Positions of the cheese market and in the guild:

  • Zetter: Positions of the cheese market and in the guild:
    Puts the cheese from the lorries on the market early in the morning, and loads the barrows. They are dressed in black trousers and a blue shirt.
  • Ingooier: 
    When the cheeses are weighed, the ingooiers toss them from the barrows in wood handcarts and take them to the lorries. They are recognised by their black trousers and light fawn shirts.
  • Temporary worker: 
    Before becoming a cheese carrier, one must be a temporary worker for two years before being able to join the guild. The cheese father and overman decide on this, and the cheese carrier is given a nickname.
  • Vastman: 
    An experienced cheese carrier working for one of the forwarding companies.
  • Tasman: 
    The tasman is recognised by a black leather purse around his waist, and stands at the scales. Bills used to be settled with him. He checkmarks the cheeses after weighing them. The tasman has been in service for the longest.
  • Voorman: 
    A “voorman” is the head of a forwarding company, and the oldest member. Also referred to as “overman”. Every two years, an overman is selected from the forwarding company. He has a silver sign with a ribbon in his company’s colour.
  • Cheese father: 
    This is the head of the four forwarding companies, is recognised by an orange hat, black cane with silver mountings, and the Alkmaar coat of arms on his chest.
  • Knecht: 
    The cheese father’s help who keeps the toilets and waaggebouw’s step clean. Responsible for hanging the bell and polishing the brass twice a year. He carries a special shield of a barrow with a silver tie. This post is fulfilled by an annually changing cheese carrier, voormannen excluded.
  • Bottelier: 
    Tends to the inner man and is responsible for the drinks.
  • Provost marshal: 
    Is responsible for collecting the fines cheese carriers have to pay for being late, and records them on the stocks. He also carries a special shield depicting a barrow with a narrow toe above it. His nickname is “the headsman”.