The Breda city archives contain cashbooks of 'The guild of shoemakers, leather tanners and other leather workers'. The cashbooks cover the period from 1449 to 1798. The following text was found in the annual report of 1718:

Den 12e December Is in het ambaght gecomen Adriaen van Bommel Compt voor ambaghtgelt. 3 – 4 – 0

(On 12 December Adriaen van Bommel joined the guild and paid the craft fee. 3 - 4 – 0)

This text shows that on 12 December 1718, Adriaen van Bommel paid three guilders, four pennies and zero cents in craft fees to the shoemakers' guild. Thus, at the age of 20, he sets out to make a livelihood as an independent shoemaker. This puts Adriaen at the head of a family tradition that has been passed down from father to son eight times so far. Adriaen is also mentioned in the 1710 annual report:

Den 11 Julij is koomen leeren Bij Bernaert Verhoeven: Adriaen van Bommel voor schoenmaker, Compt voor het ambaeght. 0 – 14 – 0

(Adriaen van Bommel started his apprenticeship at Bernaert Verhoeven on 11 July as a shoemaker, payment of the craft fee. 0 – 14 – 0)

This text shows that before becoming an independent shoemaker, Adriaen van Bommel was an apprentice shoemaker with Bernaert Verhoeven for eight years. He paid zero guilders, fourteen pennies and zero cents in apprenticeship fees to the shoemakers' guild for this.

(Image above: The cashbook of 'The guild of shoemakers, tanners and other leather workers'. On the right-hand page, the 2nd of the 4 shorter paragraphs make mention of Adriaen van Bommel.)