Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

This is the fourth and last part of the article about the  contributors for the construction of the Dutch-German temple of Livorno (1862-1864). The preceeding three parts described the different categories of donors: members of the Congregation, livornese people not members and foreign contributors. This part focuses on captains of ships sailing in and out of the harbour of Livorno who were persuaded, or chose, to contribute to the building of a protestant church. The list contains ship names as well.

Generally speaking, donations are lower than those made by the other contributors, apart from two or three cases which, in any case, do not exceed 40 Italian lire (around 160 Euros).

At the end of the list you will then find the final account table for the expenses and donations relating to the whole project. Each hyper-link will take you to the relevant detailed lists that have already been published in the last few weeks.

__________________

REVENUES

TOTAL DEBIT (see detailed table): 169,276.69

.

Signed: Dr. C. SCHINTZ, Secretary

This is the last but one part of the article about the funding of the Dutch-German Church of Livorno (1862-1864). The previous two parts (see part 1 – see part 2) covered the donors who were also members of the Congregation and the ‘Livornese’ donors who were not members. This third part deals with the ‘foreign’ donors’ list which includes a large number of institutions, individuals and organizations in many parts of Europe and Italy (Florence, Milan, Genoa, Carrara…).

The first series of names on this list are related to the protestant organization Gustav Adolf Verein (now Gustav Adolf Werk) in several central european cities. It was named after King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden and it was founded in 1832 in Leipzig as a relief organization, mainly committed to helping protestant religious minorities in many countries and encouraging dialogue with other religions. The list continues with a number of congregations followed by German/Swiss evangelical societies, as well as some german Senate and Government institutions (Hamburg, Bremen and Hannover). Lastly, some cities where money was collected are listed, among which Rotterdam and Geneva which contributed generously.

The list shows also two significant donations: that made byPrincess Marianne of Orange-Nassau and that by the famous Jean Gabriel EYNARD-LULLIN (1775-1863), a poliedric French-Swiss merchant (who was apprenticed in Genoa), financer, tax collector in the Kingdom of Etruria, private advisor of Maria Luise of Bourbon and of Elisa Baciocchi, Napoleon’s sister. He was also private secretary of the genevan delegation to the Congress of Vienna (1814-15) and in 1824 was elected Director of the Discount Bank of Florence. Passionately involved in the Greek indepedence cause, he became the coordinator for the philo-hellenic committees in Europe, advisor to the newly born country and co-founder of the National Bank of Greece. Still not exhausted he started making daguerrotypes. among the first swiss to do so!

After these two substantial donations we find a myriad of small contributions from the whole florentine protestant community, followed by a considerable number of German and Swiss merchants established in England and all the main commercial capitals in central Europe. Finally a dense list of Swiss families from St. Gallen, most of them linked to other families in Livorno (Tobler, Fehr, Walser, etc…).

Of particular note is the name of Prof. RIEMANN (Gottingen), who I identified as the famous mathematician and physicist Bernhard RIEMANN (1826-1866). Son of a protestant pastor, he taught at Gottingen University and, after his marriage in 1862 with Elise KOCH, he had a daughter named Ida, born in Pisa in 1863, a few months before his death from tuberculosis in Selasca, a small village near Verbania, on Lake Maggiore (Northern Italy). The so called “Riemann Hypothesis (RH)” is a mathematical problem regarding prime numbers, the only one of the 10 Hilbert’s problems which, still unsolved after 150 years, has been included among the 7 problems of the Millenium. A great part of modern cryptographic theories will fail if the RH is demonstrated to be true. I think it’s very fascinating that Prof. Riemann contributed to the construction of the Dutch-German Church of Livorno, even if his contribution was mainly symbolic…

The total amount of the donations in this third section is about 25,000 Italian Lire (about 100,000 Euros). The terms “fl” and “thlr” in the table mean “florins” and “thalers”, two currencies in use in certain parts of Europe at that time.

This is the second part dedicated to the contributors for the construction of the Dutch-German Church of Livorno (1862-1864). The first part presented the list of contributors who were also members of the Dutch-German Congregation, the following list presents the contributors from Livorno. It will be followed by two more lists, one for the foreign contributors and one for the donations by ship captains. The final article will present a summary of the total contributions and some statistics.

In the table you will find links to individual data sheets for each person/family that has been researched. Those names which are still doubtful or unknown do not have any link.

All values are expressed in Italian Lire (the new italian currency after the Unification in 1861). As I explained in the previous articles, in Tuscany people were still quite used to the ‘old’ Lire Toscane currency and so all donations have the characteristic of being a multiple of 84 since one Tuscan Lira was equivalent to 0,84 Italian Lire. It is possible to try a conversion onto nowadays Euros by multiplying approximately by 4 all the values in the following table.

