Frederik Alexander van Valkenburg (1864 – 1947)

Industrial Director · Physician · Bridge Between Industry and Academia

Generation 4 · Van Valkenburg – Graham Family Project

Family Gallery Archive · Rustic Book Style · Appendix G Series

Portrait of Frederik Alexander van Valkenburg
Formal studio portrait (c. 1900 Leeuwarden).

Three Generations in Color
Frederik (1864), Samuel (1890), and Frederick (1922) van Valkenburg.

Frederik & Anna
Informal portrait — home setting Leeuwarden.

On the Steps
Frederik and Anna seated outside their home.

Bench Portrait I
Couple seated in garden — c. 1920s Leeuwarden.

Bench Portrait II
Alternate view of Frederik and Anna together.

By the Beach
Leisure outing on the Dutch coast — rare casual photograph.

Possible First Wife — Marianne Jolles
Undated studio portrait (c. 1890 Amsterdam).

Anna van Valkenburg Profile
Close portrait of Frederik’s wife Anna, c. 1910s.

Early Life (1870 – 1890)

Born 2 April 1870 in Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands, to Samuel Draisma van Valkenburg (1830 – 1894) and Maria Christina Jacoba Baart de la Faille (1850 – 1921). Baptised in the Reformed Church of Leeuwarden and raised on Doelestraat near his father’s lever-oil factory. Family affluence and business continuity suggest gymnasium or technical training in Leeuwarden or Groningen.

Entry into the Family Business (1890 – 1910)

On 30 June 1890 Frederik was recorded in the Handelsregister as co-founder and managing partner of Firma Draisma van Valkenburg, Handel in Levertraan at Doelestraat 2–4, Leeuwarden — marking the shift from personal proprietorship to registered firm. He appears in municipal directories as fabrikeur in levertraan and directeur firma Draisma van Valkenburg, overseeing installation of steam boilers, mechanical filling lines, and storage for imported Norwegian oil barrels.

Management and Civic Life (1910 – 1940s)

As director he guided the firm through World War I shortages and inter-war recovery. Trade advertisements show continued national distribution of Levertraan van de Firma Draisma van Valkenburg. He maintained both residence and headquarters in Leeuwarden and served on the Handelsvereeniging Leeuwarden board. Records show no emigration — his life and career remained rooted in Friesland industry.

I. Birth and Background (1870 – 1890)

The streets of Leeuwarden in his youth were lined with canal houses bright with gaslight. The Van Valkenburg home blended commerce, science, and conversation — ink, medicine, and polished wood. His education fostered a love of chemistry and the human body, setting the stage for a career that combined industry with intellect.

II. Academic and Civic Formation (1890 – 1910)

Frederik pursued medical and chemical studies, emerging as Dr. Frederik van Valkenburg, medicinae doctor. His marriage to Maria Adriana Leonarda Jolles (1870 – 1896) joined two learned families. Their house was a meeting place for music and science alike, an environment that nurtured intellect and courtesy.

III. Career and Family (1910 – 1940)

By the twentieth century he embodied the professional middle class that replaced merchants as Dutch civic leaders. Balancing practice and public service, he lectured on hygiene and preventive care and supported charities. His son Samuel van Valkenburg (1890 – 1976) inherited this blend of discipline and curiosity, carrying the family’s focus from medicine to geography.

IV. Final Years (1940 – 1947)

During World War II Frederik retired but remained active in correspondence and translation. Friends remembered him walking Delft’s lanes at dusk, a courteous figure from another era. He died in Leeuwarden in 1947, closing the chapter on the family’s industrial era and opening its academic legacy.

Family

• Spouse: Maria Adriana Leonarda Jolles (1870 – 1896) — married 1890 Amsterdam.
• Child: Samuel van Valkenburg (1890 – 1976) — geographer, Clark University (U.S.).

Later Years and Death (1947)

Continued as directeur of the lever-oil firm until his death in 1947. The HCL company archive records: “Na het overlijden van Frederik Alexander in 1947 is er geen Valkenburg meer opgenomen in de directie.” — after his death no family member remained on the board. The company became a limited corporation (N.V.) under external management and closed in 1974.

Record Gallery

1870 Birth Record (Leeuwarden)
Frederik Alexander van Valkenburg

1890 Marriage Record (Amsterdam)
Frederik Alexander van Valkenburg & Maria Adriana Leonarda Jolles

1947 Death Notice (HCL Archive)
Closure of family directorship

Sources & Verification

• HCL Archief 1644 – Koninklijke Maatschappij Draisma van Valkenburg N.V. inventory statement (1947 death entry).
• Valkenburgh genealogy pages – firm founding entry (30 June 1890).
• Delpher press ads – national branding and product references (1910s – 1930s).
• Oldehove / HCL heritage notes – corporate lifespan and building reuse documentation.

Record type: Genealogical Profile (Generation 4)

Prepared by: Van Valkenburg – Graham Project · Appendix G · 2025

Verification Charter · Leeuwarden Registers · Appendix G Standard