Carel Jansz van Bengalen was also known as Carel Jansz van Bombaij,

The 1725 muster roll indicates that a Carel Jansz van Bengalen and Carel Jansz van Batavia were living at the Cape at the same time and that care should be taken in meging profiles for Carel Jansz.

However the 1727 muster roll, when considered in combination with the Corney Keller 1725 marriage transcription for Carel Janzen van Bombaaij and Sophia Lodriga van Bengalen (aka Flora, according to Cape Melting Pot) and the subsequent 1733-1743 Cape muster rolls strongly indicate that the Carel Jansz that was married to Flora van Bengalen was know variously as Carel Jansz van Bengalen and Carel Jansz van Bombaij

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Carel Jansz was freed from slavery by the free burgher, Jan Harmensz Wolteringh in 1712 ((Deeds office, T1712, vol 21, 168)and appears on the "Muster roll of the free settlers at the Cape" under "De Caab" from 31/12/1712:

1712 Cape Muster Roll Transcription
Page 263
Carel Jansz van Bengalen
http://www.eggsa.org/transcriptions/monsterrollen/1712/monsterrol_1...

1713 Cape Muster Roll Transcription
Page 283
Carel Janse van Bengale
https://www.eggsa.org/sarecords/index.php/muster-rolls/cape-archive...

1713.01.02 Slave Transactions for Carel
http://www.stamouers.com/Shell.PDF
Slim m Bengal Age: 40 Seller: Hendrik Mulder Buyer: Carel Bengal, Van

1715/16 Cape Muster Roll Transcription
Page 320
Carel Jansz van Bengale
https://www.eggsa.org/sarecords/index.php/muster-rolls/cape-archive...

1719 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/en/research/archive/1.04.02/invnr/4...
Carel Jansz van bengalen

1721 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1721 Carel Jansz van Bengalen is recorded
four entries below Flora van Bengalen is recorded with 1 daughter

In 1722 he was appointed Corporal in the Company of the Freeblacks (CA, C60, 13 Oct 1722)

above information on manumission and appointment as corporal from:
Cape Town
Between East and West
Editted by Nigel Warden

Page 246

1722 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1722 Carel Jansz: van Bengalen is recorded with 1 male slave
The next entry is for Flora van Bengalen with 1 daughter

1723 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1723 Carel Jansz van bengalen is recorded with 1 male slave
The next entry is for Flora van Huising with 1 daughter

1724 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1724 Carel Jansz van bengalen is recorded with 1 daughter and 2 male slaves
The next entry is for Flora van Huising with 1 daughter and 2 male slaves

1725 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1725 Carel Jansz van Bengalen is recorded with 2 male slaves
The next entry is for Flora van Huising with 1 daughter

While:
Cape Melting Pot
Page 212
Records the below:

"'JANSEN, Carel, FB (free black), from Ceylon. Married in 1725 to Sophia de Lodriga van Bengal, FB (free black), alias Flora. MR / OR 1735 - Cape Melting Pot, FFY, E-Family Website

Cape Town Marriages
1725
Written by transcribed by Corney Keller
https://www.eggsa.org/sarecords/index.php/church-registers/cape-tow...

Records the below:

Dec 30 1725
Page 14
Carel Janzen van Bombaaij vrij zwart en Sophia de Lodriga van Bengalen vrijgegevene

The toponym above appears to be the correct one as it matches the later muster rolls from the Cape

1727 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1727 Carel Jansz van bengalen and Flora van Bengalen are recorded with 1 daughter, 3 male slaves and 1 female slave

This indicates that Carel Jansz van Bengalen and Carel Jansz van Bombaij are the same person

1732 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1732 Carel Jansz van bombaij and wife flora van bengalen are recorded with 1 daughter, 2 male slaves, 1 female slave, 1 male child slave and 1 female child slave

1733 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1733 Carel Jansz van Bombaaij [sic] and wife Flora van bengalen [sic] are recorded with 1 daughter 2 male slaves, 1 female slave , 1 male child slave and 1 female child slave

1734 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1734 Carel Jansz van bombaij[sic] and flora van bengalen are recorded with 1 daughter, 2 male slaves, 1 female slave , 1 male child slave and 1 female child slave
The previous entry is for hannibal van bougis [sic]
The following entry is for Johanna Storm with 2 sons and 2 daughters

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BEING A SLAVE
Histories and Legacies of European Slavery
in the Indian Ocean

