Meulebeke is located in West Flanders in the country we know as Belgium. Our ancestors Irma Maenhout, Victor Maenhout and Marie Lapeire were all born in Meulebeke. Edmond DeClerck was from Belgium also but I am not sure what part. I can trace our family back to the late 1400s in this aera. Through the years it has been under the rule of many countries like France, Spain and the Netherlands to name a few. Our ancestors came from all over the Flanders making us Flemish people. Our people in Flanders were mostly land workers a lot of the women were lace makers but some of them were also land workers.
St. Amandus Church is a Roman Catholic church on the market in the west Flemish town of Meulebeke. Anno 2013 governed the church under federation.
Perhaps here in the 7th century an oratory. . The current neo-Gothic building was erected between 1893 and 1896 . The church, the oldest foundations date from around 1100 , was rebuilt at least twice in different style. Our ancestors from here would have known this place well. |
Meulebeke is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises only the town of Meulebeke proper. On January 1, 2006 Meulebeke had a total population of 10,980.
Old Meulebeke Post Cards
Photos of Meulebeke Taken By Lenny Devos 2008
Flemish Linen
For centuries, flax has been grown and transformed into linen fabrics throughout Flanders, the westernmost, Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, known since the Renaissance for its prosperity and culture.
The climate and topography of the region,interlaced with many small rivers, have made it ideal for linen production. In the beginning, flax was an ancillary crop, grown to be woven during the long winter months while farmers waited for the next growing cycle to begin.
In 1275, the town of Tielt erected an exchange for linen trade. This market flourished as a source of supply to weavers in the region. By the 1300's, the Mandel river was vital for retting harvested flax to remove the binders and release the fibers.
Over the next century, the craft of linen manufacture spread throughout Flanders, especially to the Lysregion where, by the 1600's, Meulebeke was an important source for finer qualities of linen cloth.
A census conducted in 1739 recorded 342 master weavers, 167 laborers and 28 apprentices engaged in linen production in Meulebeke. The industry brought increased prosperity to the region, although the lives of the local craftsmen were not easy.
Throughout the 18th century, up until the middle of the 1800's, Flanders' textile industry prospered. By 1796, for the districts around Tielt, 17% of households were involved in linen production; by 1840, this figure had risen to 71%. Tielt remained the center of the industry, more important than either Gent and Kortrijk.
By the 1850's, however, there was a reversal of fortune for the linen industry, brought on by several factors.
The cotton weaving industry became increasingly mechanized and expanded rapidly. Trade barriers in the form of import duties were increasingly being imposed.
Despite partial destruction of their weaving workshops in 1940, production facilities at Lagae Linens have been rebuilt and continually expanded over the years resulting in a firm with very modern production equipment. At the time of their merger with Libeco, the firm was equipped with the latest Sülzer-Rüti projectile and rapier weaving machines.
This, and other developments, caused decline in exports to Spain and her South American colonies, which had been important markets. Finally, the industrial revolution in England was in full swing, and Flanders' artisans, still weaving on hand looms, found themselves in competition with large, mechanized mills.
With nearly 65% of its workforce engaged in linen production, Meulebeke was extremely hard hit. With its long-standing cottage-industry structure of hand-woven production, Flanders was slow to modernize. By attempting to keep the industry operating among individuals, it rapidly fell behind its French and English competitors.
But, by around 1846, several mechanical spinners had established themselves in the Roeselare region and mechanization spread from there. One of the region's leading manufacturers, Lagae Linens was founded in 1858 and Libeco Linens six years later. The first mechanized weaving mills in Meulebeke were opening around 1904.
Enduring the hardship of two World Wars, the strength of the linen industry of Flanders has waxed and waned in the 20th century. Today, the outlook for Belgian linen production is brighter than ever in its venerable history.
OUR MANUFACTURERS
In the case of Flemish Linen, our products are exclusively sourced from Flanders’ most established linen manufacturer and weavers. Some, like Libeco-Lagae, have been producing linen since 1858.
