Several Dutch immigrants who settled in the Drayton were guest speakers at the Mapleton Historical Society’s October meeting.
Each of the four speakers expressed gratitude for what the Canadian soldiers did for Holland during the Second World War. They also commented on the kindnesses shown to the Dutch newcomers by the Canadian people.
Martin Duimering
A resident of North Holland province near the North Sea, Martin Duimering was one of four children living at his family home in 1942.
“The German soldiers would come to our home looking for my father. They wanted him to support the war effort by joining the Germans,” Duimering said.
“Dad dug a hole in the kitchen’s wooden floor and hid in the hole until the German soldiers left. Mom always told the Germans that my dad was in the city.”
Duimering noted the country celebrated on May 5, 1945, as the war was declared over. There was dancing in the streets, people were cheering and musical instruments played.
“The Dutch were so appreciative of the Canadians for the liberation of Holland,” Duimering said.
“The country was left in poor shape after the war and everyone wondered what was going to happen next.”
As the country could not support the population and little land was available in Holland, farm workers immigrated to Canada. In order to immigrate, a Dutch citizen had to complete the necessary paperwork, pass medical testing and receive approval from the authorities.
In September of 1947, the Duimering family said goodbye to family and friends in Holland and took the next step in the immigration process.
“It was an emotional time for those leaving and those left behind. I was five years old, so it was exciting for me,” Duimering said.
“Some people suffered from seasickness on the boat. The sleeping cots were three high.”
Eight days later the family arrived in Quebec City, then boarded a train destined for Union Station in Toronto. From Toronto, the family went by car to New Dundee.
“In New Dundee we rented a house. The Canadians gave us a warm welcome. Learning a new language was a challenge,” Duimering said.
In 1951, the family moved to a farm in the Stirton area that had no hydro service and housed 500 laying hens. Duimering’s father and sister found employment in Acton at a leather factory. From April to June, school aged children walked to school in Drayton. As plans for the proposed Conestogo Dam became reality, the family did a land swap in 1956 for a farm located on Sideroad 15, that housed laying hens and pigs. Duimering eventually married and he and his wife, Grace, raised five children.
Jake Visscher
From 1946 to 1947, Holland still struggling from the effects of war. During this time Jake Visscher’s family made the decision to immigrate to Canada, where land was available. The family auctioned off their belongings and came to Canada with nothing. Dutch laws prevented money from leaving the country as money was needed for rebuilding Holland after the Second World War.
Visscher’s family was booked to sail to Canada in March 1949, but the promised boat was not available. Hearing of another boat sailing from Southampton, England, the family boarded a boat on the Dutch coast and reached England after travelling seven hours. The waters in the channel were rough and many travellers became seasick on the overnight journey.
Upon arrival on the English coast, the family took a train to London, rode a double decker bus to South London, then travelled back to North London where they boarded a train to Southampton.
“As a 15 year old boy, I had seen the devastation that the war had left behind. Seeing London was an experience,” Visscher said. “Also, seeing the rolling hills in England was a first for me as there are no hills in Holland.”
The Visscher family obtained passage on a luxury liner and Visscher is unsure if there was an added cost to travel on this particular ship. On the ship were 150 Dutch, war brides and British travelers making the voyage to Canada. Another first for Visscher was the introduction of bacon and eggs to the family, a breakfast not traditionally eaten in Holland.
The ship arrived in Halifax were the family disembarked and continued their journey by train to Toronto.
“The train’s coaches were dirty and the seats were filthy,” Visscher said. “We left Holland where farmers were seeding and arrived in Canada to be greeted by a snowstorm.”
The family’s sponsor for a one year period, Amos Brubacher, met the group in Kitchener. Brubacher supplied two vehicles to transport the family of 11 to a farm on the 4th Line near Drayton. Three of Visscher’s older brothers obtained employment on neighbouring farms. All money earned by members of the family was used to pay for the farm.
In June 1956, Visscher married his wife Alice. Alice’s family left Holland as they feared the Russians and Alice’s older brother had also expressed an interest in immigrating to Canada. Alice’s mother, not wanting the family split up, decided that all five families would immigrate to Canada at the same time.
“Coming from Holland to a strange country and not knowing the customs was hard. We were treated like family by the Canadians,” Visscher said. “We have a good life in Canada and are thankful to the Canadians.
John Reinders
John Reinders came to Canada from Holland 62 years ago in 1952, with his parents and five siblings. No land was available in Holland to expand the family farm as land was grabbed up as soon as it became available.
The family took a flight from Holland to Iceland and then proceeded to the Maritimes. Arrangements were made for the journey through an organization that specialized in finding employment and residences for Dutch immigrants in Canada.
“We weren’t desperate, we came on our own free will, “Reinders said. “We only spoke Dutch so after about three months we could finally get across what we wanted to say.”
Even though Reinders older brothers had families everyone shared one house on the 6th of Maryborough Township. Money earned by any family member was shared with the rest of the family.
“God blessed us. We worked hard and had no money to spend on unnecessary things. Things went rather well,” Reinders said.
Grace Zoer
Grace Zoer announced to her family that she was immigrating to Canada.
“I wanted to see where all the people were going and thought I would stay for two weeks. My family said it was my life and maybe they would visit,” Zoer said.
At the time, immigration to Canada was being promoted. Zoer obtained sponsorship from a family who had been living in Ontario for six years. Physicals had to be completed by each person applying to immigrate. Zoer married her husband Henk in 1954 as the boat was leaving the following February.
The couple arrived at Pier 21 in Halifax, travelled by train to Toronto and then onto London arriving at the 6th of Peel by 9pm in the evening. The house east of Goldstone that the Zoers rented had no hydro or running water and the couple awoke to a snowstorm the following morning. Their next home was shared accommodation with another couple in Drayton.
“With my husband working at McKee (McKee Brothers manufacturing) in Elmira I was glad to be in town. I could walk to the stores,” Zoer said. “He eventually got a job working at the dam when it was under construction. At the bottom of the dam is Zoer’s wedding ring that was lost during his employment at the dam.”
The Zoers moved to a farm on the 4th Line and farmed there for many years. Zoer noted the neighbours were friendly and taught her how to make pies.
