Cuesmes

Cuesmes (in Picardy Cwême , in Walloon Cweme ) is a section of the Belgian city of Mons, located in Wallonia in the Province of Hainaut.

It was a common to whole share before it amalgamates on January 1st, 1972 with Mons.

Etymology

Perhaps the name of Cuesmes would find its origin in the Celtic word cumma meaning valley and which would mean in this case with the foot of the hill (of Mons).

History

A long ago reigned, on Belgium, a wet, moderated climate and enough uniform in the seasons. With the favor of this climate, luxuriant forests papered the area. In these forests abounded with the gasolines which one meets today only in the tropical countries. In the middle of the fig trees, bay-trees, gigantic oak groves, lived prehistoric animals.

Towards 1893, told us Mr. J. Lepoint, one discovered, with the career " Mortiau" the skeleton of an animal, seven meters length, which, today, is exposed to the zoological garden, to Antwerp. Cataclysms, the changes of climates and, especially, progress of the man as for the armament, made disappear, little by little, these animals of our ground.

According to any probability, our ancestors were to be established along the Jitter (Dechelette of Meaux) which, at that time, was other thing that the small current river. Fauna, very rich, got for the population a broad subsistence and the close grounds brought small flint layers to him with which it worked its first weapons and its first tools.

Cuesmes is old. Tools of the age of the stone were discovered there. Archeologists found, in the valleys of Hatred and the Jitter, of the rudimentary instruments whose Museum of Mons holds a rich person collection. There are scrapers, scrapers, punches drawn from a “kidney” of flints and which were to be used for these primitive to break a bone or a shell, to cross to bark or drill a branch of tree, etc

The first weapon of those which lived the valley of the Jitter had to be the punch, left flint cut to great glares on the two faces. The warrior undoubtedly had, either to launch it with force, or to strike his enemy or his prey of it. Each year, of the farmers find a great quantity of flint in Malogne, Fraide and Espinette. The proximity of Ciply where was installed a cut stone workshop, confirms these lucky finds perfectly.

Another proof that the territory cuesmois was to be inhabited, it is the existence, according to Mr. Jouret, of a called “menhir”: “The Long Good one”.

These “menhirs”, kinds of obelisks coarse, were used to consume various sacrifices or to commemorate an historical event. They constituted sometimes, simply a worship payen.

Besides the Company of Anthropology of Brussels has a complete listing of these primitive monuments and we will quote some communes which still have on old plans, localities seeming to evoke these disappeared “menhirs”:

Celtic Pierre (Ghlin),
Pierre Lée (Élouges),
Large Pierre perforated (Jemappes),
Payenpierre (Baudour),
Pierre in Rieu of Estoquis (Nimy), etc

Period belgo-Roman

During Ve Siècle, our country was invaded by the Celts. The question which was formerly so often disputed as for the origin of the Belgians, is solved today and Jules César itself, seems to allot to the Gaulois a Germanic origin.

Mixed to the inhabitants of our areas, the Celtes made stock, and the population developed so quickly that, always according to César, it reached a million inhabitants disseminated on a vast territory covered halliers, and where ground a frightening fauna.

Five tribes divided old Belgium, and most powerful was that of Nerviens, whose many clans lived in trimmings of Hatred and the Jitter.

Evolved/moved considerably, the inhabitants had recourse to the products of the ground, the breeding and hunting, to ensure their subsistence.

Nothing was found of this time in the ground of our village, except years 383; 388.

In 1856, well a long time thus before the discoveries made on Eribus and in Fraide, a Roman tomb was updated to the Bridge-of-Pierre. In the Roman tombs, on the slopes of Héribus one found jewels, currencies and weapons.

At Cheap the century, the commune was a dependence of Holy-Waudru of Mons. It extended even until Cantimpret.

Franque domination

It is for the franque period that, for the first time, by the chroniclers of time, Cuesmes is quoted under the name of “Cömoe”.

The Francs, with the assistance of Gallic, overcame, one knows it, the Roman legions. It is under their aegis that the birth of the rural field is placed.

