The following pictures of Holland were taken from a book written in Dutch called De Aarde en haar volken (“The Earth and Its People”) written in 1906. The photos show daily life in various parts of the world and offers a glimpse into a world far different than our own: a world were telephones, motor cars, electricity, antibiotics and most of the conveniences we now take for granted did not exist. Later articles will focus on different parts of the world as depicted in the book.
Dutch Women in Traditional Dress Shopping At the Fair
Skinny Old Dutch Woman
The original Dutch caption reads “Een mager oudje” which Google Translate says means “A Skinny Old Woman”. I am not sure if the picture is labeled correctly because this person does not look like a woman to me. The sign on the building in the background translates as Edek Music and Art Trade.
Young Dutch Peasant Girl
Above is a picture of a young peasant girl taken in 1906. Although she is a member of the working class, the girl is well dressed in a traditional Dutch costume. Her head is covered by a bonnet and she is carrying a large woven basket which is tied to what looks like a halter around her neck, presumably to help her carry the heavy load more easily. The basket is empty so it is difficult to tell what she would normally have carried, but she likely would have used the basket to carry goods to market or to bring food home.
Draw Bridge – Holland, 1906
In this picture several Dutch men and women wait while a draw bridge is raised to allow a sailing ship to travel down a canal. It is interesting to note that the road appears to be made of cobblestone and that the people waiting are all pedestrians. There are no cars or carriages waiting to cross the draw bridge.
Dutch Housewives Out Shopping
Dutch Housewives Buying from a Street Vendor
Chatting on a Wet Street in Holland, 1906
In this picture a married couple is chatting with an old man on a rain soaked cobblestone street. The original caption for this photograph reads “Conferentie over de dikte van de bieten.” which Google translates as “Conference over the thickness of the beat.” I am assuming that this is some sort of Dutch figure of speech for gossiping.
Horse Drawn Cart
Two men are riding in a horse drawn cart down a cobblestone street in Holland.
A Train
I think that this picture is of a man and a woman standing next to a train carriage.
A Grandfather and His Grandson
A Dutch grandfather and his grandson walk down a cobblestone street. They look very stylish – the man is wearing a top hat and has a walking stick; the boy is wearing a suit. I wonder where they were going that day in 1906.
The Bridge Master
A bridge master, whose job it was to raise and lower the draw bridge to let ships and traffic pass through the canal, keeps watch.
Gossip Girls
The innkeeper’s daughters gossiping with a neighbor girl over the fence.
A Load of Hay
A cart full of hay is being drawn by two strong work horses. Note the extremely narrow lane.
Dutch Boy and Girl
Dutch Farm Children
Dutch Girls Doing Traditional Dutch Dance by the Seashore
Lost in Thought
A Dutch man stands by the seashore looking out to sea. Note the traditional wooden clog shoes that he is wearing.
Holland – Sheep Grazing on a Canal
In this picture a Dutch shepherd and his sheepdog are grazing a flock of sheep on the banks of canal. Notice the stereotypical Dutch windmill in the background.
Man With Horse
A pipe smoking man stands next to his horse. The man is wearing clog shoes which probably are not the best suited for riding.
Windmill
A large windmill in Holland, located on the Wemeldinge dike.
Two men look out to sea on the west coast of Holland. They are wearing Dutch clogs. The wooden stakes are to prevent erosion.
Dutch boys wearing clogs march down a quiet cobblestone street. Their clogs must have made quite the racket.
Traditional Dutch Dancing. Boys and Girls dance with clogs.
Dutch Girls Perform a Traditional Dance Around a Pole. Is this related to the May Pole?
Wash Day in Volendam, Holland (1906)
The Dutch Village of Volendam, in 1906.
Women Working and Caring for Children – Holland, 1906
A Young Mother wearing traditional Dutch clogs and head dress.
Dutch Fisherman Wearing Traditional Baggy Pants. Standing on a wooden wharf, Holland, 1906
Two Old Men Hanging Out. Perhaps they have had a bit too much to drink.
Two Dutch Children. Note the traditional wooden clogs and baggy clothes.
A Washerwoman Putting the Clothes Out to Dry
Dutch Girls Skipping Along in their wooden shoes and colorful dresses..
A Shy Boy and Girl
This brings us to the end of our journey back in time to 1906 Holland.
This article about life in Holland in 1906 was last updated on May 1, 2021.