NdR: For reference, the sum of 6,000 Italian Lire can be converted to about 24,000 Euros.

Continuing on the subject of the construction of the Dutch-German temple of Livorno, the previously cited booklet contains a section about the expenses of the project. This document is clearly very interesting and we present it here. All amounts of money are expressed in Italian Lire (1867).

Signed: C. SCHINTZ, chamberlain

___________

Considering an equivalent of about 4 Euros to 1 Italian Lira (1861), the construction of the Temple would have costed today around 700.000 Euros.

The Dutch-German Church (or Temple) of Livorno was built between 1862-1864 to a project by architect Dario Giacomelli, in the Neo-Gothic style. In the Labronica library of Livorno we found a small brochure entitled “Balance statement for the construction of the Dutch-German Congregation Church”  dated 1867, 3 years after the church was built. The brochure represents a very interesting piece of history being a sort of snapshot of the foreign protestant community of Livorno at that time with several lists of contributors for the building of the church and the expenses related to its construction.

In this part I present the first list of +54 contributors, composed of those who where also members of the Congregation, thus more involved in this project (all the donations are made in multiples of 84, due to the conversion rate of the tuscan lire to the italian lire after the Unification of Italy in 1861), clicking on names will bring you to the relevant data sheet of my database where available for the individual or the family.

Thanks to Stefano Ceccarini, a member of our association, for the help in the transcription of the documents.

As Vittorio Marchi and Ugo Canessa tell us in their massive 4-volume book about the history of the Chamber of Commerce of Livorno (*), an ancestor of this institution can be identified in the Deputation formed by the city Governor, the Consuls and at least four merchants, created in 1642 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. This Deputation is then reformed in 1692 and evolves into the so called Deputation of Commerce or Board of Commerce in 1717. At this time the chosen Deputees were eight, half of them Tuscan, half foreigners:

Jacopo FINOCCHIETTI

Anton Domenico LANCELLOTTI

Pietro Paolo GIERA

Lazzero RECANATI

Roberto RUTHERFURD

Giovanni DUFOUR

Pietro CHARRON

Luigi RILLIET

(NdR: the above list, reported in the book, cannot be completely correct because several of the people cited in it were born in or after the 1720s…)

In 1722 the Deputation is advanced to the status of “Tribunal of Commerce” (for causes involving less than 500 pieces of eight) and at about the same time the Board started to be named “Chamber”. Every year the Grand Duke drawed two new members, one italian and one foreigner, from a pool of the best 30 merchants of the city.

The actual foundation of the still existing “Chamber of Commerce” is dated December 17th, 1801 and it is among the first institutions of this type in Italy. The 12 founding members (clickable) were:

Francesco di Honorato BERTE, french

Filippo FILICCHI, tuscan

Gio. Giacomo RILLIET, french for the Genevans

Giuseppe HUDDART, english

Alessandro PATRINO, greek

Ezechia di Sabato AMBRON, jewish

Pietro Paolo GIERA, tuscan

Antonio BRANCA, tuscan

Martino DAGUERRE, french

Pietro SENN, swiss

Gio COSTACCHI, greek

Levi L’AINE’, jewish

This very brief note will be the first of many focusing on the importance of foreign merchants for the history of Livorno in general and for the history of many of the local institutions. Also a great number of the merchants who took part in the history of the Chamber of Commerce are now buried either in the Old English Cemetery or in other historical cemeteries as the Dutch-German Burial ground, the New English Cemetery, the Greek-Orthodox Cemetery and the two oldest Jewish cemeteries.

___________________________________________

(*) V. MARCHI, U. CANESSA, Duecento anni della Camera di Commercio nella Storia di Livorno, Debatte, Livorno, 2001. Unfortunately this work contains thousands of misspellings of the names of foreign merchants and has NO INDEX at all. This is the perfect recipe for making a potentially wonderful research tool, a heavy, unusable, 4-volumes library ornament, like those that are nice to see on the shelves but are never browsed.

I wish to thank all the 35 subscribers of this blog and the 8 donors: you helped me believe in this project even in the hard moments! I wish as well to thank all the visitors, those who regularly visit without registering or saying a word, those who just jump on these pages by hazard but then find something interesting, those who comment, those who write me privately to collaborate or ask questions or more information, those who cited this website in their own website and also those who just come to get what they need and leave without trace… in one word thanks to the almost 20,000 visitors that make my beliefs stronger since September 2009, almost 2 years ago! THANK YOU !

