Rinskje Visscher

Rinskje Visscher (10 December 1868 – 26 March 1950) was the first female municipal archivist in the Netherlands and published research about the city of Leeuwarden.

Biography Known as Rins Visscher, she was born in the village of Akkrum as the youngest of the five daughters of Jan Visscher, a Mennonite minister, and Julia Epkes van Mesdag. She was the niece of Codien Zwaardemaker-Visscher, her father's sister, who was active in the women's movement. She first went to primary school in Akkrum, where she grew up, and then to the French School for a year. In 1881 she moved to Leeuwarden where she attended the Secondary Girls' School (MMS). During that period she lived with her uncle Eilard Attema, a lawyer and deputy of Friesland province, and her aunt Rinskje Epkes van Mesdag (after whom she was named). She began her work there on 15 June 1900 and took her oath of office the next day. In the magazine De Vrouw en haar Huis, Johanna Naber wrote that Visscher, by becoming the municipal archivist, 'paved a new path for the development of female intellect, of female labor power'.

On 24 October 1934, Visscher retired from her duties at age 65 after working as a municipal archivist in Leeuwarden for 33 years. After her retirement, she remained in Leeuwarden and published works on historical subjects for several more years.

In July 1940, she moved to Amersfoort, where she stayed in several boarding houses until her death. She died there on 26 March 1950, at the age of 81 and was cremated at Westerveld, where her ashes were interred in grave 1308747.

Honors 1940: appointed Knight in the Order of Orange Nassau.

Selected works Visscher, Rinskje. Leeuwarden van 1846 tot 1906: een vervolg op Eekoff's geschiedkundige beschrijving van Leeuwarden (Leeuwarden from 1846 to 1906: a sequel to Eekoff's historical description of Leeuwarden). Nijhoff, 1908. Visscher, Rinskje. Iets over het muziekleven te Leeuwarden in het begin der 17e eeuw (Musical life in Leeuwarden in the early 17th century). publisher unknown, 1925. Visscher, Rinskje. Catalogus der stedelijke bibliotheek van Leeuwarden (Catalog of the City Library of Leeuwarden). Martinus Nijhoff, 1932.