In 650, Holy Ave (in the old texts: Holy Aye or Aya), made raise, on the Northern slope of the Genestroit Mount, a convent around whose were to determine a great number of families which lived, until, hidden there with the hollow of the marshes or depth of covering wood Cuesmes.

The feudal period

In the year of grace 876, the Borinage knew the invasion of frightening the Normands. Cuesmes did not suffer from this invasion, but the Norman one was installed in a fortified camp with the confluence from the Scheldt and Hatred with Cop, from where it held under his cut the country of Mons. That, obviously, was not done to reassure Cuesmois. In 881, Régnier with the Long fascinating Collar “Castri-Locus” (Mons) like home base, tried to dislodge the Normands of Condé. Overcome during a bloody battle, Régnier was made prisoner and the Barbarians enhardis, advanced to the Abbey of Saint-Ghislain which they ransacked not without to have massacred there almost all the monks.

From all the Monasteries of the County, only, Douai and co. Waudru escaped the destruction. Cuesmes and the close alleuds depending on the chapter, trembled a long time, not having, to protect them, neither solid walls, nor men-at-arms.

It is only in 891 that they could breathe, when Arnould de Carinthie overcame the Normands with Leuwen.

August 25th 1295, Jean d' Avesnes, count de Hainaut, promised to buy Cantimpret, dependence of Cuesmes, to incorporate it in the city of Mons and to put it under the judgment of the aldermen of this city. This project could not succeed. Cuesmes enjoyed communal franknesses, granted by a charter of December 28th 1297.

In 1478, under the reign of Maximilien of Austria, a French invasion is to be regretted. Troops of enemies scatter in the area and commit the worst crimes. Cuesmes, very rich prey, were not saved by the plunderers. Maximilien wants to avenge the affront made on its subjects for the country of Mons and it runs with 16.000 men. The Austrians camp in Cuesmes, then at the Court of Hornu, before going to overcome French with Crespin, during a furious battle.

Spanish period (1555 - 1714)

In 1572, Mons knew a long seat delivered to him by the Pile cluster. The city, occupied by free-Dutch which ordered Louis de Nassau, missed one day of vivres. One was in July and the commander of the place decides to make an exit, in order to go to cut wheat and rye in the surrounding campaigns. But, badly took some to him, because its carriages and its troops were made surprise between Cuesmes and Ghlin. They were cut in parts by the prevented Spaniards. The battle was hot and the allies had to flee, continued by their enemies to the feet of the ramparts of Mons.

August 31st 1572, the Pile cluster decided to finish some. With this intention, it installed, its artillery on the heights of Héribus. Mons was thus presented thus, like a target of choice for the batteries of the Duke. It is in this way that he managed to dismantle the ramparts of the door of the Shore, the priory of the Valley of the Schoolboys and part of the Hospital St-Adrien.

This furious bombardment decided capitulation of the city. When the Spaniards entered Mons, of the disorders burst a little everywhere. Thus at Cuesmes the communal house was literally put at bag. During this plundering, files disappeared, just as the scel (seal) communal. One never knew at which ends these flights of administrative documents were made.

Between 1583 and 1587, a certain progress occurs in the administrative domain: we attend the appearance of the civil registers, of the marriage and birth certificates. The inscription of Cuesmois late were to be done only hundred years later (1695).

In 1615, an epidemic of plague which prevails in the area, does not save our village. With Mons, one counts more than 500 dead among the inhabitants taken of panic. The authorities of the city had made pour in water of the Jitter of the corpses of dogs and horses, without to have taken the preliminary precaution to open the grid of the door with water. The flesh thus rotted and formed soon a pestilential cluster. A little later floods occurred and water charged with microbes mortals was spread through the countryside cuesmoise, thus propagating the terrible disease.

Mortality took an extension never known to date. Our ancestors employed the most various means and most absurd to entreat the evil: the ones related to them of the amulets representing the Unicorn, a fetish called “stone benzoard”, others applied a “apple of MUSE” to the stomach or breathed of sponges strongly soaked with garlic, others still, composed of the cinnamon etc, nutmeg, wine beverages

Obviously, during this period of cataclysm, any activity was not suspended in the commune, the schools were deserted, a general carelessness appeared, each one not having any more but one concern: to entreat the terrible disease.

