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GNE-History

Wanneer was GNE opgericht?

GNE werd opgericht in 1920 in de periode na de Eerste Wereldoorlog, toen Nederlandse industriëlen en politici erg geïnteresseerd waren om de banden met Groot-Brittannië te versterken. 

Geschiedenis van GNE

De echte geschiedenis van GNE is moeilijk in detail weer te geven omdat de Duitsers dossiers, correspondentie en geld van de meeste GNE afdelingen kort nadat ze Nederland bezet hadden in beslag genomen hebben. Alles werd meegenomen naar Berlijn en in 1945 verhuisde de Russen al het materiaal naar Rusland. Gelukkig is het Nederlandse Instituut voor Oorlogsdocumentatie in 2009 in staat gebleken om een deel van het in beslag genomen materiaal uit de Russische archieven terug te krijgen. Het materiaal geeft een goed inzicht in de aard van de personen, professionals en zakenmensen die lid waren vóór de Tweede Wereldoorlog.

Het is niet helemaal duidelijk wat de motieven waren voor het oprichten van GNE. Vóór 1914 had Nederland sterke banden met Duitsland en de Boerenoorlog had ernstige negatieve gevolgen voor de betrekkingen met Engeland. Na 1918 verloor Duitsland de sympathie die het voor de oorlog had. De Duitse politiek en economische onrust in Duitsland was misschien een extra reden zich te wenden tot overwinnaar England. Politici en zakenlieden hebben daarom waarschijnlijk het Genootschap op 24 april 1920 opgericht als een reactie op Wereldoorlog I, en het is waarschijnlijk dat ze dachten dat het opportuun was om de betrekkingen met Engeland te versterken vanuit economisch oogpunt.

GNE direct na de Tweede Wereldoorlog

Het Genootschap is in 1946 samengevoegd met de `Engelse Associatie in Holland’. Deze vereniging bestond uit een groot aantal van het Engels clubs die al vóór de Eerste Wereldoorlog bestonden. Hun voornaamste doel was om Engels Literatuur en cultuur meer bekendheid in Nederland te maken.

Bekende voorzitters van GNE

Voor en na de Tweede Wereldoorlog, had GNE politici, ministers en premiers als nationaal voorzitter. Na de Tweede Wereldoorlog hadden we een minister-president voor een periode van 15 jaar, en twee CEO’s van beursgenoteerde ondernemingen, samen voor een ononderbroken periode van 9 jaar, als onze Nationale Voorzitter. Namelijk:
1. Prof. Gerbrandy, minister-president in de Nederlandse oorlog kabinet.
2. Dr. Paul Rijkens, voorzitter van de raad van bestuur van Unilever.
3. De heer JH Loudon, voorzitter van de raad van Koninklijke Nederlandse Shell.
 

Door GNE geïnitieerde en georganiseerde grote tentoonstellingen

Te noemen zijn hier de 1970 tentoonstelling, getiteld "schok van herkenning" en de 1995 tentoonstelling, getiteld "Gezichten op Windsor". Deze tentoonstellingen werden gehouden in het Mauritshuis in Den Haag, de Tate Gallery in Londen en het Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Ze werden allemaal geopend op naam van GNE door personen van koninklijke huize. Een ander voorbeeld is dat GNE de (BBC) Antiek Roadshow naar Amsterdam heeft gekregen.

 

When was GNE Founded?

The GNE was founded in 1920 in the period after World War I, when Duch industrialists and politicians were particularly keen to strengthen ties with Great Britain.
 

History of GNE

The real history of GNE is difficult to tell. This being because the Germans confiscated files, correspondence and money from most GNE branches soon after they had occupied The Netherlands. Everything was taken to Berlin and in 1945 the Russians moved all material to Russia. Luckily the Netherlands State Institute for War Documentation has been able to regain some of the confiscated material from the Russian archives in 2009. The material gives a good insight in the type of person, professional and businessmen that were members before the Second World War.

It is not quite clear what the motives were to found GNE. Before 1914 Holland had strong bonds with Germany and the Boer War had had a serious negative effect on the relations with England. After 1918 all that was changed. Germany lost the sympathy that it had had before the war, and the state of political and economic unrest in Germany was perhaps an added reason to turn to victorious England. Politicians and businessmen therefore probably founded The Genootschap on the 24th April 1920 as a reaction to World War 1, and it is likely that they thought it expedient to strengthen relations with England from an economic point of view.
 

History of GNE since the Second World War

The Genootschap amalgamated in 1946 with the ‘English Association in Holland’. This association consisted of a large number of English clubs, which already existed before World War I. Their main objective was to make English Literature and culture more widely known in Holland.

Well known presidents of GNE

Before and after the Second World War, GNE had politicians, ministers and prime-ministers as National President. After the Second World War we had one prime minister for a period of 15 years, and two Chief Excecutive Officers, together for a continuous period of 9 years, as our National president.
They were:
1. Prof. Gerbrandy, prime minister in the Dutch war cabinet.
2. Dr. Paul Rijkens, President of the Board of Unilever.
3. Mr. J.H. Loudon, President of the Board of Royal Dutch Shell.

Major exhibitions that GNE initiated and organized

The 1970 Exhibition, entitled "Shock of Recognition" and the 1995 Exhibition, entitled “Views of Windsor”. These Exhibitions were held at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, the Tate Gallery in London and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. They were all opened on behalf of GNE by royals. Another example is that GNE got the (BBC) Antiques Roadshow to Amsterdam.

Read the following introduction from Sir David Miers KBE CMG (then British Ambassador to the Netherlands) on a book about GNE (1920-1995).

