Page 6 - Lambert Wackers

Family Announcements
Married (getrouwd):
L. H. F. Wackers and C. J. Keyser, in
Amsterdam, March 23, (1897)

When and how Lambert Wackers met his bride is unknown.
Catharina was born in 1866 in Dordrecht, about 35 km (21 mi) from Breda. If Catharina
grew up in Dordrecht, Lambert may have met Catharina during his years at the KMA in
Breda, but that is a wild guess. Waiting for 12 years while your boyfriend is with the KNIL,
without interim leaves, seems improbable.
Why did Lambert and Catharina marry in Amsterdam?
Lambert's father, Frans Antoon Wackers, moved from Kerkrade back to Amsterdam. It is
not known when and why he did so. It may have been after retiring from his flour
manufacturing business in Kerkrade, which he started around 1858, the year of his
wedding with Maria Theresa Rox (she passed away in 1868 in Düren, Germany). Frans
Antoon's oldest married daughter Maria Louisa Schneider-Wackers lived in Amsterdam
since 1879 with her husband Christiaan Schneider, and two sons. Frans Antoon passed
away and was buried in Amsterdam in1889.
When Lambert (34 yr) returned in1896 to the Netherlands for his one-year leave, I suspect
that he first went to Amsterdam to visit his sister Maria Louisa's family and his father's
grave. There, he may have met friends, acquaintances, and also Catharina Keijser (31yr).

On April 17, 1897, Captain Lambert Wackers and his spouse Catharina sailed back to the
Dutch East Indies on ss Burgemeester den Tex. After arriving in Batavia on May 22, 1897, he
was put for a short while on “non-activity” because he was “overcomplete” (i.e., for his rank)
but destined to return to the Triangulation Brigade of the Topographic Service.
Captain Wackers fell ill and went on sick leave in September and November 1897 to
SukaBumi (south of Jakarta, an area of coffee plantations and favored for its cooler climate.)

~~~

In charge of Kota Radja Steam Tram and Ice Factory
Recovered from his sickness in February 1898, Lambert went to Fort de Kock on the west
coast of Atjeh (Aceh, North Sumatra) to rejoin the Corps of Engineers.
Unexpectedly, to me at least, captain Wackers was relieved from the Triangulation Brigade.

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