This carelessness was favourable with the acts of vandalism of many brigands who feared less the disease than the pilori.

With the advent of the XVIIe century, the country, which does not cease being devastated by the wars of religion, is always under the Spanish domination. A relative prosperity is born under wise control from the Archdukes Albert and Isabelle who encourage the trade and arts. According to us, it is at this time that the first displacement of population in our village is placed. It is certain that at that time, die, die, a hovel raises already its thatched roof apart from the Bridge-of-Pierre, but the true first mining cottages built far from this first center of the village, are, without question, those which form the west coast of the New Street.

In 1672 was founded the first sporting company of the village: “The St-Sebastien Archers”, who precisely had his seat in trimmings of the current street Neuve (street of the Cradles).

In 1691, Louis XIV wants to seize Belgium, and on March 9th, it comes to put the seat in front of the Town of Mons. Cuesmes, once again, will play a big role in the capitulation of the City, since the French sovereign, who included/understood the strategic importance of the Héribus Mount, there installs artillery and two battalions of Poitou and, of this culminating point, destroyed 2.000 Mons houses. Under this rain of iron and fire, the capitulation was inevitable. This French occupation lasted little, because, soon, the Spaniards, returned in force, overcame in their turn the armies of Louis XIV, and re-occupied us.

The Spanish domination left, on our premises, another thing that buildings. Indeed, much of Iberian subjects made stock in our areas. Their descendants are numerous. We will quote like example only Algrinos Today (: Algrain) which was linked with a branch of Wattiez. The consecutive descendants of this Spanish root were in turn mayor (mayor), farmers, merchants, etc

Famous characters

Vincent Van Gogh. This large Dutch character of the history of art born on March 30th 1853 in Groot-Zundert (Netherlands) undoubtedly done one of the greatest pride of Cuesmes. It is in Cuesmes, in the house located street of the House n° 3, qu ' it decided for good to follow its vocation of painter. This house belonged to Pasteur Francq and was already occupied by the Decrucq minor and his family. It lived there of August 1879 at October 1880. It is of this time which its first drawings and its letters sent to his/her Théo brother date. As from this moment there, he will write to him regularly. Its crossing of Coal-mining started with Pâturages, in 1878. The young man, 25 years old, is accommodated by Pasteur who installed it in a hawker with 39, rue de l'Église. He leaves then for Wasmes, in a house that very quickly, he will judge too luxurious and that he will not delay to leave for a hut. He occupies at that time, a station of evangelist. He devotes all to the minors and their families. He goes even until going down to 700 meters in the pits. At the time of a blow of Firedamp, it saves a minor. But its occupation is not long in being disapproved, his function of working priest is not accepted and that shocks it. And from there will come to him the idea to settle in Cuesmes.

Gustave Falconer known as " Moucheu". This curious character lived with the street of Ciply to number 205. In 1930 and 1934, following challenges, it made with foot the way of Cuesmes-Paris and return by pushing a Brouette out of wood of old model. At the time of its second voyage, with its return to the village, " Moucheu" was accepted in large pump by the population cuesmoise, its last steps were guided with the sound of the local brass band, thus greeting its exploit.

Xavier Gaie was born in Cuesmes on October 18th 1868. For its 100 years, a great festival was organized by the municipal authorities on October 20th 1968 in the presence of the family of Rene Christmas, burgomaster of the time.

Pierre-Joseph Delsaut: Active former member and powerful orator of the working party of Cuesmes. In 1901, it founds the cooperative society " Persévérance" and two years after, the socialist bakery installed with the street of the People. In 1915, it was stopped by the Prussians with Joseph Legay and was shot the same year with the National Shooting of Brussels for espionage. Last nine years later, in 1924, the socialist party raised to him, a pretty monument with the Public garden Joseph Delsaut.

Economy

External bonds

Cuesmes through time
Cuesmes on the site of the commune of Mons
Site on Coal-mining
Site of the Association of the Sites of the Villages of Mons (ASSIVIMO)

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