smell would make you sick, especially when you are trying to fight seasickness on a daily basis.
Finally the weather cleared and we berthed alongside in Halifax - the start of our new journey. We never forgot our loving homeland of Holland, our remaining relatives, and frequently returned as Nederland always called us back like loving families at Christmas. Fred's email is fred.vandeventer@psterminals.com
Jos TerHaar lives in the Grand Rapids (Michigan) area of USA and the entire TerHaar family
still lives there. We disembarked from Rotterdam on February 9, 1957, and arrived at Hoboken New Jersey on February 19, 1957, after stopping at Halifax, Nova Scotia. We traveled to Jefferson City Missouri, lived there for nine months, and moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan in November of 1957.
My mother was very lonely in Missouri as we were the only Dutch family in the entire city. The Western Michigan area has a substantial concentration of Dutch, and when we moved there she was very happy. It did not take her very long to find friends through Church. Unfortunately she passed away in 1968, and was only able to enjoy the U.S. for 11 years.
I was born in the Dutch East Indies in 1948, as my father was a soldier in KNIL(Konikle Nederlandse Indies Leger) In 1950 because of Indonesian independence, we moved back to the Netherlands on the "Johan van Oldenbarnevelt". We lived in four different cities between 1950 and 1957: Woerden, Epe, Weert and Den Haag. My father was very restless in the Netherlands so in 1957 all seven of us, mother Marie and father Henk, sister Alida, brother Kees, sister Elizabeth, myself, and younger brother Ted piled on the "Groote Beer". I remember our arrival and the Statue of Libery, the TV antennas on the homes in Hoboken. Because of a longshoremen's strike, the captain had to dock the ship without benefit of tow boats and it took him all day. Jos email is jterhaar@remc8.k12.mi.us
Johannes (John) C. Metscher wrote: I too sailed the Groote Beer back in 1957, we enterd New York harbor in Febuary of that
same year. I don't remember a thing except from what my parents have shared
with me, we were destine for the state of Colorado but lost our sponsers and
ended-up in the state of Michigan and then I moved to Ohio. John's email is john_metscher@ewi.org
Cornelia (Nell) Reid was
10 at the time we came over to the States on the Groote Beer in Feb. 1957. Her brother John was only 5 months old. Cornelia's email address is cornelia.reid@owens-ill.com
See Passenger list below.
In a society in which we make heroes out of movie stars and athletes, we tend to forget what made this country we call the U S of A. A place where real Heroes came and created a way of life with hard work and a commitment to make life easier for their off-
springs.
My Father and Mother are my heroes. These so called survivors of today could not hold a candle to what they and their generation went through in World War II.
The name Heijnen was changed to Heynen prior to leaving Rotterdam for the USA. I (Rob) remember the trip pretty well even though it has been forty-four years. I was ten that March day we left. The English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean are not at their best that time of year. I recall being sea sick most of the trip.
My youngest brother Peter was just a baby so he was on the floor in a crib. My Father tied it to the other bunks with his belt. Well, one night we had a pretty good storm and the belt broke and there was my Father with one hand on the bunk and one hand on the crib. Like I said, it was a pretty good storm. Before you knew it, he was sliding from one side to the other of our cabin. We all thought it was pretty funny. I learned a lot of new words that night.
As a ten year old kid I wasn't the bravest on board the Groote Beer. Well, one day we had a drill. Of course, I did not know it was a drill. I thought the boat was going down and I was the only one without a life jacket. Needless to say, that was not my high point of the trip. For the rest of the trip, if I wasn't sick, I was on an adventure exploring the Groote Beer with my six-gun.
When we got to Halifax, my parents went on shore. They left my older brother Ben and me to look after the rest. My brother Martin decided to be a tight- rope walker and walked on the rail. Yeah, he fell, but thank God he fell onto the deck. During this trip, my Sister Leny was a complete lady. Of course, she got sick just like the rest of us. I think my Mom did the best.
From Halifax, we went on to New York and the Statue of Liberty. That was quite a sight. Six weeks later, we ended up in Sacramento, California. Sometimes I wonder how life would have turned out had we stayed in Holland. Even though I'm an American citizen, I will always be Dutch in my heart, thanks to Peter Heynen Sr. & Lena J.Heynen.
Rob's email is rkheynen@sandpoint.net
Rob also sent a Passenger list of the voyage (see bottom of page).
Conny Koenig wrote:
I'm always looking for persons that were on board the Grote Beer from
Rotterdam to New York via Halifax on March 5, 1957.
