The World Class Banking Tycoon Widow Borski, Amsterdam The World Class Banking Tycoon Widow Borski, Amsterdam Click: Female history walk.
Dutch version.
A tour or lecture with the theme Amsterdam - Bankers - Casanova
Article in Dutch in Ons Amsterdam
Mrs Johanna Pieters Borski -born- van de Velde (1764-1846) also known in Holland as "Widow Borski" inherited her enormous fortune of some 8 million guilders from her late husband, who was a merchant in rice and grains. She became the powerhouse in fiannce and trade in the 19th Century.
At various times she has furnished an immense amount of money in order to save large institutions:
- In 1816 she bought, at the request of King Willem I an sizable stock package in the National Central Bank, Nederlandsche Bank to the value of 1.892.000 guilders.
- In 1820 she furnished, together with Bank Hope, a loan to the Russian State to the tune of van 120 million guilders.
- In 1840 she saved the Dutch Trading Company - Nederlandsche Handel Maatschappij - from going under by providing a new capital injection.
When preparing my walk and boat ride with the theme of important Females and Rich in Amsterdam, I needed to find out where this Grand Lady actually lived in Amsterdam.
From literature I learned that in 1809 her husband purchased a house on Keizersgracht 660 for f 50.000,- That was just one house in the list of real estate owned by the family. Where did she actually live at the end of her life?
Author Van Lennep writes in his book that she lived on an upper floor on Keizersgracht and that she was unable to walk well and therefore could not use the stairs anymore. So that visitors had to come up to her place. However, an old businessman was also shaky on his feet and could not climb her stairs. So he was hoisted up to the floor by personnel, outside, in front of the house in a large basket intended for peat heating blocks.
In her will she stipulated that all of her painted portraits should be buried with her at the time of her death, in order to avoid them being sold out on the streets and on bridges to passers-by. When this portrait was painted at age 80, the family member who commissioned its secretly ordered another copy to be made. This is the one that survives today! Source: Kopstukken exh cat. AHM.
My research for the correct home address was hampered time and again. Van Lennep did not provide an address. Author Spies in his beautiful Grachtenboek writes that she lives on Keizersgracht "close to Spiegelgracht". The massive Herengrachtboek checked as well for eventualities. Also checked the indexes of the book series and magazine series Amstelodamum and Ons Amsterdam both in print and electronically. Internet sites gave no answer.
Finally I found, after some expert help from the staff of the City Archives, Stadsarchief, a microfilm containing a sort of yellow Pages, the Adressbook from 1821, with the listing: Weduwe Borski, Keizersgracht 660 bij de Spiegelstraat. Bingo? No. There has been a re-numbering since then. The latest information is that she lived at Keizersgracht number 566, and since 1888 this building is gone, now a church stands on that site.
With all of her wealth she chose not to live on Herengacht, not to be part of the upper ten in Amsterdam, and with her children - with whom she corresponded in French - she remained bourgeois, a burgher, a citizen.
This portrait was produced to be shown within her home and her will stated that at her death it had to be burnt. A family member secretly ordered another copy of the painting to be made, and this is the ome which exists today.
Literature: Geertje Wiersma, Johanna Borski. Financier van Nederland 1764-1846 (Amsterdam 1998). F.J.E. van Lennep, Een weduwe aan de Amsterdamse beurs. Borski-saga 1765-1960 (Groningen 1973). See also Grachtenhuizen.
By way of contrast: The Rijckloff van Goens career: English version.
I can do research for you in Holland.
Walks / Excursions
Each if 1.5 hrs to 2 hours on foot
2 hour walk United East India Company theme
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Spotting the Rich & Famous inhabitants in the Golden Age.
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Launched June 15, 2011. Updated 17 january 2017.