Arent Jan te Slaa

Arent Jan te Slaa (known as Jan) was born on 22 March 1870 in Aalten, at house number 152 (Varsseveldsestraat 3), the son of Derk Hendrik te Slaa (a night watchman) and Janna Willemina te Brake. On 29 August 1895, he married Dina Geertruida Klein Hesselink (from IJzerlo, 13 September 1871) in Aalten. The couple went to live at Hofstraat 3. They had six children.

The latest news

In the 19th century, very few residents of Aalten could afford to have a newspaper at home. Those wealthy enough to do so could almost every evening count on neighbours dropping by to hear the latest news. This visit did not have to be for nothing, however: guests would usually leave a block of peat under their chair as a token of appreciation.

As was common in many places, upcoming auctions were announced outside the church on Sunday mornings following the service. Usually, the schoolmaster would do this, standing on a small bench or a large stone. For official announcements from the municipality, a large noticeboard stood on the Market Square (Markt) in Aalten. For many years, new public notices were heralded by the tolling of the church bell, but this practice was abolished in 1901.

Town crier

Meanwhile, the first town crier was already doing his rounds in the village. In 1868, this was D.H. te Slaa, who, together with B.H. Wieskamp, fulfilled the role of night watchman. That they also acted as criers is evident from a note by the Mayor and Aldermen (B&W) dated 19 February 1876, in which the gentlemen were reprimanded for not going far enough. Aalten was growing, but the criers’ routes were failing to expand alongside it.

When Te Slaa passed away in 1903, he was succeeded as night watchman by his son Jan. At the time, the role of crier was not yet an official appointment, although he did already act as such. Jan te Slaa did not receive this official appointment until 1 January 1915, “and this at an annual salary of 10 guilders”.

Jan met de Panne

Through his manner of performing his duties, he acquired an almost legendary fame. To capture the public’s attention, he would strike a copper basin vigorously several times with a wooden clapper; this basin earned him the nickname ‘Jan met de Panne’ (Jan with the Pan). When the local residents came outside to hear ‘what was on the pan’, he would proudly deliver his message standing up straight.

At regular intervals, he made his rounds through the village to cry out the joys and sorrows of Aalten. He also announced the sale of meat from emergency slaughterings, made public the notices of the notary, and much else besides. He even proclaimed retailers’ special offers, such as a local fishmonger selling twelve kippers for 10 cents. He was, in a sense, a walking edition of the local Aalten Vooruit newspaper.

In early 1918, the municipal council was requested to have the crier “proclaim the news of the day in the outlying districts as well”. Crier Te Slaa stated in response that for his meagre fee of 30 cents per proclamation, he could not venture into the outlying areas, “as Aalten continues to expand, and he would very gladly satisfy all who wish to hear, provided his fee is doubled”.

On 9 November 1924, the Mayor and Aldermen of Aalten decided to abolish the position of town crier. With the dismissal of Jan te Slaa—who “owing to the abolition of the post was granted an honourable discharge as crier in Aalten”—a striking figure vanished from the village streetscape, and a characteristic piece of village life was lost.

Following his discharge, Te Slaa did continue to cry on behalf of private individuals, and this practice—though carried on by his successors—continued until after World War II.

The original pan has been given an honoured place in the Nationaal Onderduikmuseum on the Market Square in Aalten. ‘De Panne’ is also the name of the museum’s biannual magazine, named after the illustrious town crier.