Evacuation by Royal Decree

In 1859 King William III ordered by Royal Decree that Schokland be evacuated for safety reasons. Subsequently, approximately 635 ‘Schokkers’ (as the inhabitants of Schokland were called) had to move to the mainland. Only a lighthouse keeper, his family and a few others remained behind. Most of the predominantly wooden houses were demolished, as was the Catholic Church of Emmeloord that dated from 1842. The Reformed Church and attached parsonage in Ens/Middelbuurt (1834) as well as a few houses in Emmeloord were left standing, as was the house of the lighthouse keeper (1806/1822). But the government did not leave the island to the mercy of nature. The small harbour of Emmeloord was kept intact and fishermen and fishmongers continued to use it as a marketplace for many years.