The museum possesses an extensive collection of photographs. Beautiful, often vintage images of Zandvoort and the people who lived and worked there. Occasionally, an image stands out and intrigues the viewer. A unique picture that raises questions, such as this photograph.
What is the motorcycle (presumably a 1919 Cleveland 20) doing there? Did the seated lady ride it to the beach and then push the machine through the loose sand? Is the young boy with the lady? If so, did he ride on the back without shoes? If not, why are they posing together for the photo? Why did the woman bring a photo album to the beach, or is it promotional material from the photographer? Who is the photographer? Is he the owner of the motorcycle, or is he working with the donkey driver? What is the donkey’s name? A curious scene indeed.
The donkey driver is presumably Simon de Wid. For 60 years, he walked the beach with donkeys as a tourist attraction during the summer season. De Wid was married to Cornelia Molenaar. His son, also named Simon, later sold fruit on the beach. In 1923, Simon and Cornelia celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. A journalist wrote a piece in the newspaper to mark the occasion. His closing sentence was particularly striking. He noted the fact that De Wid had transported beachgoers on his donkey(s) for 60 years. He concluded with the text: “Perhaps in many cases they were… donkeys on donkeys!” It makes the photo even more interesting.