St. Jansstraat

A small dead end street with two stone arches and a plaque on the wall

On the facade stone in St. Jansstraat we see a voluptuous woman. Her window is open, she leans on the window frame, showing off her full breasts and red lips. If you look closely at the facade stone you may be able to guess where this story is going.

Ladies of easy virtue
The stone was made by Ton Mooy. The text is by poet J.C. van Schagen.

Eens halve kous heet nu St.Jan
maar wat er bleef dat af en an...
wat ik u brom u keert weer om.

But what does that text mean: A half stocking is now called St. John's, but what remains is that and an... What I hum to you makes you turn around again. The image of the voluptuous woman and the word 'stocking' refer to the past of this location. Ladies of easy virtue practiced their profession here.

'patch her stockings'
In the 17th century, the word 'stocking' had the connotation of female genitals or whore. Obscene expressions such as 'patching her stockings' were then regularly used to indicate sexual intercourse. 'Piskous' was a term for slut.

Dead end
The second part of the saying refers to the dead-end alley to Sint Jansplaats. You always return to this place.