Edited by
Alicia Schrikker
and

Nira Wickramasinghe

Leiden University Press

Pg 69 and 70

accessible at:

https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/46138

In a postscript to his letter from 1732, the school teacher Domingos
Dias asked Nicolaas to find out what had happened to a pair of slaves who had been taken to the Cape almost 25 years earlier by Governor Cornelis Joannes Simonsz (1703–1707), where he was to review the state of the colony on behalf of the Council of the Indies (Letter 33):18
"When Governor Señor Simonsz was on his way to Holland he sold his
servant, named Hannibal, our godson, and his wife, a Bengali woman,
named Flora, to a Free Burgher at the Cape. Later, after the Free Burgher had died, the Señor (i.e. Simonsz), on leaving for Holland, set them free. Afterwards, Hannibal died. After that, that woman Flora married someone else. If I remember well his name was Frans. Flora is a Bengali being very short. Could you find out and let me know if she is still alive. For, when Hannibal was still alive, he sent me a barrel of cabbage. I still have the 10 reals with me which I made out of selling the cabbage. Having found out where she lives I could send those ten reals to her. Or you could give them directly to her. In that case, you give her the money and ask her to sign a receipt. Send this letter with her signature to your mother here and I will give the money in cash to your mother.

Nicolaas did find Flora; however, her second husband was not called Frans but Karel Jansz van Bombay. Contact between godfather and godchild was re-established"

The above excerpt confirms that the Karel Jansz that was married to Flora was sometimes referred to as "from Bombay" (vis 1733- 1734 muster rolls).

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Witness at 1736 Baptism:
https://www.eggsa.org/sarecords/index.php/church-registers/cape-tow...
From:
Cape Town Baptisms 1736
Written by transcribed by Corney Keller

Page 104

15 July 1736

Child: Elisabeth Sophia Eijkenstroom
Father: Zacharias Eijkenstroom
Mother: Johanna Janzen
Witnesses: Carel Janzen and Sophia Lodrica

1736 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1736 Carel Jansz and Flora van bengala are recorded with 3 male slaves, 1 female slave, 1 male slave child, 1 female slave child

1737 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
Carel Jansz: van Bombiij is recorded with 3 male slaves, 1 female slave, 1 male child slave and 1 female child slave. No wife or children recorded
The next entry is for Arie Bastiaan and wife Pieternella van de Cust
The previous entry is for Johanne van bengalen

1740 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1740 Carel Jansz : van Bombaij is recorded with 1 son, 2 daughters, 2 male slaves, 1 female slave
The next entry is for Arij Bastiaan van Ceijlona and Pieternella van de West Cust

1741 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1741 Carel Jansz ; van Bombaij is recorded with 1 female slave, 1 male child slave, 2 female child slaves

1742 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1742 Carel Janse van Bombaij is recorded with 1 male slave,1 female slave, 1 male child slave, 2 female child slaves

1743 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1743 Carel Jansz : van bombaij and wife Flora van bengale are recorded with 1 daughter, 3 male slaves , 1 female slave, 2 male slave children and 1 female slave child
The previous entry is for Geertruijd van de Caab
The next entry is for Anthonij van de Kust and wife Cornelia van de Caab

1744 Cape Muster Roll:
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/1.04.02/invnr/4...
In 1744 Carel Jansz van Bombaij appears with 1 male slave, 1 female slave , 1 male child slave and 2 female slave children
The previous entry is for Arij Bastiaan van Ceijlon and Petronella van de West Cust
The next entry is for Sara van Bengalen

1745 and 1746 Cape Muster Rolls:
NO ENTRY FOUND
This ties in with 1744 inventory for Carel Jansz van Bengalen

Reference no.: MOOC10/5.38

• Testator(s): Carel Jansz: van Bengalen
• 23 Junij 1744
• Vendurolle van alle soodanige goederen, als door d’ onderget: gecommitt:e Weesmeesteren aan Cabo de Goede Hoop op den 23 Junij 1744 aan de meestbiedende publiquelijk sijn verkogt, naargelaten en met er dood ontruijmt door den vrijswart Carel Jansz: van Bengalen, naamentlijk...
• 1 jonge gen:t Slamat van Soeboe