Conny Koenig email is jcjkoenig@gobi.com
Ray Houthuysen came over from Holland in March of 1957. My parents, Rudolph P. Houthuysen and Selma Houthuysen, traveled with my 5 month old sister, my 5 year old sister, my 8 year old sister, and me, age 7. They were listed on the passenger list as Barbara Houthuysen, Tertia Houthuysen and Monica (misspelled as Merica). Monica was the baby. She died in 1972 of cancer. My parents are recently deceased, Dad in December 2001...two weeks before his 87th birthday. Mom passed away sudden last December 6th at age 80.
We arrived in New York about two weeks after we left Amersfoort. I was sea sick the entire trip. I remember vividly the Statue of Liberty, the color of the water, the paper trash and the automats for food service. We immediately took a train to settle in Detroit, Michigan.
Before this adventure, my parents, who were born in Indonesia (former Dutch East Indies) emigrated from Indonesia following WW II. Dad was in the Dutch Army for 11 years and survived being a POW in Japan for three years. As it says on his tombstone, "Wat en lieven!" What a life!
Ray's email is spartan72@comcast.net
Ben Steenhorst and his family emigrated to Canada on the Groote Beer. We departed Rotterdam, Friday June 7 1957. We arrived Quebec City June 15 and stayed overnight. We then arrived in Montreal on June 17 and disembarked there.
I was 5 years old at the time. My Mother, father, older brother and younger sister all reside in Canada. Our youngest sister was born in Canada so she has no memories of the voyage.
I remember my brother (seven years old at the time) and I running around the ship (like typical children) having a great time. Most adults were sea-sick in bed (our mother included). Dad clung to us everywhere we went on the ship (perhaps fearing that we may get washed overboard). I recall some very harsh weather and seeing at least 1 iceberg sometime during the voyage (got quite cold quickly).
Once we arrived in Montreal, I recall it was very hot weather and none of us were accustomed to this.
Ben's email is ben.steenhorst2@sympatico.ca
We, the family IJzerman (now Yzerman), consisting of my dad and mom (who have passed away), myself Peter Yzerman at the age of 19 and my four younger sisters left on the Groote Beer from Rotterdam on 16 September 1957 and arrived in Quebec on the 25th of that month. We disembarked on the following day in Montreal to depart for Vancouver, B.C. I remember that the voyage was very rough, because the German cadet (tall) ship "Pamir" went down in the Atlantic with all hands during our crossing. We used to live in Velsen -Noord and I went to school in Beverwijk. These towns are 10 km north of Haarlem. I now live in Surrey, B.C. Canada. Peter's email is pete-nell@shaw.ca
My name is Lambert Smeets.I'm from Limburg, born in Valkenburg. I migrated July 15 1958 on the Grote Beer to Montreal Canada. My brother Harry and wife Betty picked me up. I lived in Montreal till 1964 from there to Toronto till 1969 and then to London Ontario. In 1964 I married Dora Buren. We have three sons, a daughter and three grandsons. Lambert's email is ldsmeets@execulink.com
NOTE: Dora Buren migrated on 4 May 1955 - see above for Dora's story.
See Passenger List below.
Peter Vossepoel was born in 1958 in Weesp, which is between Amsterdam and
Hilversum. In March 1959 we, my Mom and Dad and two older
brothers, migrated to the US aboard the Groote Beer. The
voyage lasted about nine days. We arrived in New York where
we stayed a few days at the home of my Mother's uncle,
Berend Smit.
We then took an airplane to Chicago where we lived for eleven years. South Chicago proved to be a stronghold of many Dutch Americans, including relatives of my Mom, Geert (Jerry) and Tina Kap and Gezinus (George) and Henny Schrikkema. They came from Groningen.
In 1970, I was twelve then, we returned to the Netherlands. My mother passed away in 1999. My eldest brother and his family now in Ontario, Canada. My father passed away in March 2001.
During my Chicago years I went to elementary school. As a 12 year old I had to learn to speak Dutch and adjust to Dutch life. I now live in Dordrecht. I am an accountant for an international publishing firm. Peter's email is P.Vossepoel@AMACO.NL
Peter Vossepoel has sent some photos and memorabilia of the Groote Beer. Click here.
Theo van der Helm came to Canada on the Groote Beer in 1959 He left Rotterdam to Halifax on 5 April 1959. He was
traveling with his cousin, Jas van Staveren.
See Passenger list below.
Martin van Kuilenburg left Nederland on April 27 1959 and arrived in Montreal, Canada on May 6 1959. His family consisted of father James and mother Gerdina (née Hendriks) and him. Martin still lives in downtown Montreal.
I was born in Dutch East Indies where our family had lived since my grandfather. In 1956, my family left Indonesia and returned to the Netherlands. We first lived in Zutphen and then Nijmegen. In 1959 we emigrated to Canada on the Groote Beer. My sister Jeannine was born in Montreal in 1962.
