At the harbour of Urmond, a lively and sometimes turbulent chapter took place at the end of the 17th century. In 1692-1693, Captain Johannes de Bussy collected tolls here from passing boats. He was the leaseholder — or as it was called then: admodiator — of the harbour rights.
After his death in 1694, his wife Elisabeth and daughter Catharine took over the toll collection. That did not go smoothly. The tolls caused more and more dissatisfaction. In 1704, the situation got out of hand: no fewer than 70 soldiers from Maastricht stepped in when Mrs Roefs chained up twelve boats.
Much earlier, in the 16th century, the harbour was already important for the region. At the quay wall, remains of which archaeologists have found, building materials were unloaded between 1560 and 1570 for the construction of Sittard’s town hall. The famous architect Pasqualini was in charge at the time.
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