| Commentary | Anthony Gaillaert I, merchant, retailer (kramer), and hosemaker, born in Leuven about 1548, was first noted in Amsterdam in 1578 (Gelderblom, Zuid-Nederlandse kooplieden, p. 301 and Prosopographic Data Base). Anthony Gaillaert with his company invested 1200 f. in V.O.C. shares, at which time he lived on the Kerkstraet. In 1585, he paid a wealth tax of 2 f. On 28 May 1594, Anthony Gaillart, kousenbreijer (hose knitter), widower of Anna le Febre, living in the Warmoesstraet, was betrothed to Anna Pelgroms, 32, assisted by her sister Marieken Willeborts, from 's Hertogenbosch (DTB 407/33). On 12 August 1595, Anna Pelgromsdr., wife of Anthony Gailliaert, passed her testament. She left her brother Jan and her sisters Aeltgen, Maria and Pietertgen 200 f. and her share in her father's house in 'S Hertogenbosch. She named her husband universal heir. The act was passed in her house in the Warmoesstraet in the presence of Hyeronimus (Jeronimus) Petiteau and Anthonius Taits . Jeronimus Petiteau was the uncle of Hans van Uffelen II of R 36982 and the father of Guillam Petiteau of INVNO 929 (NA 23, fol. 315, Not. J. Ghijsbertsz.) On 18 May 1596 (?), Tiet Gijsbertsdr. (of R 27757 of Montias2) assessed the goods left by Anna le Febre, the (first) wife of Anthonis Gaillaert (de oude) (Hilde van Wijngaarden, notes to Scriptie). One of the items in the inventory was a great map by Plantius (NA 23/52, Not. J. Gijsbertsz.) Anna Pelgroms (or Pelgrims) was still alive when her husband's death inventory was taken on 6 November 1624. Anthony's daughter Esther, 27, was betrothed to Jan du Bois from Gent on 4 January 1608 (DTB 413/47). His son, Pieter Gaillard, 27, embroiderer, was betrothed to Sara Waterloos, from Middelburg, 24, on 27 March 1621 (DTB 426/7). When he was betrothed in 1594, Anthony Gaillaert d'oude was said to be a hose maker or knitter, which was the craft in which he was initially apprenticed, but he must have been a prosperous merchant (Van Dillen, Het oudste aandeelhoudersregister, p. 213.) Anthony Gaillart (or Gailjaart) (de oude) was a master of the Spinhuis in 1602 (Jan Wagenaar, Amsterdam, vol. 2, p. 260). His son, Anthony Gaillaert de jonge, 1590-1639, was from his first marriage. His rich death inventory (INVNO 163) shows that he was a much more active collector than his father. After the death of Anthony Gaillart de oude, which probably took place in 1624, the Orphan Chamber had an inventory taken of his possessions on on 5 and 6 November 1624 (INVNO 6620). It overlaps in part with the present one, although it also differs from it in some respects (WK 5073/968). It was apparently this inventory that was presented to the Orphan Chamber on 3 July 1629. Among the heirs cited in this Orphan Chamber document were the three children of the late Hester Gaillart, whose husband was Jean du Bois, now living in England, and the two children of Pieter Gaillard and Sara Waterlo. Their uncle Daniel van Horebeck of R 26267, married to Martijntje Gaillart, the daughter of Anthony Gaillaert de oude, promised to bring in 1200 f. for the children of Pieter Gaillard (WK 5073/789). Several uyrwysers and uyrwercken were cited in the inventory (bought by Gerrit Brandt of R 25289) and even some wooden wheels for a clock. Was Anthony Gaillart de oude a clock maker (amateur or professional) as well as a merchant? Note that Jan Gansepoel of INVNO 616 was the uncle of the children of Govert Gaillard, who seems to have been the brother of Anthony Gaillard de jonge of INVNO 163 (WK 5073/513, fol. 162). Altogether the children and heirs of Anthony Gaillaert owed the estate 21,750 f. 6 st. and 10 pen. (WK 5073/1192, accounting of 28 January 1628). Govert Gaillaert was a merchant and dealer in hosiery (kousenkoper), also of South Netherlandish origin, first noted in Amsterdam in 1608 (Gelderblom, Zuid-Nederlandse kooplieden, p. 301). |
