CUNNINGHAM VAN DER VERE, WILLIAM [SSNE 4849]
- Surname
- CUNNINGHAM VAN DER VERE, CINNINGEN
- First name
- WILLIAM
- Nationality
- SCOT
Text source
One of the earliest named Scots in the Dutch East Indies was one William Cunningham. In Dutch records he is known as 'Cunningham van der Vere', i.e. from the Dutch town of Vere, long time home of Scotland's main trading staple in the Netherlands throughout the 17th century. The editor of Thomas Cunningham's journal noted that Thomas Cunningham senior, father of the journalist, was the first of the Cunningham family to arrive in Vere where he had made a successful career for himself as a merchant factor by the early 1590s. He also had 'five wives and an enormous number of children' and it is very probable that William was one of these bairns. William Cunningham had sailed to the Dutch East Indies in 1612. His contract lasted until 1623 during which time he rose to 'head merchant' for a salary of 45 Dutch guilders a month, a tidy sum. Cunningham and his countrymen did much to impress the Dutch authorities in the VOC. According to C.R. Boxer, the Governor General of the VOC, Gerard Reynst, noted that the Scots were 'willing workers who usually keep themselves clean'. Scots worked the length and breadth of the Dutch mercantile empire. Cunningham's last contract was signed in the VOC office in Cambodia. Yet, in September 1621, Cunningham returned to Bantam (Java) due to his skill in the Malaysian language indicating he had previously worked in Malaysia, Sumatra or West Java. It appears that William did not like the move since the following year he sought permission to go back to Europe. The VOC reluctantly agreed that he could serve as the senior merchant aboard the two ships heading home.
Sources: Arsip Nasional, Jakarta, Fiches Collecyie, Reel no 29, Group 'C'; E. J. Courthope (ed.), The Journal of Thomas Cuningham of Campvere 1640-1654 (Edinburgh, 1928), p.xiii; C. R. Boxer, The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600-1800 (Harmondsworth, 1973), p.80.
Service record
- THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, DUTCH EAST INDIES [VOC]
- Arrived 1612-01-01
- Departed 1622-12-31
- Capacity HEAD MERCHANT, purpose VOC, COMMERCIAL
- THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, THE DUTCH EAST INDIES [VOC, CAMBODIA]
- Arrived 1620-01-01
- Departed 1621-09-01
- Capacity SUPERCARGO, purpose VOC, COMMERCIAL