Anton Driessen

Johan Bernard Anton (roepnaam: Anton) Driessen was een belangrijke textielfabrikant in Aalten. Anton stamde uit een Bocholts textielgeslacht. Vader Herman (1765–1817) was eveneens textielfabrikant, net als diens broer Peter Driessen (1756–1843), die tevens schepen en tweede burgemeester van Bocholt was.

Na de dood van hun vader stichtten Anton en zijn jongere broer Joseph het textielbedrijf ‘Gebrüder Driessen‘. In 1826 richtten Anton en Joseph Driessen een verzoek aan koning Willem I om in Aalten een textielfabriek te vestigen. De motieven voor het verzoek van de gebroeders Driessen waren de verhoogde invoerrechten in Nederland. Zij hadden Aalten uitgekozen ‘als zijnde deze plaats hiertoe het best geschikt‘.

They requested permission to establish a fustian weaving mill and bleachery, as well as a cotton spinning mill and dye works. The Driessen brothers were granted permission for the establishment on the condition that it be located within the village center of Aalten.

Niet veel later vroeg ook hun neef Heinrich Driessen toestemming aan de koning, dat eveneens werd gehonoreerd.

In Aalten

Anton moved to Aalten in 1826. He initially lived with Meijerink in the Kerkstraat. His brother Joseph remained in Bocholt, where they maintained a branch office.

Het bedrijf startte “in de Schuur en Tuinkamer van den heer Bonninghoff”. Hoogstwaarschijnlijk bedoelde men daarmee het huis Markt 18 van de vrederechter G.J. te Gussinklo, die in 1804 de boerderij Borninkhof had gekocht. Men noemde de bezitter vaak naar zijn boerderij.

For the processing of the yarn, Anton Driessen relied on the many home workers living in the area. Furthermore, the municipal report of 1826 mentions, among other things: “Several households have settled here, primarily from Bocholt“. The report for 1827 mentions for the first time that, alongside agriculture as the primary source of livelihood, much fustian was woven for the manufacturers from Bocholt. There were approximately 218 fustian weavers at that time, “performing the work in their homes“.

On November 22, 1827, Anton Driessen married Isabella Dees in Bocholt.

In datzelfde jaar verplaatste men de katoenspinnerij vanuit de schuur en tuinkamer van Bonninghoff naar een beter ingericht pand in het centrum van het dorp. Driessen had daar een huis van Manus Scholten gekocht dat stond op de plaats van het tegenwoordige adres Landstraat 25.

However, the relocation did not proceed without incident. Two neighbors, the schoolmaster H. Schotman and the farmer W. Obrink, submitted a formal objection to the municipal council, fearing noise nuisance and fire hazards. The municipality, however, rejected their objections. The two neighbors did not leave it at that and subsequently addressed their grievances to the Governor of the province of Gelderland. However, the Governor also saw no reason to give “any follow-up” to their objections.

At the end of 1827, Anton Driessen was able to begin converting the house into a spinning mill. The new premises had an upper floor, which, along with the ground floor, was designated as workspace. Machines were installed on both levels.

Beekhuize

In 1833, Anton wished to build a new residence. To this end, he had purchased a house from the Degenaar heirs at the end of the Landstraat—now called Dijkstraat. He intended to demolish that house and build a new, modern residence with a warehouse, barn, and stables on the site. For this, however, he required more space than the existing plot. Anton Driessen submitted a plan to the municipal council with the request, “since the beautification of a Village is always one of the most pleasant duties of a Local government, to kindly grant the same, and consequently to support the undersigned in his intention as much as possible”.

To realize Anton’s plans, both the stream and the street had to be diverted. Furthermore, a new bridge was required. Because the piles of the old bridge had almost decayed, the construction of the new bridge was not only highly necessary, but according to Driessen, the relocation was also less costly. In addition to diverting the stream and building a new bridge, Driessen also needed land for his plans. To this end, he exchanged a piece of land with the municipality. Negotiations regarding these matters lasted several years.

In March 1835, Driessen was able to begin construction. For the production of the necessary bricks, he had meanwhile requested permission to establish a brickyard on the Schaarsheide and to excavate a three-hectare site. Due to the poor state of the roads in East Gelderland at that time, it was more practical and economical to set up a field kiln near the construction site than to purchase bricks elsewhere.

De statige villa die Anton Driessen aan de huidige Dijkstraat liet bouwen kent iedere Aaltenaar als Beekhuize.

Grave

Anton Driessen is buried in the old Roman Catholic cemetery on Piet Heinstraat in Aalten.