City Hall was yesterday buzzing with reunited relatives "sharing in fellowship and friendship.'' Ninety-one members of the Van Putten family -- currently living all over the Caribbean and United States -- arrived on Tuesday aboard the Meridian and met up with those living in Bermuda.

Organiser of the event, David Van Putten from California, said one of his neices had visited the Island three years ago and while going through Customs met a man who also had the surname Van Putten.

They got to talking and she invited the Bermudian Van Putten family to their first reunion held that same year in California.

"It was an amazing coincidence,'' David said. "Imagine finding out you have family in Bermuda, the pearl of the Atlantic.'' It was decided the family should have its next reunion in Bermuda, the home of their newest-found relatives.

They gathered in the Mayor's parlour yesterday afternoon for a formal welcoming by Deputy Mayor Lawson E. Mapp who presented each family with a document entitled "The Ancient History of the Distinguished Surname Van Putten.'' The document also boasted the oldest known Van Putten Coat of Arms.

The family was then given a briefing on how the family name came to reside in the Mid-Atlantic.

Thomas, Norman and Alan were the very first Van Putten's to settle in Bermuda in the 1890's after leaving the small island of Saba situated in the Dutch West Indies.

Thomas married Bermudian Lucy Grant-Dill and together they had nine children.

They went on to form the company Thomas Van Putten & Sons which played an active role in the construction of many city buildings of note, such as the Barnaby Building and the Toddings Building.

Since then the family has spread out over a vast majority of the Caribbean and United States and plans to hold more reunions in the future.

The family is here until tomorrow and will be touring the Island as well as visiting some of the buildings constructed by their founding kin.

"It is a great opportunity to meet new members and catch-up with relatives we haven't seen for a while,'' David Van Putten said, smiling.