1920-1949: Interwar period
We continue with the history of Sneeboer from the moment that founder Arie Sneeboer was discharged from the Dutch armed forces at the end of the first world war. After his discharge on the 1st of August 1919, he returns from his station in Den Helder to his blacksmith’s shop in Grootebroek. Sadly, the next 30 years are not very well documented. We know that Arie had 10 children with his wife Anna Sneeboer-Grooteman of which three join their father at his company.
In 1948, a short film was made showing some of the production processes and techniques that were used to create garden tools and other items you could expect from a local blacksmith in that period. You can watch that video on our YouTube channel. One positive effect of the second World War was that former exclusive materials became cheaper and more readily available, such as stainless steel. And this is the material that has made Sneeboer garden tools as famous and of high quality as we still know it today!