Misterstraat 26, Bredevoort

The old oil mill in Bredevoort

A glimpse into the history of this remarkable old business.

Bredevoort can count itself among the few places in the Gelderland Achterhoek where history has not yet been erased in many parts of the town. It is true that the ramparts and fortifications, symbols of former glory and prestige, have disappeared. Yet much remains to evoke memories of ‘the good old days’ and to carry our thoughts back to an age when craftsmanship was still held in high esteem and did not yet have to fear competition from modern technology. One such survival is the distinctive old oil mill.

We spoke with the owner of this remarkable and fascinating piece of history, B. te Boveldt. He told us that the building and its machinery had been constructed in 1851 by the late B.K. te Boveldt, grandfather of the present owner. At the time, there was no similar business anywhere in the surrounding area. An oil mill was later established near Groenlo as well. B.K. te Boveldt worked here for about twelve years.

He was succeeded by his son, the late J.B. te Boveldt, who from the age of eighteen until he was sixty shared the good times and bad in this old business with his employee, the late J.H. Klanderman. We asked roughly how long the working days were and whether the oil mill was much used.

‘Jao, vake worden der dag en nach e-warkt um alles op tied klaor te kriegene en dan mo’k zeggen, dat ze in de winterdag, de bokse vake bevroane an de beene hadden deur ‘t reuren van de boekweite,’ our informant replied. We also learned that in former times farmers came to Bredevoort from far around, leading a loaded horse or pushing a wheelbarrow, to have their seed ‘pressed’. After his father’s death, the present owner took over the business and ran it for about forty years.

On the road to Winterswijk, directly opposite the factory of the ‘Dutch Button Works’, the old building still stands in its original state, with its small, picturesque leaded-glass windows. Inside is a tangle of cogwheels, heavy oak beams and two enormous stones used to press rapeseed. There are also the various ‘bakken’, long wooden troughs into which the oil once flowed after passing through the different stages of processing. Standing among these remarkable remnants of the past, one’s thoughts naturally turn back to the time when this oil mill was of considerable importance to the farming population of Bredevoort and the wider district.

When we asked whether the work required any special technical knowledge, the answer was: ‘‘n Betjen nog wel en och, a’j der zoo dagelijks met umme gingen, was de ondervindinge den besten learmeister.’

Although the installation is still entirely complete, it has not been in operation for about three years. ‘Vrogger hew der al wel is drok wark met e-had, maor tegenwaordig wordt er heel weinig raapzaod meer verbouwd,’ was the answer when we asked why the work had ceased. For three generations, the old Bredevoort oil mill had managed to survive and fulfil a local need. Modern technology, however, had long since overtaken this primitive method of production, making the installation obsolete.

Nevertheless, the building and its machinery will, for the time being at least, remain in existence and will not be demolished, as had been discussed some time ago. May many people appreciate this remarkable piece of history for what it is, and may Bredevoort preserve this surviving remnant of a previous century as one of the many sights from the distant past in which the friendly old fortified town is so rich.