Dia 1

1
The archives of the East India Company of
Ostend Martine De Reu, University Library
Ghent Inauguration Catoen en Compagnie, Ghent,
October 6th 2005
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This short presentation explains

• how the archives entered the Ghent University
  Library
• how the archives were transmitted via
  inheritances in the donators family
• what the archives contain
• The archives are preserved under the shelfmarks
  Ghent, University Library, Ms 1826-2123

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History of the library key facts

• 26 June 1794 battle of Fleurus
• 1 Jan. 1797 expulsion of monks and friars and
  confiscation of their property
• 1797-1804 École Centrale in former Baudeloo
  Abbey
• 1804-1818 Bibliothèque de la Ville
• 1818- University Library

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University Library circa 1900 in the former
Baudeloo Abbey the main collection was housed in
the chapel
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Interior of the chapel belonging to the former
Baudeloo Abbey where the main collection of the
University Library was kept
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19th C. Headlibrarians

• Bibliophiles
• Most famous one Ferdinand Vander Haeghen
  (1830-1869-1911-1913)
• Began with 80,000 volumes ended with 400,000
  volumes in his library
• Increased the collection through important
  donations and purchases
• 25 June 1906 donation of the Hye-Hoys collection

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Ferdinand Vander Haeghen Headlibrarian from 1869
till 1911
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Letter by which Joseph Hye-Hoys donated documents
regarding the East India Company of Ostend, dated
June 25, 1906
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Joseph Hye-Hoys inherited the documents from his
ancestors, members of rich merchant families
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Death notice of Isidore Hye-Hoys, uncle of the
donator
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Catalogue of the library of Isidore Hye-Hoys
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Example of a  catalogue card  made by Isidore
Hye-Hoys
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Verso of a  catalogue card  Isidore Hye-Hoys
cut ancient letters for his catalogue
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After having paid attention to Isidore Hye-Hoys,
we now concentrate on François Flanderin
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Catalogue of the library of François Flanderin
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This catalogue lists the books per category (e.g.
theology) on loose sheets of paper
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François Flanderin too used old documents
regarding the East India Company of Ostend for
drawing up his catalogue here we discover on the
verso of a catalogue sheet the complete equipment
of a vessel ready to leave for the East
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What does the collection contain?

• All kind of material related to the East India
  Company of Ostend, such as
• - Logbooks
• - Letters (e.g. Louis Bernaert to the directors
  and vice versa)
• - Contracts with captains, officers etc
• - Surveys of the crew and the individual wages
• - Maps, etc
• And documents from the commercial activities
  of the concerned families

19
Detail of the contract between the Company and
Guillielmo de Brouwer, acting as captain on the
 Marquis van Prié  headed for China in January
1727. Ghent, University Library, Ms 2065.
20
Jacob Plasschaert, Portrait of Guillelmo de
Brouwer with his family in his office, ca 1750.
-- Bruges, Groeningemuseum, 0.1291