Guesnain

Guesnain is a common French, located in the department of the Northern (59) and the area Nord-Pas-de-Calais.

Its inhabitants is called Guesninois.

Geography

History

If the origin of Guesnain remains still unknown, it is known however that the last excavations instead of the current media library revealed the existence of unquestionable traces of a human occupation at the time mérovingienne. At all events, to the VIIe century “Gaisnaing” belonged to happy Aldegonde sponsors village and founder of the Abbaye of Maubeuge and this until in 1789.

An act of the VIIIe century mentions the obligation for “Ghesnaing” to pay a tax on land (the gavenne) with the count Robert of Flanders in fact sovereign of Douai n the other hand of a protection that the known as sovereign was to ensure.

Guesnain was then small a Hameau in edge of vast marshy extents (the Marais). A Léproserie was located at the variation of the dwellings between these last and the marshes (Malmaison locality).

We have very little information on the old story of Guesnain insofar as the files of the village were burned and dispersed in 1710 during the seat and of the catch of Douai by the allied troops of the duke of Marlborough and of the prince Eugene of Savoy.

In 1811 the village counts 112 houses and 450 inhabitants. In 1865 the Compagnie of the mines of Aniche undertakes the sinking of the first well of the Saint-Rene pit (- 271 m). In 1871 the pit produced 20.300 tons of coal. Consequently the working population increases quickly. From 581 inhabitants in 1871 it passes to 914 inhabitants in 1881,1748 inhabitants in 1901,2534 inhabitants in 1991 and 3250 in 1927.

The Company of the Mines makes build successively the cities Saint-Rene, Varennes and Louvencourt.

In 1899 the well n° 2 is dug (- 414 m). In 1901 the production reaches 177.470 tons, the Saint-Rene pit is connected with the pit Notre Dame (Waziers) and the pit Sainte Marie (Auberchicourt) by a line of Railroad, an important city working is also built: these are the new Mining cottages that the minors call “Mining cottages without butter” (currently residence Gerard Philippe and Water level). A dispensary of the Mines and a patronage held by nuns are integrated into this city.

The Saint-Rene pit was stopped first once during the Guerre 1914-1918 during which the surface installations were destroyed. The exploitation began again in 1921 to stop on August 3rd 1964 definitively.

Five generations of minors worked there. Since, these mining cities made place with new residences or were renovated like “the New city”, the “Malmaison” and “Seam brick”.

Industry also developed in Guesnain with creation, as of 1879, of the “Sucrerie” still called “the Factory”. This factory is quickly connected to the railway line of the Mines and its production of Sucre starting from the Betterave did not cease increasing (2000 quintals in 1879,20.000 in 1912).

The production of sugar ceases towards 1945. In 1900 an electric factory is built in edge of the Trunk road to provide energy necessary to the exploitation of the line of the Tramway S known as Compagnie of the trams of Douai (CTD) which exploits a principal line of Douai with Aniche while following the main road of which it occupies one on the low sides.

Beside the mining cottages settle trade and coffees, the unit constituting a new “village” around the wells beside “old Guesnain” which includes/understands only one dozen farms , of the farms of which only one has a real importance - it is with it that old the Brasserie belonged which was also manufactures of Espadrille S and cardboard factory - important trade, some farm laborer houses of S and pubs (there were 70 in 1912 of them).

For a long time the village did not have a common house. It is in 1833 that the law obliges the municipality to build a house of co-educational school. One installs there also a room for the municipal council and the marriages, and a small housing for the teacher. In 1870 a new school of boys is built street of Obeaux (street Jean Jaurès). In 1900, for reasons of insalubrity the Common House is shaven, a pretty town hall with the Spanish pinion (the House for All) is built on the new place of the village in front of the church.

The latter is of recent construction. It is thought that in the beginning it was large a Chapelle which was set up towards 1570 (date registered on one of the monolithic columns in sandstone) at the current place. Beside mining agriculture was also very prosperous until the medium of the XXe century.

For a surface of the commune of 400 ha, 350 consisted of arable lands and meadows. The principal cultures were the Blé, the beet and the oats. To also note that some industrial plants of transformation of the products of the soil existed with the XIXe century: 2 Mill S with Flour and a mill with Oil.

Administration

Demography

Places and monuments

Personalities related to the commune

See too

Common of North

Sources

Official site of the commune of Guesnain
Guesnain on the site of the national geographical Institute
Guesnain on the site of INSEE
Guesnain on the site of Quid
Localization of Guesnain on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plane on Guesnain on Mapquest

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