The Doggersbank

In 1847 Johan and Thomas ten Bruggencate went from Holland to the US (see a previous post) on the fregat ‘Doggersbank.’

A few years ago, I had located the ship’s journal in the online catalogue Maritiem Digitaal, and found that it is located in the Amsterdam Maritime Museum (Het Scheepvaart Museum), but I had not had the time to actually look at it. That chance came recently, when I went to the Netherlands again. I had requested the log by email, and three hours after I landed at Schiphol, I was looking at the log.

Eight journals of this ship are preserved, the first one of the journey from Amsterdam to New York (and back) in 1847.  The others are six journeys to the Dutch East Indies, and one to Australia via Rio de Janeiro. The book is about 9″ wide and 16″ high. It is covered with reddish/black marbleized paper. The inside title page is reproduced above.  The handwriting is tiny, but quite readable.

The log starts on 12 May 1847 in the harbor of Amsterdam, where the ship is moored along the Oosterdock. It takes on a lot of freight, many barrels of sugar and madder, crucible covers, tin pigs (ingots), firewood, sailcloth, genever, and more. Drinking water is frequently replenished. No mention is made of the passengers, except that passenger goods are taken aboard.

On 2 June the ship moves to near the Willemssluis, the first lock between the IJ and the Noord Hollands Canal. A small steamboat pulls the ‘Doggersbank’ through the lock. The next day they hitch up 16 horses and are pulled to Purmerend, where they spend the night. The next day further with ten horses to Westgraafdijk (West Graftdijk), than with 12 horses to Alkmaar, and with 10 horses to the Zijperlock. In Koedijk (just after Alkmaar) they take some immigrants on board.  On 5 June they have to wait because of the weather, but the next day they are pulled by 20 horses to the lock to the Nieuwe Diep, where they have to wait for the pilot and for the weather to clear. They take some more passengers on board. The weather delays the departure another day. The second carpenter gets hit by a coil of rope, and has to go to the hospital with a broken leg. On 8 June they finally pass the lock. On 10 June a new second carpenter, Meyer Dekker, comes on board.

On 12 June they finally weigh anchor, and with the aid of a steam boat and the pilot, they arrive at sea. The pilot leaves, and they get a new sailor on board, instead of Klaas Jan Troost, who had deserted. And then they are off. The journey takes 51 days. Passenger Paarlberg (this was a family with father, mother and seven children, it is not clear who died) dies on board. They arrive on 4 Aug 1847, after passing Sandy Hook and Nevisink. The ‘Doggersbank’ returns in Amsterdam on 26 Nov 1847.

A beautiful map of the canal can be found at the site of Oneindig Noord-Holland (Infinite North Holland). Unfortunately the site is only in Dutch.