`In this 75th anniversary year of the Genootschap, it is with particular pleasure that I welcome this fascinating work on its history. The author (ir. M. Hugenholtz MBE) is to be congratulated on his accomplishment. He has been thwarted by the absence of so many earlier records, assumed to be in Russia and not immediately retrievable. But Martin Hugenholtz has produced with much patience and good humour a vivid picture of the Society`s past built up from the material available to him, supported by Tom Landheer`s valuable contribution on its present-day activity. I am sure that all readers, both Genootschap members and potential members, will find it as compelling a read as I have. I note well that in earlier times the British Ambassador was not patron of the Genootschap. Since my arrival at The Hague, I have valued both the work of the Genootschap in Netherlands-British relations and the friendship of so many of its members in all parts of the country. I wish the GNE a healthy future, admiring its vision for a strengthened and broadened membership and activities towards its l00th birthday in 2020`.

De aan GNE uitgereikte Koninklijke erepenning:


 

 

 
events

During the GNE lecture season, events are regularly held and talks are given about once a month and unless otherwise stated, these are delivered in English. The visiting speakers are all experts in their chosen fields and their lectures are both informative and entertaining. They may feature different aspects of British life, arts and culture, places and people. Occasionally we are also treated to a traveller`s tale. Wherever possible, lectures are illustrated.
An overview of this year`s programme is given below. For more details on our events and talks please click events & talks. For the full programme with dates, venues and entry fees per branch, please click branches.

 
Lance Goffort-Hall:

Lance is Landscape Manager at Boughton House. His background is in landscape construction and Arboriculture. He was trained at Merrist Wood (Guildford) and is a registered project manager. His work experience has covered 25years in the UK, Bermuda, Jersey and New Zealand working predominantly in large parks and historic gardens. He manages a multiple range of large scale works at Boughton along with the day to day running of the teams. He has now set up a subsidiary company of Boughton Estates called ‘Contour’ to carry out external landscape and waterscapes contracts within the UK and Europe.

Boughton AwakensMore information...
 
Christine Robinson:

With a degree in History, Christine took on the role of Housekeeper for the visitor route at Chatsworth in 1981. Chatsworth has grown to become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. Her own role within the enterprise has developed to that of Head Housekeeper and Head of Visitor Welcome, so that she now has the pleasure of ensuring a warm welcome for all the many visitors, and making sure that the House is fit for them to see. She is also leader of the team preparing special Christmas displays for visitors in the months of November and December.

Christmas at ChatsworthMore information...
The Gardens at ChatsworthMore information...
 
Unity Harvey :

Unity Harvey obtained her Certificate in Education in 1960 and a Diploma in Education in 1982. She married in 1964 and raised a family. During her career, she taught in mainstream schools and hospital settings as well as working with motor-impaired children. In 1994, she became a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.
Since the year 2000, when she retired from teaching, she has had a regular voluntary job as guide at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) London Wetland Centre.
 

Walking in the London Wetland CentreMore information...
 
Prof.W.R.F.Cunningham:

Professor of Economics at the Maastricht School of Management. Director of Studies, Stanford Hall  Management Centre, Loughborough England. Senior Lecturer, UK Civil Service College. Various posts in Public Sector in UK and Zambia. Visiting professor in Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, China, and Peru, Adviser/Consultant to World Bank, E.U. and UNDP.

Going DutchMore information...
 
Michael Burgess:

After university Michael lived for a year in Rotterdam and worked with the Missions to Seafarers. His first parish was a mining town near Newcastle - then he moved down to parishes in Cornwall, and then into Wales to serve as subwarden at St Deiniol`s Library, Hawarden - a library founded by Gladstone in the Victorian period which trained ordinands and welcomed guests from all over the world. In 1991 he returned to parish life. He is the Rector of Oughtrington and Warburton. He also has been involved in clergy courses and for the last 8 years served as chaplain to the diocesan Mothers` Union.

Faith, Fun and FellowshipMore information...
The Seven Deadly SinsMore information...
 
Redmond O`Hanlon:

Dr. Redmond O`Hanlon (Dorset, 1947) is een Brits schrijver. Redmond O`Hanlon genoot zijn universitaire opleiding in Oxford. Redmond O`Hanlon werd lid van de Society for the Bibliography of Natural History in 1982, lid van de Royal Geographical Society in 1984 en lid van de Royal Society of Literature in 1993.
Gedurende vijftien jaar was Redmond O`Hanlon redacteur van The Times Literary Supplement op het gebied van natuurlijke historie. In 2009 voer Redmond O`Hanlon mee op het schip dat de historische reis van Charles Darwin met de Beagle herdacht door deze te herhalen.

Een middag met Redmond O`HanlonMore information...
 
Peter Gillman:

Born in Cape Town and learned Afrikaans at school as his second language. He spent his working life running libraries and information centres in industry. For five years he lectured on the Masters course in library management and information retrieval at University College London. In 1999 he began working for the National Trust at Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent, as a room steward and leading guided tours. For five years he has been a member of the Trust’s Speakers Panel, giving around 50 talks a year on behalf of the Trust.

Below StairsMore information...
KNOLE and the SACKVILLES More information...
 
Prof. Maggie Humm:

Maggie Humm is a Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of East London. Her books include Border Traffic, The Dictionary of Feminist Theory, Modern Feminisms, Feminism and Film, Modernist Women and Visual Cultures: Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell. She was an editor of the Routledge Encyclopaedia of Women and has been a Distinguished Visiting Scholar and Professor at many universities including Massachusetts, San Diego State, Stanford, Rutgers, Queen`s Belfast, and Karachi. Her most recent book is ‘The Edinburgh Companion to Virginia Woolf and the Arts’.
 

Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell and Domestic PhotographyMore information...
Virginia Woolf and AestheticsMore information...