Flax has been farmed and linen fabrics woven in Flanders for centuries. By the 18th century, Meulebeke, situated near Kortrijk,had emerged as one of the villages with the largest linen production.
By the 1800's, there were dozens of weaving firms operating in and around Meulebeke. Of these, only two remained: Libeco and LagaeLinens.
The first information on Libeco dates from 1864. At that time, the company was a collecting point and warehouse for pure linen fabrics produced in the homes of the cottage workforce of the region. From this first warehouse, the woven goods were transported by handcart to Kortrijk, where they were dyed and sold.
Fine quality, pure linen fabrics and linen-cotton blends were produced for sheets and table coverings. Even then, exports were important to the firm, especially to South America. World War II heralded a difficult period for the company but by the early 1960's, Libeco's shareholders adopted an ambitious investment plan to ensure stability and allow the firm to grow once more. Established in Kortrijk in 1858, Lagae Linens produced fine cambric and handkerchiefs. With their takeover of Tissages de Gryze in Meulebeke, the Lagae brothers began to actively merchandise their expanded weaving production.
Despite partial destruction of their weaving workshops in 1940, production facilities at Lagae Linens have been rebuilt and continually expanded over the years resulting in a firm with very modern production equipment. At the time of their merger with Libeco, the firm was equipped with the latest Sülzer-Rüti projectile and rapier weaving machines.
These venerable and uniquely complementary weaving firms merged on June 2, 1997, into a single company known simply as Libeco-Lagae. The strength and synergy realized by this friendly merger ensures that the age-old craft of Belgian linen weaving heads into the new millennium stronger than ever.
Between 1864 and 1950, Libeco mostly focussed on the production of very fine handkerchiefs, table linen, bed linen and towels. In the sixties and the seventies the company increased the range to prints and yarn dyes. Since 1980 the division became more and more active in promoting a complete concept of linen for the home. Today it is one of the most creative lines on the contemporary market for household linens.
Libeco-Lagae Inc was founded in 1993 in New York City. It was set up as a sales office for servicing the apparel market in the States. In 1997 the company acquired the decorative division of Hamilton Adams and merged the two activities. Today the company is our manufacturers’ main sales office for the US-market and gives Flemish Linen a logistical and sales point in its main market, the United States.
Lace
Long live lace!In Flanders, lace is not merely a craft but a part of the region's cultural heritage. The roots of Flemish lace go back as far as the 15th century. And these roots remain strong, with contemporary designers still coming up with gorgeous creations today.
To tell the story of lace, we have to go back a good 600 years. A great many Belgian artists were experimenting with artistic fabrics at this time. In the beginning, the main kinds of lace were bobbin lace (using bobbins) and needle lace (using needles). Many new variations would be created in the centuries to come.
Sophisticated handicraftIn the early 20th century, there were approximately 47,000 lace makers in Belgium. Around 70% of these worked in Bruges, which led to the founding of the Bruges Lacemaking School in 1911. Girls from 14 and up were taught about lace, but also received lessons in religion, arithmetic, trade and political economics. They made lace fringes for men's and women's clothing, as well as entire christening dresses, special collars and cuffs. Other lace creations were often framed behind glass. Later would come the introduction of machine-made lace—however, this was but a cheap alternative for sophisticated, traditionally made lace.
Experience laceHeaded for Flanders and interested to learn all about the world of lace? The Bruges lace school of the Apostolic Sisters recently moved to the brand-new Kantcentrum (Lace Centre), also home to a fine museum. “Look but don't touch”? Far from it! The new Lace Museum is a hive of interactivity and multimedia installations. You can even learn some of the tricks of the trade. In the Folklore Museum, in front of the Lace Centre, you can admire more lace and learn more about the social conditions of the lace makers.
The ideal cultural excursion in BrugesA new lace tour of Bruges has also been created in partnership with the Guides Association. Official tour guides will take you around the city, showing you the most beautiful places and telling you all about the history of lace. The tour ends at the new Lace Museum. By the way, did you know that the Lace Centre also offers short- and long-term lacemaking courses, lace workshops and temporary exhibitions? Every afternoon you can see lace makers at work on the second floor.