Matteo

* New Style

As everyone can verify by heading down Via Verdi in Livorno towards the entrance of the “Misericordia” and of the “Old English Cemetery”, the Municipality indicated the historical site by a brown panel which states 1737 as the year of foundation. This date has always been questioned by historians given that the oldest tomb is dated 1646, but some local historians advanced the hypothesis that the oldest graves were actually transferred from private gardens to the burial ground at a later moment, after it received the “official” authorization. The evidence suggests that this theory is inaccurate and that the cemetery was founded long before the official date of 1737. Stefano Villani, in his numerous contributions, has already given ample proof of this by citing older documents referring to the cemetery as existing well before 1700. In some of these documents the site is even named “Old English Cemetery”, but yet no document has been found to attest to a precise foundation date. The document I am presenting here is of the highest importance because it establishes, for the first time, a date at which the cemetery had not yet been built. The testament of Daniel Oxenbridge was first published in an american genealogical magazine (cfr. infra) over a hundred years ago but those who published it only recognized its importance in relation to the links of the family to New England. I believe that this document also makes clear that the English protestant community of Leghorn was already well established by the 1630s, being composed of very notable merchants who considered themselves a fully developed nazione. Another very important element of this will is the citation of  a Thomas DOUBTY as the resident minister of the community at that time: this name is completely unknown to Livorno’s seventeenth century historians and now needs to be researched. Villani advanced the hypothesis that he could be the same person as the ‘mysterious’ preacher staying at Sainthill’s in Livorno (‡) and whose first name only he found to be ‘Thomas’.  Oxenbridge’s extensive family and business network is shown through hypertext links that point to each individual’s data sheet on the project’s database; information is being added and corrected daily in the local database then regularly uploaded to the public database to reflect new findings and documentary evidences.

Finally, here is a small token of respect to the discoverer and transcriber of this and many other wills. Mr. Lothrop Withington lost his life on RMS Lusitania in 1915 while sailing back to England from New York to continue his work on a very important set of documents he had discovered in the Probate Registry Room of Canterbury.

From New England Historical Genealogical Register, vol. LIII, 1899, p.116:

The following most important will supplements the interesting group of Oxenbridge wills given by Mr. Waters in the REGISTER for January, 1890. As this will may be considered a document in the history of old England (the Long Parliament having passed a vote of thanks and, I believe, decreed  a monument for the initial bequest), and as the testator is so closely connected  with New England, it is worth printing in full. I append a brief note concerning the connections of the testator and his brother, Rev. John Oxenbridge.

Lothrop WITHINGTON. 30 Little Russell St., W.C., London.

I Daniel OXENBRIDGE of London now resident and merchant in Liverne [sic] being at this present in a weake Estate of Body but of a good memorie and sound minde doe make this my last and only Will and Testam.t to be performed if it shall please God at this or any other time to call mee out of this life  ffirst I humbly assigne my soule to God its maker….&c & next my Body I comitt to the Earth in such decent manner to be buried as shalbe by my friendes thought fitt. I then constitute and appointe after the time of my decease my Executors John THROCKMORTON, Charles LONGLAND & John COLLYER desyring their care and paines to see effected what here of them is required   First I give to the Right Hon.ble the Lord and Commons now assembled in parlm.t in or neere London & to their use for the prosecution of their designes One Thousand pounds Sterlinge to be paid halfe in twelve monthes after the daye of my decease. More to severall godly people impoverished by the said distractions in England   I give One hundred and fiftie pounds to be disposed of accordinge to the discretion of my brother Mr. John OXENBRIDGE and Mr. Thomas DOUBTY our Minister here residing ffor or towards the buying of a burying place for the English nation in Liverne I give fiftie pounds to my brother-in-law Mr. William LANGHORNE Twenty pounds to my sister his wife fiftie pounds to his son Daniell fiftie pounds to each other sonne or daughter they may have at the time of my death   thirtie pounds to my Broth.r-in-law Mr. Caleb COCKCROFT fortie pounds to my sister his wife fortie pounds to each of their children livinge at my decease   Twentie pounds to my Broth.r-in-law Mr. HUNT and my sister his wife Eightie pounds   To my Broth.r Mr. John OXENBRIDGE minister two hundred pounds readie money if hee requests it and to his wife and sonnes one hundred pounds besides what may be due to him in my bookes.  To my brother Clement OXENBRIDGE all my part proceed of the Tynfarme w.ch is valued at six hundred and ninetie pounds sterlings or there abouts be it more or lesse. To my mother eight hundred pounds besides all lands Houses Testements [sic] as in or neere London or in the Countie of Northumberland are left me by my father her deceased husband in the same manner as it is left unto mee thereout of it discharging such debts and Legacies as were thereon enjoyned mee as by my Fathers will maie appeare   To my sister M.ris Catherine HENLY one hundred pound   To her daughter Katherine FFOWLER one hundred and fiftie pound   To my Coozen M.ris Henry BARNARD [sic] and his wife thirtie pounds and to my Coozen M.r Nicholas SEARLE and his wife a lyke some that is thirtie pounds to each of their wifes in all one Hundred and twentie pounds to you foure  To Mr. Job THROCKMORTON foure hundred pounds   To his wife a chaine of pearles in my deske containing as I conceave 490 pearles or what they are   To my three freinds Mr. Phillipp WILLIAMS, Mr. Charles LONGLAND and Mr. Tho: DOUBTY one hundred pounds apeece that is three hundred pounds to them three   To William REYMES a hundred Dollers   To Mr. Robert and Nicholas ABNY [sic] fiftie dollers apeece for a poore remembrance of mee   To Mr. Samuell BONNELS [sic] fiftie pounds sterling   To Thomas DETHICKE one hundred Dollers   To John COLLYER three thousand dollers   To Leonard DIGGE fiftie Dollers   To Robert BARBOR and Edward RETT one hundred dollers apeece   To George DETHICKE my servant a hundred dollers   To Richard BROWNE one hundred Dollers   To John CON fourtie dollers   To Joanna woman servant thyrtie dollers   To the Governo.r & Mad.na ffran.a five dollers apeece   To Angelina 10 dollers   To John Batt.a the boy five dollers  To Sig. Gualtero VANDERCOORT and his wife fourtie pounds between them to buy a ring in my remembrance   The advance of my estate to be given to my forenamed Executo.rs for their paines in this business   Be it noted that the pounds sterling are to be reduced into dollers at fiftie pence the doller and by a doller is meant a peece of eight effective of Spayne   Lord receive my Soule

