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by Jarig Bakker, 21 May 1999
first mentioned 1708
Last modified: 2018-12-15 by rob raeside
Keywords: oude leije |
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by Jarig Bakker, 21 May 1999
first mentioned 1708
I sent this village flag to the list based on the book of Mr. Sierksma
(Nederlands Vlaggenboek, 1962), without knowing whether it was really in
use. According to the Genealogysk Jierboekje 2001 it has been readopted.
Oude Leije (Frisian: Âldeleie) is a village in Leeuwarderadeel
municipality, Fryslân. In 1958 it was a hamlet, belonging to the
villages of Finkum and Hallum (Ferwerderadiel), but oriented on Vrouwenparochie
(Het Bildt), on the border of three municipalities: Ferwerderadiel, Leeuwarderadeel,
and Het Bildt. The parts of the village in Ferwerderadiel and Leeuwarderadeel
received village-status on 1 Jan 1974 and 1 Jan 1975.
Nickname: "Hier troch de pet" - hair through the cap. Âldlaaie
(very long a according to my cousin) was once the "Gehenna" of Fryslân.
There were many pubs, and quite a few skirmishes. In c. 1800 the village
was used as an exile for orphans, widows, and outcasts. In de beginning
of the 20th century the village added new dimensions to the fur-industry.
Someone saw a cat walking on the street and called "Poes, Poes!",
whereupon he was immediately arrested, as many cats were caught and their
skins sold to some fur-industrialist. My dad was born in Äldleie "onder
Vrouwbuurt" - in the part in Het Bildt.
At present all of the village seems to belong to Leeuwarderadeel (but
I wouldn't be surprised if some parts were simply forgotten)
coat of arms: in blue a knife with a silver blade and a red handle; with a golden
knob and dividing piece; and a golden sheath, both placed per fess.
Flag: three equally wide horizontal stripes red - yellow - blue.
Oude Leije originally was considered as a part of Het Bildt; at the
same time as the other villages of Het Bildt this village received a coat of
arms.
This was based on the old rime: "In mes mei in skai, is 't wapen fan
de Ouwe Lai". (A knife and a sheath, is the arms of Oude Leije).
Mr. K. Sierskma, who designed the village arms of Het Bildt, drew here
a blue shield with a silver knife and sheath. To make it a bit more canting
and to use the flag-colors, the Fryske Rie foar Heraldyk, in consultation
with the Society for village interests, deided to make the handle red and
to use the yellow color for other elements.
The flag is old; it occurs in the book of flags and arms of G. Hesman
(1708).
Because the coat of arms and flag have been used for a long time in the village
(see Leeuwarder Courant of 20 Dec 1973), they are now official,
with the definition of the colors.
Design coat of arms: K. Sierksma, adapted by the Fryske Rie foar Heraldyk.
Source: Genealogysk Jierboekje 2001.
Groot Schimpnamenboek van Nederland, by Dirk van der Heide, 1998.
Jarig Bakker, 24 Aug 2003
![[Oude Leije Coat of Arms]](../images/n/nl-fr)ol.gif)
by Jarig Bakker, 24 Aug 2003
