GENERATIONS & WORK

We know a lot of facts about the persons appearing on the family tree, which give a good idea about their position in society as well as their daily lives. These facts have been collected and are kept in Han le Nobel’s private archive, together with many official documents like marital papers, wills and household descriptions. As in every family there are colourful people, scandals and tragedies. This is privacy sensitive material which is not meant to be published. In order to still be able to display the diversity of the family we chose for a global overview.
Many Le Nobel’s were well seen persons in society. In the Middelburg branch they had several functions in the church. During the later generations some of them were socially engaged. Some have scientific publications on their name. There were also several distinctions, varying from the “Ereteken van de Schutterij” to the “Orde van Oranje Nassau” (3x).

Generations 1 and 2
From these generations is still very little known. They lived in Middelburg (province of Zeeland)

Generation 3
Lived in Middelburg. A shop owner, a barber and a grocer with a large shop. The last person mentioned obtained a large mansion on the posh Zuiderdam and called in “The Playing Lion” (it still exists).

Generation 4
All lived in Middelburg. There were 3 merchants in colonial goods, a tax clerk, and a bookkeeper at the local sawing mills (which he later bought and ran with his son). This generation got very wealthy and possessed several grand mansions on the posh Londense Kaai.

Generation 5
All lived in the beginning in Middelburg. The larger part were affluent merchants in colonial goods. There was also a cigar producer and the owner of the sawing mills. One turned to be a notary and moved to Zeeuws Vlaanderen. A second notary (female) moved to Leiden. One moved to Eindhoven as a lawyer. Another moved to Suriname and worked as a supervisor on a plantation. He died from malaria.

Generation 6
Part of the family stayed in Middelburg as merchants in colonial goods and liquor. One was a commissioner. In the Zeeuws Vlaanderen (Oostburg) branch there was again a notary. Another moved to Utrecht as a pharmacist. In the Eindhoven branch (Asten) there was a producer of mineral water. On eddies as an officer of health on board the ship SS-Reaal on the way from Atjeh to Padang and gets a sailor’s grave. Another sets up a national committee during the first world war to provide blankets, coal and food for refugees.

Generation 7
From the last Middelburg branch one moves to Haarlem and opens up a workshop for stained glass. A brother of his is manufacturer and emigrates for religious reasons to Canada in 1905. He starts a horticulture. In the Zeeuws Vlaanderen branch we see again notary’s (in Giesendam, Kampen and Terneuzen). In the Utrecht branch there are 2 psychiatrists (in Zutphen and Scheveningen), a pharmacist (Harderwijk), 2 pharmacy assistants and a technical main supervisor at the national telephone company (Den Haag).

Generation 8
In Haarlem, the family stays in the stained glass business. Via among others his cousin in Canada (Vancouver) he supplies glass to churches. The Canadian branch (Vancouver) becomes among others a teacher, an owner of an order company, an insurance agent, a mushroom grower and a violin player who later starts a world famous orchid plantation. In the Zeeuws Vlaanderen branch (via Kampen and Terneuzen) we see a notary and a mayor. In the Zutphenbranch a teacher. In the branch Den Haag there are 2 engineers and a travel hostess. In the branch Scheveningen there are 2 social workers, a dance instructor and a business man.

Generation 9
In Canadawe find among others an insurance company, a musical teacher, a stock trader, a geologist, a doctor and a representative in garden culture. His orchid farm was sold in 1997. In The Netherlands there are 2 doctors, 1 architect, 1 political scientist, a bank official and a librarian. Then there is the English branch, which emerged from the Utrecht and Scheveningen branches. Unfortunately we have no information at all about this part of the family. Update januari 2006: The lost branch has been found thanks to this website. Today they live in Canada.

Generations 10 and 11
It is too early (January 2005) to write down complete information about the 10th and 11th generations.

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© Marc le Nobel 2004-2006

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