The history of the Roosma Brothers from Friesland
Gebr. Roosma Rietdekkers is a family business that has existed since 1924. Back then, the company entered the market with a rich tradition of thatching. Of course, the techniques used today are quite different from those used in the days when thatched roofs were merely a shelter for the poor. Installing a thatched roof requires extensive knowledge, which has been ingrained in us for generations.
The company history
13 augustus 1899
Birth of the founder of Roosma Thatching Company, Sikke Roosma.
1-5-1924 START
Sikke Roosma had just become the father of his first son, Roel Roosma, and was almost 25 years old when he started the thatching business on May 1, 1924. Thatching and reed cutting were in his blood. His father (Roel Jochums Roosma) and grandfather (Jochum Jarings Roosma) had also worked as thatchers. It was an economically difficult period, with the 1929 New York Stock Exchange crash, also known as Black Thursday. Sikke persevered, and the company survived the subsequent economic downturn.
1938 WARTIME
Sikke Roosma now has a family with three sons. Roel, the eldest son of founder Sikke, was 14 when he finished primary school. Instead of continuing his studies, he was expected to work in his father's business. So, he worked as a thatcher during the day and attended a trade evening school in the evenings. Sikke also bought a piece of land where his three sons worked in the garden on Saturday afternoons. During the last year of the war, 1944-1945, Roel Roosma was called up for military service in Frankfurt am Oder because he had turned 20. He went into hiding with a farmer, so Sikke had to manage without his help for a while. Fortunately, his other sons, Joannes and Jochum, were able to help him with the business.
1948 REBUILDING
The family home and the thatching business were allowed to be built on the plot of land Sikke Roosma had purchased before the war. The business established itself in Franeker on Tzummerweg.
1965 THE 1960S
The company is continued by their three sons: Roel, Johannes, and Jochum. They change the name to Gebr. Roosma BV. The brothers now also trade in reed and employ several staff members, as well as seasonal workers.
1971 THE 70'S
Johannes, Sikke Roosma's middle son, sadly passed away far too young. Roel and Jochum continued running the company at the Franeker location. Later, the Makkum location was added.
1987 THE THIRD GENERATION
Roel Roosma is retiring. Jochum and Roel had agreed to both retire at 63 and enjoy their retirement. Since Roel was 11 years older than his brother, it was now his turn. He would, however, remain involved in the business and help out where needed. Both Roel and Jochum's sons have already been thoroughly trained in the thatching business and are eager to continue the trade. In an interview with BV 't Oosten, Roel stated: "There's no such thing as a training program for thatching; you have to learn it on the job. The Thatching Federation does issue diplomas for this," and that is precisely what Roel and Jochum have trained and raised their sons to do.
1998 BRAND
Jochum has also turned 63, and now it's Sikke, Jochum's son, and Peter, Roel's son,'s turn to continue running the business. Unfortunately, during one of the first years of the business, a major fire destroyed everything that had been built up over the past few years. The men had to rebuild everything from scratch. Fortunately, Roel and Jochum are there to support their sons, but it's hard work for the men.
The company name was changed to Rietdekkersbedrijf & Riethandel Gebr. Roosma BV. In addition to reed trading and thatching, the company also does a lot of its own mowing using modern mowing machines. These machines were developed by the current owners themselves and are unique because they require only two employees: a driver and someone who places the bundles of reed in the bin. This allows for relatively quick harvesting of large bundles of reed from the field. Furthermore, the company trades with reed traders around the world and collaborates extensively with other thatchers in the region.
2014 BRAND TWO
New Year's Eve, which should have been a huge celebration for everyone, turned into a nightmare for the owners and their families. A fire destroyed another of the company's warehouses. A huge effort was made to build a new warehouse as quickly as possible to get the business back on track, and successfully so. By the end of 2015, a new warehouse was in place, incorporating additional fire alarm and fire protection measures.
2022 THE FOURTH GENERATION
The fourth generation is currently training to learn all the tricks of the thatching trade and continue this wonderful family business. But for now, current owners Peter and Sikke will continue doing what they do best and what's in their blood: making people happy with a high-quality roof, good thatch, and thinking along with the customer. Thatching isn't a profession for them, but a way of life. Not surprising, considering you grew up with it.
