The Hofwijck Association: owner as of 1914

Shortly after he had provisionally secured the survival of the historic country house through a lease, Wertheim calls a meeting with a number of supporters on July 16, 1913, to establish a Hofwijck Association. Very appropriately, this founding meeting is held at the threatened and dismantled estate.

In addition to the host are present, Dr. H.E. van Gelder, municipal archivist and director of the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague, A. Le Comte, director of the Delft museum Lambert van Meerten, Jonkheer C.H.C.A. van Sypesteyn, former steward of the Crown Domain in The Hague, Dr. J.A. Worp, man of letters from Huis ter Heide and M.A. de Zwart, municipal architect in Voorburg. Apologies for absence was received from A. Labouchere, industrialist living at Huis te Werve in Rijswijk, D. Baron Mackay, mayor of Voorburg and professor Dr. J. Verdam, professor in Leiden.

A first rescue attempt

Host Wertheim welcomes those present ‘to Huygens's house’ and tells them that Mr. De Zwart had brought to his attention that Hofwijck would be sold for speculative purposes and would fall into demolition hands. Next he gives an overview of the rescue operation so far. Dr. Van Gelder, who was also devising plans to save Hofwijck, had contacted him and they decided to work together on a definite rescue plan. Hence this meeting.

His ambitious proposals are:

To purchase the rented house and garden and restore it to the condition it was in when occupied by the famous members of the Huygens family.

To assemble a collection of objects, books, prints and manuscripts relating to Constantijn Huygens and his lineage.

To solicit contributions from corporations and individuals to defray the costs of acquisition, restoration and maintenance and to distribute circulars to that effect.

To appoint five subcommittees for, respectively, financial advice, historical advice, the restoration of the house from the outside, the restoration of the house from the inside and the garden, and finally for the collections.

To offer the honorary chairmanship to the Mayor of The Hague.

Then Dr. Van Gelder is given the floor. Following Wertheim's proposals, he suggests the formation of an association. It is decided accordingly.