Gerardus Frederick Westerman

Dr. Gerardus Frederik Westerman was one of the three founders of the Royal Zoological Society Natura Artis Magistra. He was also the first director of the Amsterdam zoo. After his death in 1890 he was succeeded by Coenraad Kerbert. He was born the eldest son of Marten Westerman (1775-1852) and Anna Rudolphina Forest (1774-1860). His father was for some time director of the Amsterdam Municipal Theater. Westerman was with his father, publisher and bookseller, for he was director of Artis. He was married to Maria van der Schroeff Eleonora (1812-1892).

G.F. Westerman took many initiatives that would change the face of Amsterdam. He was co-founder of the Society Arti et Amicitiae (1839), the Amsterdam Omnibus Society (1875) and the Panorama Society. Even after his death, he gave the impetus to the construction of the Hollandsche Schouwburg, because he wills his house with land to the Plantage Middenlaan had made this available. To mark the 150th anniversary of the zoo in Amsterdam Plantage Prince Avenue, which runs partly by Artis, Plantage reappointed in 1963 Westerman Avenue.

Westerman is on the New Amsterdam buried in Eastern cemetery.

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerardus_Frederik_Westerman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natura_Artis_Magistra

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artis