The Magic of the Four-Leaf Clover in Fryslân
After we had said goodbye to Harry’s mother’s house in Fryslân, our roots journey was far from over. Harry knew that one essential piece of the puzzle was still missing, and for that, we went to Harlingen.
Our mission? To find his uncle’s old café in Harlingen. Harry had heard that the café had disappeared years ago and that the building had since been converted into a house.
He had actually already made peace with that idea. His uncle had passed away, and the café with its beautiful name “Klavertje Vier” (“Four-Leaf Clover”) was believed to live on only in memories.
But my intuition said… let’s go and take a look first.
Heiligeweg, Harlingen
As we walked along Heiligeweg in Harlingen, we examined almost every building, searching for the familiar façade of the café.
To our great surprise, we suddenly stood in front of a warm, characterful pub that was still very much in operation.
I looked at Harry and said: “Shall we just go inside? Maybe someone here knows exactly where Klavertje Vier used to be.”
Goosebumps
The guests at the bar looked at us and started laughing when we asked our question. The answer gave us goosebumps:
“Welcome, you’re in the right place! This is Klavertje Vier.”
Harry’s relief was immense. What an unforgettable moment. Harry and his wife sat down at the bar—this was Klavertje Vier, the café where his uncle had once run the show.
Stories Coming Back to Life
What a surprise it was when we discovered that there were still guests at the bar who had known his uncle well.
With shining eyes and a beer in hand, memories were shared and stories emerged that Harry had never heard before.
There he was, sitting at the bar, surrounded by people who had truly seen his uncle in action. The circle was complete. The place that was “no longer there” had become the place where Harry felt closer to his uncle than ever before.
Their roots journey and search for this family story in Fryslân was a success.
Unraveling Your Family History?
This is exactly why I find my work as a genealogist with Your Dutch Roots so special. I don’t just do genealogical research. I don’t just look for locations on a map or names in archives.
I try to uncover the family stories that are longing to be told.
Sometimes you think a place is gone, but in reality, the story is simply waiting patiently to be discovered by you.
What is your family secret?
Would you also like to follow in the footsteps of your ancestors—of that one uncle or aunt—and trace their story in the Netherlands? I would love to dive into the archives (and the streets) to open those doors for you as well. Or schedule a free introduction.
With love,
Yvonne
