News and Events

Coats-of-Arms…requesting your help!

More than 50 years ago, the upstair section housed the Coats-of Arms of a number of families, which of course have long been gone since. We would very much like to reintroduce these to the upstair section and appeal to the respective families or enthusiasts who might be in possession of these Coats-of-Arms in one form or another, to kindly provide us with a detailed image which will enable us to create replicas.

For more information on this, the following is an extract from JDBU Volume 44 Part 4 page 209…

“The attention of readers of the Journal is drawn to the collection of Coats-of-Arms, on display in the upstair lounge of the Dutch Burgher Union Building. They include some of which the families concerned were unaware until Dr John Blaze’s researches brought them to light. A particular point of interest attaches to this collection of Coats-of-Arms. They have been drawn and colour designed on wood by Mrs John Blaze, and the wood used is from the famous Baldaeus, tree under which the Dutch predicant and historian preached. This tree was blown down by a cyclone which swept the Jaffna peninsular nearly two years ago, and Dr. Blaze was among those who were lucky to secure a portion of the timber from that tamarind tree as a souvenir.

The Coats-of-Arms on view include those of the following families. Each one bears the date of the arrival in Ceylon of the first settler:

Anthonisz (1736)
Baldaeus (1656)
Brohier (1780)
Drieberg (1783)
De Breard (1788)
De La Harpe (1770)
De Vos (1673)
Fretz (1763)
Foenander (1780)
Gratiaen (1747)
Leembruggen (1744)
Meurling (1745)
Palm -
Stork (1771)
Schrader (1713)
Schneider (1772)
Van Ranzow (1736)
Van Langenberg (1750)
Roosmalecocq (1764)
Woutersz (1689)”

Anyone who is in a position to assist could kindly email me at buildings@dutchburgherunion.org

Dallas Martenstyn – Chairman, Buildings & Maintenance Sub-Committee.