  ---

• Reference no.: MOOC8/6.74
• Testator(s):
• Carel Jansz van Bengalen
• http://databases.tanap.net/mooc/*
• 14 Junij 1744
• Inventaris van alle soodanige goederen roerende en onroerende als naar voorgaande testamentaire dispositie voor den eerst geswoore clerq s:r Petrus Jesse Slotsboo in dato 29 Maij 1741 gepasseert, sijn naargelaaten en met ’er dood ontruijmt door den vrijswart Carel Jansz: van Bengalen ten voordeele der twee minderjaarige kinderen van den duijkelaar Zacharias Eijkenstroom, met naame
• Barbara Catharina oud [ ..... ] en
• Anna Eijkenstroom oud [ ..... ] jaaren
• sijnde de derde bij testament g’institueerde erfgenaam Elisabeth Eijkenstroom in ’t begin deese jaars reets koomen te sterven en sijn voormelde losse en vaste goederen bij d’ ondergeteekende gecommitt:e Weesmeesteren uijt hoofde van boovengemelde testament bevonden te bestaan in ’t volgende, naamentlijk
• Een huijs en erf geleegen in deese Tafelvalleij in ’t Blok G:G: en aldaar N:o 2
• In de camer ter ’s linker hand
• 3 racken, daarop
• 6 schootels in soort
• 16 borden
• 1 parthijtje porcelijn en glaswerk
• 1 pijperak
• 2 kapstocken
• 1 kadel met een rood behangsel
• 2 kadels
• 3 theebakjes
• 3 spiegeltjes
• 1 tinne schenkbord
• 1 lantaaren
• 1 vierkante tafel met een parthij rommeling
• 1 veere bed
• 3 veere peuluwen
• 6 veere kussens
• 2 chitse combaersen
• 1 sluijtmand, daarin
• 10 tinne trekpotten
• 1 cooper coffijkan
• 1 cooper lamp
• 1 aarde groote trekpot
• 1 parthij houte leepels
• 1 kist met 1 parthij rommeling
• 1 lapje tijk tot een peuluw
• 1 kist, daarin
• 1 parthij koopere naaijringen
• 1 parthij hoore en tinne knoopen
• 10 tinne beekertjes
• 18 tinne leepels
• 1 kist, daarin
• 2 lappen wit linnen
• 1 chitse behangsel
• 3 chitsen in soort
• 1 lap gestreepte sijde stof
• 9 tobaksdoosen in soort
• 2 deegens
• 1 parring
• 1 rottang
• 1 sijde port d’ epeé
• 1 kas waarin een wijnig thee
• In de camer ter regter hand
• 1 leedige kelder
• 1 tafel
• 1 eetenskasje
• 1 kadel
• 1 houte schaal met 1 ijser balans en eenig gewigt
• 1 rak, waarop
• 10 tinne borden
• 17 gemeene stoelen
• In ’t voorhuijs
• 1 houte fonteijntje met sijn balletje
• 1 kist waarin wat borrij
• 1 parthijtje speknaalden en schaaren
• In de combuijs
• 2 hoore lantaarens
• 2 rakjes
• 1 hackebort met sijn mes
• 2 schoorsteenkettings
• 5 ijser potten
• 2 ijser koekepannen
• 1 ijser confoor
• 1 ijser treeft
• 1 waater vat
• 1 wafel en 1 oublie ijser
• 2 roosters
• 1 ijserlamp
• 1 kapmes
• 4 porcelijne borden
• 6 porcelijne spoelkommen
• 1 groote aarde trekpot
• 5 cooper theekeetels
• 1 balans met 2 cooper schaalen
• 1 vijsel met sijn stamper
• 2 cooper pannetjes
• 1 cooper strijkijser
• 3 cooper vuur tesjes
• 1 cooper quispidoortje
• 2 cooper blaaker
• 1 cooper snuijter met sijn bak
• 1 cooper coffijkan
• 1 cooper pofferpan
• 1 cooper schuijmspaan
• 1 cooper koekepan
• 1 cooper kandelaar
• 2 tinne kandelaars
• 3 tinne kommetjes
• 1 tinne waterpot
• 1 partijtje oud tinnewerk
• 2 stooven
• Op de solder
• 1 vat met eenig vet
• 1 kadel
• 1 ijser taatje
• 1 cooper keeteltje
• 1 aarde kruijk
• 2 dekstoelen
• 1 ovale tafel
• 1 handsaag
• 9 bierglaasjes
• 1 kasje met snuijf
• 1 kist met eenig gereetschap
• 1 kist waarin 1 klijn vaatje met tamerinde
• 1 doosje met glaase ruijten
• 1 kelder met leedige flessen
• 1 kist waarin 1 vaatje met tamerinde en wat verf
• 1 parthij leedige manden
• 1 leedige kist
• 1 kist waarin een sakje met peeper
• 1 sak met rijst
• 1 parthij oude sacken
• 1 parthij leedige bottels
• 2 setnetten en 1 werpnet
• 1 parthij plankjes in soort
• 1 parthij rommeling
• 4 steenen zeep
• 1 witte lijn en 2 strengen gaarn
• 1 sackje met voogelnestjes
• 1 sackje met specerij
• 1 stuk blaauw geruijt
• 1 coffijmool
• In de agterplat
• 1 vat met sout
• 1 rijstblok met sijn stamper
• 3 leedige vaaten
• 3 ladders
• 6 klijne vaatjes
• 3 emmers
• 1 kasje met kalk
• Silver en goudwerk
• 2 p:r silver schoengespen
• 4 p:r silver broeksgespen
• 4 p:r silver broeksknoopen waarvan 1 p:r met agatha steentjes
• 2 silver cinctuurgespen
• 2 silver leepels en een vork
• 1 silver Eau de la Reijne doosje
• 2 silver ringen
• 3 silver vingerhoeden
• 2 silver snuijfdoosen
• 1 wijnig uijtgebrand en oud silver
• 1 silver hairnaald
• 2 silver kettings
• 1 hoorentje met 1 silver plaatje
• 156 silver knoopen in soort
• 4 p:r goude knoopjes
• 2 enkele knoopjes
• 3 goude orringetjes
• 1 goude bandalot met parlemoer
• 1 dubbelt snoer fijne paerlen
• 2 goude ringen met drie diamanten ieder
• 1 doosje met 2 slange steenen
• 1 doosje met een stukje pedro cordiaal
• aan contanten in den boedel gevonden een somma van een hondert sestig rijxd:s en vijfthien stuijvers en aan den Secretaris ter sijner verantwoording overgegeeven.
• Nota, nog word in den boedel gevonden twee goude crabbetjes en een silver hairnaald die door de slavinne Rebecca uijt wiens kist ’t uijtgehaalt is, gesegt word verpand te sijn door Rosetta slaavin van den Constabel van Elden voor drie rijxd:s
• Lijfeijgenen
• 1 slavinne gen:t Rebecca van Bengalen met haar twee kinderen gen:t Jan, en Appollonia van de Caab. Nota, deese moeten volgens ’t testament van den overleedene in vrijdom gestelt worden.
• 1 slaave jonge gen:t Anthonij van Coutchin, deese is aan voorm: Rebecca en haar kinderen vermaakt.
• 1 slaave jonge gen:t Slamat van Souma
• Aldus g’inventariseert aan Cabo de Goede Hoop den 14 en 15 Junij 1744.
• Als gecommitt:e Weesm:ren: W:W: Muijs, Alexand: Coel
• Mij praesent: J:N: v: Dessin, Secret:s
• Ik onderget:e Ansem van Elden als lijfheer myner slavinne Rosetta bekenne bij deesen ontfangen te hebben uyt handen van den secret:s der Weescamer s:r Joachim Nicolaus van Dessin, een p:r goud oor krabbetjes en een silvere hair naald sijnd het geene mijne voorm: slavin in eijgendom is toebehoorend en bij Heeren Weesmeesteren gevonden is, in den boedel van wylen den vrijswart Carel Jansz van Bengalen end dit wel in de kist van slavinne Rebecca door dewelke onder t’ inventariseeren van eevengem: boedel gestand wierd gedaan dat eevengem: goederen onder haar verpand waar dan aangesien bij Heeren Weesm:n naderhand ondekt is sulx onwaarhijd te sijn en bij resolutie van den 19 Julij deeses jaars is geresolveert meergem: goederen kosten schadlaas te restitueeren, soo is ’t over dies ontfangst mits deesen en optime forma quiteere
• Cabo de Goede Hoope 19 Septemb: 1744