You may also be interested to visit the Museum of Costume and Lace in Brussels. Since 1977, this has been a repository for a great deal of Belgium's textile heritage, from clerical vestments and old accessories to exciting, contemporary lace and embroidery. The museum also hosts many fashion exhibitions.
Lingerie and LaceLacemaking: a hobby for old ladies? Think again! Wait until you see the elegant, contemporary lingerie by Sun Mae. Proprietor Nele Catrysse from Hamme is a Belgium-based designer with South Korean roots who works almost exclusively with pure materials such as lace, satin and fine embroidery. She runs an exclusive lingerie boutique and atelier in the historical heart of Bruges. Definitely worth a visit! Veerle Praet is a designer of wedding dresses who often works with lace. Since 2001, she has had her own fashion house in Bruges and is known for her personal approach.
- See more at: http://www.visitflanders.us/discover/flanders/lace/#sthash.RP1eid9Z.dpuf
For centuries, flax has been grown and transformed into linen fabrics throughout Flanders, the westernmost, Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, known since the Renaissance for its prosperity and culture.
The climate and topography of the region,interlaced with many small rivers, have made it ideal for linen production. In the beginning, flax was an ancillary crop, grown to be woven during the long winter months while farmers waited for the next growing cycle to begin.
In 1275, the town of Tielt erected an exchange for linen trade. This market flourished as a source of supply to weavers in the region. By the 1300's, the Mandel river was vital for retting harvested flax to remove the binders and release the fibers.
Over the next century, the craft of linen manufacture spread throughout Flanders, especially to the Lysregion where, by the 1600's, Meulebeke was an important source for finer qualities of linen cloth.
A census conducted in 1739 recorded 342 master weavers, 167 laborers and 28 apprentices engaged in linen production in Meulebeke. The industry brought increased prosperity to the region, although the lives of the local craftsmen were not easy.
Throughout the 18th century, up until the middle of the 1800's, Flanders' textile industry prospered. By 1796, for the districts around Tielt, 17% of households were involved in linen production; by 1840, this figure had risen to 71%. Tielt remained the center of the industry, more important than either Gent and Kortrijk.
By the 1850's, however, there was a reversal of fortune for the linen industry, brought on by several factors.
The cotton weaving industry became increasingly mechanized and expanded rapidly. Trade barriers in the form of import duties were increasingly being imposed.
Despite partial destruction of their weaving workshops in 1940, production facilities at Lagae Linens have been rebuilt and continually expanded over the years resulting in a firm with very modern production equipment. At the time of their merger with Libeco, the firm was equipped with the latest Sülzer-Rüti projectile and rapier weaving machines.
This, and other developments, caused decline in exports to Spain and her South American colonies, which had been important markets. Finally, the industrial revolution in England was in full swing, and Flanders' artisans, still weaving on hand looms, found themselves in competition with large, mechanized mills.
With nearly 65% of its workforce engaged in linen production, Meulebeke was extremely hard hit. With its long-standing cottage-industry structure of hand-woven production, Flanders was slow to modernize. By attempting to keep the industry operating among individuals, it rapidly fell behind its French and English competitors.
But, by around 1846, several mechanical spinners had established themselves in the Roeselare region and mechanization spread from there. One of the region's leading manufacturers, Lagae Linens was founded in 1858 and Libeco Linens six years later. The first mechanized weaving mills in Meulebeke were opening around 1904.
Enduring the hardship of two World Wars, the strength of the linen industry of Flanders has waxed and waned in the 20th century. Today, the outlook for Belgian linen production is brighter than ever in its venerable history.
OUR MANUFACTURERS
In the case of Flemish Linen, our products are exclusively sourced from Flanders’ most established linen manufacturer and weavers. Some, like Libeco-Lagae, have been producing linen since 1858.
Flax has been farmed and linen fabrics woven in Flanders for centuries. By the 18th century, Meulebeke, situated near Kortrijk,had emerged as one of the villages with the largest linen production.
By the 1800's, there were dozens of weaving firms operating in and around Meulebeke. Of these, only two remained: Libeco and LagaeLinens.
