Attention stone - Federal Building Waalwijk-Besoijen

Federal building Waalwijk-Besoijen (1911-1987)

In 1910, the church council of St. John's took the lead in building a representative building with janitor's house for the R.C. Guild Association. Made possible in part by a gift from Pieter Wijten, the church council purchased Dr. van Gils' beer brewery. The tobacco factory and cigar factory that stood there were demolished. The new building of the R.C. Guild Association was opened May 14, 1911. In 1920 the so-called " White Cinema" also moved in. The Guild Association sold the building in 1954 to the De Nijs family (Ko and later Jan), who operated the café under the name "De Gecroonde Leersse." The name referred to a play "De verheerlyckte Schoenlappers of de gecroonde Leersse" (1688) by Flemish writer Michiel de Swaen. A fire in 1987 completely destroyed the historic building.