The Old Shop

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In the 19th century were behind the church a few almshouses, see 1a on the 1895-map of a part of the mound.  When the soil was needed these houses had to be vacated as well as the farmhouse numbered 4x. The local counsel obtained in 1895 permission from the province counsel to give the farmer Edde Damstra, in exchange for his house and land, the sum of 1000 dutch florins and a new house.  So the digging up of the mound could proceed.  The soil was transported by boat over a canal specially dug for that purpose.

Edde Damstra moved into the empty schoolhouse for a brief period of time and then into a tent.  This tent, called a sick-tent, was especially in use for sick people who could not stay at home because of a contageous disease like tuberculosis.   In that tent he lived until his new house was ready. When he moved to his new house, he had to accept that the tent stayed on and could be used if necessary until 1897. The taxation on his land would commence on the 1st of January 1896.  Later, in the 20th century, there was a shop at the house until the end of 1943 or the beginning of 1944.  It was the only shop in Wetsens.