The first information on Libeco dates from 1864. At that time, the company was a collecting point and warehouse for pure linen fabrics produced in the homes of the cottage workforce of the region. From this first warehouse, the woven goods were transported by handcart to Kortrijk, where they were dyed and sold.
Fine quality, pure linen fabrics and linen-cotton blends were produced for sheets and table coverings. Even then, exports were important to the firm, especially to South America. World War II heralded a difficult period for the company but by the early 1960's, Libeco's shareholders adopted an ambitious investment plan to ensure stability and allow the firm to grow once more. Established in Kortrijk in 1858, Lagae Linens produced fine cambric and handkerchiefs. With their takeover of Tissages de Gryze in Meulebeke, the Lagae brothers began to actively merchandise their expanded weaving production.
Despite partial destruction of their weaving workshops in 1940, production facilities at Lagae Linens have been rebuilt and continually expanded over the years resulting in a firm with very modern production equipment. At the time of their merger with Libeco, the firm was equipped with the latest Sülzer-Rüti projectile and rapier weaving machines.
These venerable and uniquely complementary weaving firms merged on June 2, 1997, into a single company known simply as Libeco-Lagae. The strength and synergy realized by this friendly merger ensures that the age-old craft of Belgian linen weaving heads into the new millennium stronger than ever.
Between 1864 and 1950, Libeco mostly focussed on the production of very fine handkerchiefs, table linen, bed linen and towels. In the sixties and the seventies the company increased the range to prints and yarn dyes. Since 1980 the division became more and more active in promoting a complete concept of linen for the home. Today it is one of the most creative lines on the contemporary market for household linens.
Libeco-Lagae Inc was founded in 1993 in New York City. It was set up as a sales office for servicing the apparel market in the States. In 1997 the company acquired the decorative division of Hamilton Adams and merged the two activities. Today the company is our manufacturers’ main sales office for the US-market and gives Flemish Linen a logistical and sales point in its main market, the United States.
Lace
Long live lace!In Flanders, lace is not merely a craft but a part of the region's cultural heritage. The roots of Flemish lace go back as far as the 15th century. And these roots remain strong, with contemporary designers still coming up with gorgeous creations today.
To tell the story of lace, we have to go back a good 600 years. A great many Belgian artists were experimenting with artistic fabrics at this time. In the beginning, the main kinds of lace were bobbin lace (using bobbins) and needle lace (using needles). Many new variations would be created in the centuries to come.
Sophisticated handicraftIn the early 20th century, there were approximately 47,000 lace makers in Belgium. Around 70% of these worked in Bruges, which led to the founding of the Bruges Lacemaking School in 1911. Girls from 14 and up were taught about lace, but also received lessons in religion, arithmetic, trade and political economics. They made lace fringes for men's and women's clothing, as well as entire christening dresses, special collars and cuffs. Other lace creations were often framed behind glass. Later would come the introduction of machine-made lace—however, this was but a cheap alternative for sophisticated, traditionally made lace.
Experience laceHeaded for Flanders and interested to learn all about the world of lace? The Bruges lace school of the Apostolic Sisters recently moved to the brand-new Kantcentrum (Lace Centre), also home to a fine museum. “Look but don't touch”? Far from it! The new Lace Museum is a hive of interactivity and multimedia installations. You can even learn some of the tricks of the trade. In the Folklore Museum, in front of the Lace Centre, you can admire more lace and learn more about the social conditions of the lace makers.
The ideal cultural excursion in BrugesA new lace tour of Bruges has also been created in partnership with the Guides Association. Official tour guides will take you around the city, showing you the most beautiful places and telling you all about the history of lace. The tour ends at the new Lace Museum. By the way, did you know that the Lace Centre also offers short- and long-term lacemaking courses, lace workshops and temporary exhibitions? Every afternoon you can see lace makers at work on the second floor.
You may also be interested to visit the Museum of Costume and Lace in Brussels. Since 1977, this has been a repository for a great deal of Belgium's textile heritage, from clerical vestments and old accessories to exciting, contemporary lace and embroidery. The museum also hosts many fashion exhibitions.
