With crews running into the hundreds, provisioning ships was a very exacting task. It is known that De Ruyters’ sailors received ‘generous portions’, which we can take to mean Van Gelder ran a solid procurement system. She also managed the booty revenue, sold residual goods and ensured that the sailors’ wives received their monthly allowance. Although Van Gelder was a wealthy and successful businesswoman, she was known for her frugal lifestyle: she did her own laundry and shopped at the market.
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