Emigration from Tzummarum, My Hometown, late 1800s to Post War Years  by Dick Roorda

   The main sources  for this article are:  a) a 100 year history of the church that I attended in
Tzummarum, and b) a chapter in the book Cruel Paradise, stories about Frysian emigration.
Emigration took place in 3 waves – late 1800s to WWI, Post WW I, and Post WW 2.  The post
WW 2 wave took by far the most members of our village and surroundings.
     The reasons for emigration are as varied as the emigrants themselves.  Quoting from
Cruel Paradise – “One was the unpleasant climate here versus the impression of a sunnier
climate there: another was the dependence on the farm crop seasons, the agricultural organization
and consequential rise in unemployment, as well as the diminishing fishing industry.  There were
also the problems of overpopulation; the ominous devil behind the Iron Curtain; the rise of the
supermarket; the increase in taxes, and…the lingering post-war depression and war bureaucracy,
the fear of an uncertain future for the children, the potato blight and the dire consequences for the
small truck farmer; the stifling compartmentalization ( Christian vs The World) that made the
world for young men and women even smaller and more restricted than it already was; the
increased pressure from government to leave; “  This was encouraged through emigration
organizations and propaganda.  Most of the reasons were for the third wave.  Poverty and
overcrowding were probably reason for the first two waves.
                How did emigration play out in the village of Tzummarum.  I only have the statistics  of
The GK (Christian Reformed church).  The village had a population of around 1600.  It is
estimated that about 400 (I think more emigrated between 1892 and 1955.  Just in the 6 years,
1947 – 1952, 160 GK members left.  Before the wars, most went to the USA.  After the war
Canada and USA equally.  I believe that emigration was more prevalent among the GK member
than other villagers.  One reason is possibly the larger families.  Fear of communism was
felt more among the GK members.  Another was the Biblical injunction to “fill the earth and
subdue it” and “for here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for a city that is
to come”  This last reason might not be the primary one, but it did add justification to emigration.
Some villagers migrated to the south of Holland where there was more industry.  An example of
the effect of emigration is the street where I lived.  It was called Little Street.  In the 6 years 1947 – 1952,
6 families left that street.  They comprised 12 adults and around 30 offspring including late teens!
Emigration has been an important aspect of my family.  In the early 1900s, grandfather uncle with a large family emigrated to the states.  My grandmother’s sister
emigrated at around the same time.  After the war my father’s cousin and family left for Canada.
That is when our family came to Canada.  On my mother’s side, 2 of her brothers emigrated to
Saskatchewan between the wars.  After the war, 4 more of her family emigrated.
My grandmother saw 6 of her 11 children leave Holland.  She never saw many  of her 60 some
grandchildren.  When my family emigrated, my father’s parents “lost” 9 of their 12 grandchildren.
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John's recent posting mentioning Bill Bryson's infamous and abused Volkswagen (apart from bouncing off snowbanks, a bunch of us once painted polkadots all over it while it was in the CKNX lot, and it actually appeared on the news that night. It must have been a slow day!)prompted me to see if I could find a photo. The only one I located was taken around 58 while visiting Doug Lockridge in Manchester N.H. where he was staying with relatives. Apart from a very geeky me, also in the picture are Ted Wormworth, Doug and Murray Gaunt. As I recall, Murray was farm reporter for CKNX, later married Pat Deyell, and eventually became local MPP. I believe that he is recently deceased. Ted is living in Vancouver. As Bill took the photo, and I cannot find any of his Wingham days, I am attaching one of him in Versailles in 62 during a foolhardy Easter weekennd trip we took to Paris on a 125cc Vespa scooter. Bill is alive and well, and lives in Toronto.

Many will remember Ted's mother Margaret. Prior to departing for the UK in 62 she gave me addresses for her sisters and brother there, and lifelong friendships ensued. They are still my base during my many return trips there.

Paul Bennett