Lingerie and LaceLacemaking: a hobby for old ladies? Think again! Wait until you see the elegant, contemporary lingerie by Sun Mae. Proprietor Nele Catrysse from Hamme is a Belgium-based designer with South Korean roots who works almost exclusively with pure materials such as lace, satin and fine embroidery. She runs an exclusive lingerie boutique and atelier in the historical heart of Bruges. Definitely worth a visit! Veerle Praet is a designer of wedding dresses who often works with lace. Since 2001, she has had her own fashion house in Bruges and is known for her personal approach.
- See more at: http://www.visitflanders.us/discover/flanders/lace/#sthash.RP1eid9Z.dpuf
1. The Brussels courthouse is the largest in the world. With an area of
26,000 square meters, it is larger than St. Peter's Basilica in Rome
(21,000 m²). At his inauguration, in 1883, it was the tallest building in
the world. Architect Poelaert.
2. Nemo 33 in Brussels is the deepest indoor swimming pool in the world. The
diving pool is 34.5 meters deep. It contains 2.5 million liters weakly
chlorinated spring water. The pool was designed by Belgian diving expert
John Beernaerts with the ambition to give there different types of training
and recreational diving.
3. The first natural color photograph was published in National Geographic
magazine of 1914 and it shows a floral park in Ghent.
4. Chocolate Pralines were invented in 1912 in Brussels by Jean Neuhaus.
5. The Libramont Fair is the largest agricultural fair in Europe for
forestry and agribusiness.
6. The first regular line of steam railway in the world (and the European
continent) started its service on May 5, 1835 between Brussels and Mechelen
in the "Station of the Allée Verte". In 1840 Ghent, Bruges, Ostend,
Antwerp, Mechelen, Brussels and Leuven were already connected by rail.
7. Belgium and Italy were the first countries in the world to introduce
electronic ID cards in 2003. Belgium is also the first European country to
provide electronic identity card to its entire population.
8. In Belgium, 24 million ecstasy tablets are consumed annually.
>
9. After the Netherlands and Japan, Belgium is the third country in the
world with the largest number of vehicles per km. Nowhere else in the world
you can find a road density and more railways like ours.
>
10. "Torengebouw" Antwerp dates from 1928 and was the first skyscraper
built in Europe.
>
11. The fastest car in the world, the Vertigo, goes from 0 to 100 km / h in
3.266 seconds and is Belgian.
>
12. The shopping Galeries St Hubert in Brussels were the oldest shopping
center in Europe. They opened in 1847.
13. 80% of world snooker players play with billiard balls "made in Belgium".
14. Sydney Opera House, famous worldwide, is the work of Sir Eugene
Goossens (1893-1962), an English conductor of Belgian origin.
15. Belgium is, with 9 coupons per person per year, the country where the
most discount coupons are used. In 2011, nearly 125 million coupons were
used. Last year, there were 144 million and three years ago, 155
million. Despite
this drop, Belgium remains the world leader in this field.
>
16. Club Med was founded in 1950 by Gerard Blitz, a former Belgian water
polo champion.
>
17. In 1966, the Belgian of Italian Salvatore Adamo became the artist who
had sold the most records in the world behind the Beatles. In total, he has
sold over 80 million records, until today.
>
18. The two most translated authors are the books of Belgian Hergé and
Georges Simenon.
>
19. The euro symbol (€) is a creation of the Belgian Alain Billiet.
>
20. The Carnival of Binche, older than six centuries, was added in 2003 by
UNESCO in the list of masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of
humanity.
>
21. The Wallonia was never part of France, with the exception of a brief
interlude during the French Revolution (from 1792-1815).
>
22. Spa-Francorchamps is the longest circuit and the oldest F1 Grand Prix
which is still used. The first Grand Prix was raced there in 1924.
>
23. Although often attributed to the Netherlands, the introduction of the
tulip took place in Belgium in 1562, when a ship loaded with fabrics from
Istanbul and also containing tulip bulbs, entered the Antwerp’s harbor. This
episode marked the beginning of the culture of the European tulip.
