Molendwarsstraat 6 (1946 - 1950)

Molendwarsstraat 6 (1999)

My brother Jelle and my sister Stijnie are born in IJsselmuiden; at the Zandberg.
I am born on Wednesday January 22, 1947 at 00.30 hours in Kampen; at the Molendwarsstraat 6.
I was named by my oldest uncle (Durk) and my youngest (Jan); Dirk Jan.
We lived in a little upper part of a house. I saw it again in 1996. Now upstairs and downstairs are taken together.
Many times the family Westerhuis from Harmelen visited us. They came with a car and had a photo camera; so many photo's.
Often I was sitting outside; locked with a bit of string (one metre) at the wall.

Uiterdijkenweg 10 B (1950-1952)

Uiterdijkenweg 10 A/B (1998)

When I was three years old my parents moved from Kampen to
Uiterdijkenweg 10 B at Luttelgeest; near Kuinre.
So since that time I already live in Noordoostpolder.
Still my father worked for the "IJsselmeerpolders".
Our neighbours were Kok; many times I played with Luppie Kok.
I still remember all the brickpaved roads.
No trees at all; and many periods of storm.
Often we went by bus to Emmeloord.
Jelle and Stijnie were there on the primary denominational school.
At that time Emmeloord was very small; with many wooden houses.
The farm near our house was build at that time.
My grandmother died in this house at September 17, 1951.

Luppie, Henkie, Dikkie and Stijntje

Camp Tollebeek; parcel G 64 Nr. 25 (1952-1954)

When I was five years old (1952) my parents moved to Camp Tollebeek.
It was only one street; with wooden barracks at both sides.
There lived seventees families; we had G64; number 25.
Many years later I made a discovery that G64 is just a parcel number;
and still exists. I saw it on an old map.
It was a very nice village; everybody knew each other.
There stood a wooden cafetaria; with some more buildings.
Near us lived the Dutch Reformed Rev. Klomp.
That's why I went to Sundayschool every Sunday.
In the building near us lived the family Kok; so Luppie was still there.
When I was six years old everyday I went with the bus
to the primary denominational school at the Nagelerstraat in Emmeloord.
That time the busstation of Emmeloord stood in front of the Voorhuis.
In 1956 Camp Tollebeek was finished; the barracks were moved to Roggebotsluis.

Lemsterweg 48 A, Rutten (August 3, 1954 - August 23, 1985)

On August 3 th, 1954 my parents moved to the Lemsterweg; near Lemmer.
We were going to live in a just build working-class cottage; with Verhey and Jansen.
My father start to work as an agricultural labourer for farmer Rodenburg.
Just ten years later he worked for the public gardens of Noordoostpolder.
At that time still all the suppliers came at the door: like the bakersmen Vos
and de Bruin, greengrocer Wouda, milkman Wever and the running shop of Rook.
The rest of the shoppings were done in Lemmer.
The postman Lemstra came across on a motorbicycle; later in a red car (Daf).
Always many visitors were drinking coffee at the kitchentable; talking with my mother.
At the back of our house stood big chickenhouses;
chickens and eggs were sold at the door.
Very often my father was going on his bicycle to Lemmer; with a basket full of eggs.
Everyday my sister Stijnie and I (class two till six) were going more then 4 km. on our bicycles to the new primary denominational school (since Jan. '54) in Rutten.
Every Sunday we went to the Church in Camp Rutten; later in Creil.
My grandfather has died in this house on August 11, 1956.

Houseboat Lemmer (Aug. 24, 1965 - April 28, 1966)

Houseboats harbour

From Tuesday August 25 th, 1965 I rent a houseboat ("My Home") in Lemmer.
It was near the electricity power station; now there is a for-lane road to Joure.
It was a big houseboat with a concourse, a kitchen, two rooms and a bedroom.
Nobody had problems when I played the music very loud.
That were gramophone records; in my self-build studio.
Or radioprograms like Radio Veronica, Luxembourg, Caroline or London.
Many times I had nice parties; with many alcoholic drinks.
The houseboat was wobbling when the visitors came inside by the gang-board.
At that time the coalstove gave a pleasure warmth.
Because there was no waterworks I had to go outside to get the water.
On Thursday 18 th, 1965 I bought my first car; an Opel Record.
On Thursday January 6 th, 1966 for the first time I was connected by telephone.
The Telephone Company had to put many telephonepoles for the cable.
With a rolling up Russian movie camera we made many (black/white) recordings.
Because of the new four-lane road to Joure the houseboats harbour was closed.

"De Tent" (June 4, 1966 - June 8, 1968)

My private radiostudio

On Monday May 16 th, 1966 behind our house we start to build a wooden
combination of a chickenhouse, a garage and a "house" for me.
This "house" had a livingroom; and a room with kitchen, studio and bedroom.
I called it "De Tent". On Saterday June 4 th, it was ready.
Many years I received all my friends with alcoholic drinks and music:
Atze Offringa, Arend de Haan, Geo Bosma, Leen van Dongen, Co van Dijke,
Henk Hadders, Jan Bruinsma, Japie Rodenburg (has died),Henk de Regt,
Hans and Bea Teeuwen, Jan Hoekstra, Siebren de Vries, and so on.
And I had a very nice time with Janneke Oost from Lemmer.
Those were the years of Radio Luxembourg (208 m.), Radio Caroline (259 m.),
Radio London "Big L" (266 m.) and Radio Dolfijn/Radio 227 (227 m.).
My favorite D.J.'s were: Barry Alldis, Robbie Dale, Dave Cash and Lex Harding.
Monday August 14 th, 1967 was a black day for the British radiostations at the
North Sea. At 15.00 hours Radio London finished his radiotransmissions; at force.
The rest (Radio Scotland, Radio 270, Radio 390) finished at midnight.
Only Radio Caroline (North and South) ignored the British law and went on
with the radiotransmissions; till Sunday March 3 th, 1968.

Oud-Emmeloorderweg 29 B, Ens (1/3/1971 - 29/7/ 1971)

Holtenbroekerweg 33 A, Zwolle (30/7/1971 - 30/4/1973)

Oude Vlie 24, Emmeloord

(1/5/1973 - 23/8/1974)

Copyright © Dick Offringa