--------------------------------

Transcribed and summarised Michele Woodroffe from:

Building Lives at the Cape in the early VOC Period
ANTONIA MALAN
Historical Archaeology Research Group, University of Cape Town

Page 66

According to the inventory CA, MOOC8/6.74, 1744, Carel Jansz van Bengalen was a freeblack who lived on lot 2 facing Church Street.
The heirs listed in this inventory are the two minor daughters of the diver Zacharias Eijkenstroom

Five slaves are mentioned in the inventory: Rebecca van Bengalen and her children Jan and AppolIonia van de Caab (who were to be freed), and Anthonij van Coutchin (who was bequeathed to Rebecca and her children), and Slamat van Souma. '

A collection of women's jewellery is listed in the estate, some of which was linked to Rebecca.

There were four katel beds in the multipurpose bed-sitting room, on the left, one of which had hangings.
The right-hand room held a single bed, a table and some chairs. In size it could
have matched the one opposite, but was more sparsely furnished. In between the rooms was a
small voorhuis. Behind was a kitchen and yard.

Interestingly, up in the attic were some clues as to Carel Jansz's commercial interests: stores of spices, a bag of birds' nests, a sack of rice, some snuff and some fishing nets. There was a chest of turmeric in the voorhuis. The fishing nets together with a vat of salt and several empty vats in the back yard could point to fish curing activities.

Taking a overall view of Carel Jansz and his neighbours reveals that Carel Jansz lived within an
extended family and engaged in commercial activities .This would not
have been visible from looking at the inventory in isolation without comparing it to his immediate neighnours' inventories.

In the 1740s a German carpenter, a professional soldier and a free black from India lived as neigh-
bours and together their households consisted of four free and eight slave adults,

Jan Jacob Posse's inventory shows that his house was used as a family dwelling and carpentry business while Company Lieutenant Pieter Sohiers inventory discribes a bachelor soldier's quarters.

--------------------------------

(Divon Lan, Feb 2013, divon@shablife.com) - the best candidate for Apollonia's father is Carel Jansz van Bengal - see Rebecca van Bengal's profile for documentation of the evidence