>
24. The tennis match in which Kim Clijsters defeated Serena Williams 6-3,
6-2 at the Stade Roi Baudouin, July 8, 2010, set the world record in terms
of attendance with 35,681 spectators.
>
25. The Olympic flag with the five interlocking rings was used for the
first time at the Antwerp Olympics in 1920.
26,000 square meters, it is larger than St. Peter's Basilica in Rome
(21,000 m²). At his inauguration, in 1883, it was the tallest building in
the world. Architect Poelaert.
2. Nemo 33 in Brussels is the deepest indoor swimming pool in the world. The
diving pool is 34.5 meters deep. It contains 2.5 million liters weakly
chlorinated spring water. The pool was designed by Belgian diving expert
John Beernaerts with the ambition to give there different types of training
and recreational diving.
3. The first natural color photograph was published in National Geographic
magazine of 1914 and it shows a floral park in Ghent.
4. Chocolate Pralines were invented in 1912 in Brussels by Jean Neuhaus.
5. The Libramont Fair is the largest agricultural fair in Europe for
forestry and agribusiness.
6. The first regular line of steam railway in the world (and the European
continent) started its service on May 5, 1835 between Brussels and Mechelen
in the "Station of the Allée Verte". In 1840 Ghent, Bruges, Ostend,
Antwerp, Mechelen, Brussels and Leuven were already connected by rail.
7. Belgium and Italy were the first countries in the world to introduce
electronic ID cards in 2003. Belgium is also the first European country to
provide electronic identity card to its entire population.
8. In Belgium, 24 million ecstasy tablets are consumed annually.
>
9. After the Netherlands and Japan, Belgium is the third country in the
world with the largest number of vehicles per km. Nowhere else in the world
you can find a road density and more railways like ours.
>
10. "Torengebouw" Antwerp dates from 1928 and was the first skyscraper
built in Europe.
>
11. The fastest car in the world, the Vertigo, goes from 0 to 100 km / h in
3.266 seconds and is Belgian.
>
12. The shopping Galeries St Hubert in Brussels were the oldest shopping
center in Europe. They opened in 1847.
13. 80% of world snooker players play with billiard balls "made in Belgium".
14. Sydney Opera House, famous worldwide, is the work of Sir Eugene
Goossens (1893-1962), an English conductor of Belgian origin.
15. Belgium is, with 9 coupons per person per year, the country where the
most discount coupons are used. In 2011, nearly 125 million coupons were
used. Last year, there were 144 million and three years ago, 155
million. Despite
this drop, Belgium remains the world leader in this field.
>
16. Club Med was founded in 1950 by Gerard Blitz, a former Belgian water
polo champion.
>
17. In 1966, the Belgian of Italian Salvatore Adamo became the artist who
had sold the most records in the world behind the Beatles. In total, he has
sold over 80 million records, until today.
>
18. The two most translated authors are the books of Belgian Hergé and
Georges Simenon.
>
19. The euro symbol (€) is a creation of the Belgian Alain Billiet.
>
20. The Carnival of Binche, older than six centuries, was added in 2003 by
UNESCO in the list of masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of
humanity.
>
21. The Wallonia was never part of France, with the exception of a brief
interlude during the French Revolution (from 1792-1815).
>
22. Spa-Francorchamps is the longest circuit and the oldest F1 Grand Prix
which is still used. The first Grand Prix was raced there in 1924.
>
23. Although often attributed to the Netherlands, the introduction of the
tulip took place in Belgium in 1562, when a ship loaded with fabrics from
Istanbul and also containing tulip bulbs, entered the Antwerp’s harbor. This
episode marked the beginning of the culture of the European tulip.
>
24. The tennis match in which Kim Clijsters defeated Serena Williams 6-3,
6-2 at the Stade Roi Baudouin, July 8, 2010, set the world record in terms
of attendance with 35,681 spectators.
>
25. The Olympic flag with the five interlocking rings was used for the
first time at the Antwerp Olympics in 1920.