Also his brother
   Henk did his best...

Buitenhof and Gate-house

Bernardus Stapel    1916 - 1994


Sources:

Family papers of Emmy Kerkhof Stapel, Jacobswoude (Woubrugge) and of myself

Family cards Stapel, civil registry Roosendaal

Service record Department of Finance

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Ben Stapel was born August 27, 1916 Emmastraat 78 in Roosendaal seventh of eight children of Bernard Stapel and Bet Hintzen. His childhood started prosporous (see young Ben), but 7 years old Ben lost his mother. Her death brought many changes, even though his father, brothers and eldest sister Betsy did their utmost to compensate his loss.
Stephmother Nella van der Laan, who married with Bernard Stapel early 1928 thereby taking over Betsies housekeeping, undoubtedly had the best of intentions, but no experience with children or the feeling how to get along with them. Chris and Henk had already left home, others who could left as well: Marinus for Amsterdam, Jan joined the Navy. But the youngest stayed home until in 1935 also their father had a fatal accident, as reported in several newspapers, and Ben went to stay with his sister Betsy and family.
Meanwhile Ben attended a secondary school in Bergen op Zoom, did his exams in Breda and aged 17 started as a clerk on probation at the Inspection of import duties and excises in Roosendaal, with one guilder and a half salary per working day. Comparable with the income of his grandfather as a county constable in Afferden, threequarters of a century before.

Almost four years later Ben was promoted to clerk 2nd class and went to the Office Import-duties and Excises, in the nearby border town of Putte April 1939. He went "with allotment of translocation costs": he got a bike.
Ben was permanently appointed after amply 5 years of Tax service, January 1940 when he returned to Roosendaal, Inspection Import-duties and Excises. Three years later his appointment followed as a clerk 1st class.

It was real fun when by the end of March 1943 he was again directed to the frontier office in Putte, this time as the deputy director. He got a curfew pass, allowing him to stay ahead of contrabandists.

The smugglers snapshot on the right clearly illustrates how early a hobby acting was for him.
It was that year Ben and Jo Mol married in Roosendaal, the very year he was advanced to adjunct custom house officer. He was also active with  structuring the tax related work "in the field". May 1946 their son Ben was born in Roosendaal, to become a tax officer later himself. With his field experience Ben won 28-05-1947 a 200 guilders prize question, issued in the January edition of the monthly “Wij van Financiën” (We the Tax-dept) with his draft manual for the coming deputy officer at the frontier.
January 1950 their daughter Emely was born in Roosendaal and in September Ben was appointed a State Tax Controller, taking upon him the office management of Import-duties and  Excises in  Flushing.


State Tax
Office,
Flushing

He loved to set sail with the research vessel “Albatros”. Perhaps it made him think of his brother Jan at the Navy, of his father's steam-locomotive or of his Flushing born mother, who must have told him about the burstling activity of its seaport. After two years in Flushing Ben advanced to controller "A" and in May 1956 to chief custom house officer, with a new destination at the Finance Department in The Hague, General and Legal Tax Affairs, then situated on the Buitenhof. His family moved to Dedemsvaartweg 1004, in those days still offering a wide view over the polderland. Ben became chief custom house officer "A" in 1957, referendary and head Verifcation Bureau in 1963. From then onwards he began to carry over his knowledge and experience to the younger generations at the Finance Department.

He also occupied himself as a groupleader with State Courses and was the author of "De opleiding voor adjunct-commies" (introduction to adjunct custom house officer). In 1971 he moved again further away from practice to the Personell Services Directorate. Until in 1973 he could return from abstractions to his original field of operations at the Customs section of State Taxes.




The thyroid illness that subsequently struck him led to his early retirement and honourable discharge in 1980.
Ben and Jo enjoyed their many years of retirement, until Ben died July 25, 1994 almost 78 years of age. Jo was 86 years old when she died February 2, 2002 in her support-accomodation in The Hague.


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