Hofje van Noblet explained

The Hofje van Noblet is a hofje in Haarlem, Netherlands.

History

It was built in 1761 from the legacy of Leonard Noblet and his sisters Sara en Geertruida. The houses in the hofje are built in the garden of the house of the Noblet family, Haerlem en Spaargesigt. The father of Leonard, Elezar Noblet, bought it in 1737. The Noblet family originally came from Amsterdam. Because Leonard, Sara and Geertruida had no legal heirs, they decided to construct a common last will. They wrote that they wanted to found a hofje, and that the governors of the nearby Hofje van Staats would be the executors of their will.

The hofje was built with 20 houses. Ten for women from Haarlem, on the east-side of the hof, and ten for women from Amsterdam, at the west-side. The women living there had to be at least 50 years old, had to have been single their whole life and had to have been a member of the Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk, an old name of the Dutch Reformed Church.

A part of the original house of the Noblet family serves as the house of the supervisor of the hofje, another part is the official housing of the governors (regents) of the hofje (who are also the governors of the Hofje van Staats).

The main entrance of the hofje is located on the Nieuwe Gracht overlooking the Spaarne river and there is a back entrance on the Parklaan. When the hofje was built that was not called the Parklaan, but 'Achter Nieuwe Gracht', a canal. The entrance to the old house of the Noblet family is located on the Hooimarkt. An original drawing of the Hofje van Staats, as well as items from that hofje's history, are located in the hall and regent's room of the Hofje van Noblet, whose finances are also managed by the same "Foundation for the preservation of the Hofjes Staats and Noblet".Above the doorway to the Regent's room, a board with the list of names of the regents hangs with the dates of their appointment, which are also the dates of their oval portraits that hang in the two front rooms.

List of regents and their portraits

Regent's nameOval portrait artistYear/link to portrait
Andries HeshuysenFrans Decker1724
Salomon FockeFrans Decker1750
Salomon KrulTako Hajo Jelgersmaca 1750
Herman DravemanTako Hajo Jelgersma1756
Gerrit Willem van Oosten de BruynTako Hajo Jelgersma1764
Nicolaas GalleTako Hajo Jelgersma1768
Cornelis de GraatTako Hajo Jelgersma1768
Arent Jan van EybergenWybrand Hendriks1786
Jacob van VarelenWybrand Hendriks1786
Johannes Enschedé Jr.Wybrand Hendriks1791
Victor Jacobus BerkhoutWybrand Hendriks1797
Pieter Samuel CrommelinWybrand Hendriks1800
Pieter Jacob van EybergenWybrand Hendriks1804
Johannes Enschedé IIIWybrand Hendriksca.1825
Cornelius Johannes de Bruyn KopsWybrand Hendriksca.1825
Daniel Frans CrommelinJan Adam Kruseman1825
Marten Adriaan BeelsJan Adam Kruseman1825
Willem Gerrit de Bruyn KopsAntonie Frederik Zürcherca. 1860
Jacobus Willem Maurits van de PollAntonie Frederik Zürcherca. 1860
Adriaan Volkert Teding van BerkhoutAntonie Frederik Zürcher1861
Johannes Enschedé IVJohan Heinrich Neumanca.1865
Johannes Enschede (1851-1911)A.J. Zurelca. 1875
Floris Willem van StyrumAnthonie Jacobus van Wijngaerdt1888
Willem Philip Teding van BerkhoutHendrik Antoon Pothast1884
Charles Fredrik van de PollWim ter Reehorst1905
Eduard Henri Elisa Teding van BerkhoutUnknown1906
Gijsbert van TienhovenHagedoorn1921
Johannes Enschede (1879-1938)Unknownca.1925
Floris Willem van StyrumHarie Jonas1932
Samuel CrommelinGerrit David Gratama1934
Boudewijn Franciscus EnschedeUnknownca. 1940
Bernard Gertrudus van StyrumHendrik Jan Wesseling1941
Emile Jules Strick van LinschotenHendrik Jan Wesseling1942
Bartold Willem Floris van RiemsdijkJaap Pander1947
Willem Hendrik BiermanJohn Brinkworth1951
Eco Deodaat Haitsma MulierAleid Slingerland1972
Louis Willem Pahud de MortangesAleid Slingerland1977
Dirk Johan EnschedeF. van Oordtca. 1980
Albertus HuijsmanAleid Slingerland1984
Johan Herman Bijl de VroeAleid Slingerland1986

The hofje was renovated in 1992, when the number of houses was reduced from 20 to 16 to allow for modern living requirements.

Address: Nieuwe Gracht 2

References

52.385°N 4.6422°W