Martin has a web page with photos of the Groote Beer. Martin's email is martinvk@canada.com
Our family (Mom & Dad & six children) came in May - June 1959 arriving
in Montreal from Rotterdam. Our family came from Almelo before
immigrating, landing in Montreal, then boarding a train and going across
Canada and settling in Victoria BC (on the island). We moved in 1965 to
Trenton, Ontario, then I ended up in Kingston (to University) and
entered the accounting profession. From Dan Wyngarden - email danwyng@dwca.com
Our family Baron Herman Andries van Raders, Baronesse Louise van Raders and four daughters Marion, Monica, Corine and Mariette van Raders arrived in Wellington on the Groote Beer from Rotterdam.
See Passenger list below and ship "newpaper" below.
Ward White was on this Student Sailing of the Groote Beer from Rotterdam to New York. Ward's email is sundancekid@justice.com
See Passenger list below.
Jan Weber wrote: My wife boarded ship the 11th October in Amsterdam. My wife had to share a cabin with 4 other woman and I was allocated to a
dormitory out in the front of the ship to be shared with about 50 others.
We landed in Melbourne the 12th November and got overnight accommodation in Melbourne somewhere. Next day on the overland train to Balhanah and then to the Woodside camp. Stayed there for a few days till we found work and were then moved to the Glenelg hostel. In February 1963 we moved to Geoffrey Ave, Valley View, next to the van Roosmalens (see next entry) and 3 other Dutch families from the same sailing all lived in the same street.
In 1974 we moved back to Holland and lived in Midden Beemster and found work in Alkmaar. Then 1975 we moved back to Australia and went to live in Windsor Gardens till I retired in 2004 and moved to Seaford Rise. Jan Weber janweber@adam.com.au
We sailed from Rotterdam in October 1962 on the boat the Groote Beer.
There was my father Hans, mother Wilhelmina, brothers Hans, Hank, Robert,me John, and sisters Yolanda, Sophia, Everada and Marina. We arrived in Melbourne 12 Nov 1962. We came from Arnhem in Gelderland. My parents have now passed away but the rest of the family still live all over Australia. John van Roosmalen yossel@unite.com.au
I am constantly looking for Passenger Lists of the Groote Beer. This ship made 105 sailings to Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand with Dutch migrants. If you have any Passenger lists please email me.
I found a menu for Christmas Day, 1949 dinner on the Groote Beer. At that
time it was still a troop ship sailing from Batavia (Indonesia) to
Rotterdam. My cousin was assigned officer's accommodation on the trip,
although he was not an officer (that's another story). They sailed from
Batavia on December 16, 1949, but I don't know when they arrived back in
Holland. I'm not sure if everyone on board got this meal, but the officers certainly
did.
THE MENU: Potage Tortue, ---Sole au vin blanc, ---- Tournedos Clamart,
---- Poulet de graine rotie, Compote Melee, ---- Pouding de cabinet,
Sauce rum, ---- Fruit, ---- Cafe.
TO GO TO MY OTHER PAGES, CLICK ONCE ON THESE LINKS.
Return to Hugo's Dutch Page. Go to Hugo Schouten Accountant page. This page maintained by Hugo Schouten Accountant and Tax Agent.
URL of this page http://members.linkopp.com/dutch/beer.htm Part of Passenger list of
Groote Beer left approx 20 Feb 1951.
Part of Passenger list of
Groote Beer left approx 20 May 1951.
Passenger list of
Groote Beer 19 September 1951. Aankomst Wellington. Alleen Passagiers naar Nieuw Zeeland.
Fragment of Passenger list of
Holland Australia Line showing Groote Beer passengers of 18 June 1952.
Fragment of Passenger list of
Holland Australia Line showing Groote Beer passengers of 22 Sep 1952.
Passenger list of
Groote Beer 20 Feb 1953.
Passenger list of
Groote Beer 10 May 1954.
Passenger list of
Groote Beer 2 June 1954.
Passenger list of
Groote Beer 27 May 1955.
Part of Passenger list of
Groote Beer October 1955. This is my ship I arrived on.
Passenger list of
Groote Beer 5 March 1957.
Groote Beer Passenger list 2 July 1957.
Groote Beer Passenger list 11 March 1959.
Passenger list cover of 27 April 1959 to Canada.
Passenger list of 27 April 1959 to Canada.
Part of Passenger list of
Groote Beer October 1961.
Groote Beer Passenger list 25 August 1962 and ship "newpaper".
Groote Beer Passenger list 11 October 1962.
Martin's photos of the Groote Beer.
Peter's photos and memorabilia of the Groote Beer.
Other Groote Beer photos and links.
Holland Australia Line (HAL) history. The Groote Beer and other great migrant ships belonged to this line.
From Bill Boogaart.
SEARCHING FOR PASSENGER LISTS OF OTHER MIGRANT SHIPS Click Here.