5th ffebry 1643   Witness present at the readinge of this Will to Mr. Daniell OXENBRIDGE in his House on the 6th ffeb.ry 1643 and wee heard him say hee confirmed it as his will   beinge demanded if he confirmed this as his will he answered I doe I doe   ffrancis READ Thomas BARNSLY Ralph DUKE Thomas CRATHORNE Robert BARBOR Tho: BANKS John BOMMER

Wee Thomas DOUBTY Charles LONGLAND Phillipp WILLIAMS and John COLLYER being present with Mr. Daniell OXENBRIDGE on the ffirst day of ffeb.ry about twenty foure houres or a little after did at his request heare him declare Verbatim the words written parte on this and parte on the other syde of this paper in words and desired John COLLYER to write them downe to make out of them a will in as good forme as in short time hee could   Wee testifie further that what is in the will hereto annexed under the hand of John COLLYER and consented by the said OXENBRIDGE this morning the 6th ffeb.ry and attested by the seaven Witnesses therto subscribinge is the true Import of what this paper contains according to the intent of the Testator and it was in our company by him confirmed and in Witness of the truth of what wee write hereunder each hath to y.t   I read that Joines these two sheetes of paper   Sett his seale the 6th of ffeb.ry 1643 as before Thomas DOUBTY Charles LONGLAND Phillip WILLIAMS John COLLYER.

Probatum fuit &c. . decimo sexto die Mensis Martij anno dm. Juxta &c 1643 [1643-4]. Willmo CLARKE leg &c &c Arthuri DUCKE leg com &c Juramento Johi THROCKMORTON prin Execut &c Nec non de veros Com.p fuerens Carolo LONGLAND et Johi COLLYER execut etia in humoi Testam.o noiat cum venerunt eam in debita juris forma petitis.

Note by Lothrop Withington:

The testator was a junior son of Dr. Daniel Oxenbridge of London. His two brothers John and Clement were of much mark. Clement may be almost  said to have been the founder of the English post office service. As to John, he was a pioneer in Guiana, Jamaica, Bermuda, &c., a leading spirit in the Commonwealth in England, an intimate of Milton and Cromwell, fellow of the Eton college, and finally minister of Boston in New England. The brother-in-law Caleb Cockcroft died the same year (1644), and the widow married the famous solicitor general, Oliver Saint John. Another sister mentioned, Mrs. Henley, afterwards was wife of the noted general Philip Skippon. Her daughter mentioned in the will, Katherine Fowler, was the poetess, the “matchless Orinda.” I have trace back many hundreds of the direct ancestors of this illustrious family , and have quite a collection of wills bearing on the immediate family connections of Rev. John Oxenbridge, including the will of the paternal grandmother of his wife Frances Woodward. This will shows that her father Ezekiel Woodward originated not in Worcestershire, as stated by Anthony a Wood, but in Hereford, a shire as yet little explored by genealogists. I trust to publish some of these additional Oxenbridge notes later on. – L.W.

[Location of original will: Commissary Court of London, Reg. No.29, fo. 239.]

_____

(‡): Stefano Villani, «Cum scandalo catholicorum…». La presenza a Livorno di predicatori protestanti inglesi tra il 1644 e il 1670, Nuovi Studi Livornesi, vol.VII, 1999, pp.10-11 and n.3.