The factories PARENT
Parent establishments were created in Lannoy in 1821, by Mr. and Mrs. Parent-Montfort. They were, at the moment of their creation only trades with the hand.
In spite of crossed difficult periods, the founders modernized their equipment gradually. They could follow the walk of progress.
In 1869 the business was put in company and a few years after Mr. Albert Parent, son of the founders became the only owner.
He made take with the business a great extension with the construction of the factory of Leers in 1901 in the hamlet of Papinerie (at present street of Capitaine-Picavet).
This factory is also called the "Transvaal", province of South Africa which provided out of wool the factory whose construction dates from the time of the war in this area .
Mr. Parent kept the general direction until 1921, a date of the conversion in society.
At that time manufacture includes : the weaving of the covers, bedspreads and various kinds of fabrics for furnishing.
The factory Parent was requisitioned and plundered on October 31, 1914. The Germans found their covers done everything which came to them well at the right moment in the trenches. They made of them others with the raw materials with which the workshops were abundantly provided. The commune was charged to pay the workmen and coal.
In May 1917, the Germans stripped the factory of its last matters and its instruments of work, and transformed it into lazaret for the horses. (a lazaret is an establishment where is carried out medical control in a frontier area).
The work of reconstitution after the armistice was more difficult, because it was necessary to entirely refill the factory of new trades. This repairing was carried out relatively very quickly, since the occupation having ceased in October 1918, less than one year afterwards, the factory of Leers already started to give again work with some workmen.
At the end of this same year 1919, the trades beat complete.
At the end of the 80s, the factory is repurchased by the Faramud holding. The factory takes then the name of Faratex.
At the beginning of the 90s, the traditional cover made to the factory of Leers was strongly competed by the couette.
In front the appearance of the more practical couette and more "fashion", the company has reacts fast by creating more technical products has stronger added value.
En 1996, la couverture polaire est apparue encore plus redoutable que la couette.
In front this competition, Faratex was constrained to set up several social plans and will end up ceasing definitively its activity in June 2005. It did not remain any more while 20 persons on the site.
The demolition of the site was then decided in order to market the grounds and not to leave an industrial waste land moreover.
The destruction of the site began in May 2005.
And on December 6th, 2006, there was standing only the tower known as "Transval", a chimney tower of water built at the beginning of the century. After having shown some resistance this chimney finally fell towards 3:30 pm.
Establishments JEAN DEFFRENNE
In 1929 that Moreau company began the construction of a reprocessing plant waste textiles to the Trieu du Carihem in Leers.
In 1960 the society of Roubaix, Jean Deffrennes, transfers a part of his workshops on the territory of Leers in the buildings of Moreau co., which had stopped its activities.
This firm was specialised in the drapery fancy, implicating a mind of creativity and a monitoring of quality to produce articles of top of the range. It had before it the equipment and personnel needed.
From June 1975, the activities of weaving of the plants of Roubaix and of Leers are regrouped in Leers and so thirty weaving machines of Roubaix arrived at Leers.
Linked to the group of the brothers SCHLUMPF, the JEAN DEFFRENNE SA and co. had filed for bankruptcy in 1977. The personnel occupied both plants during more than a year.
In 1978, after the liquidation of assets, to try to restart activity, a new society is created, the SA weaving DAMPIERRE which becomes owner of the equipment, of supply and of mark, municipalities of Roubaix and of Leers promising to buy back buildings if at the end of a period of 23 months the DAMPIERRE society was not capable of assuring itself this acquisition.
Production targets were 700 000 metres of cloths in 1979, the third of the production of previous society, with the gradual of re-engagement of 90 employees.
The economic and financial difficulties have not allowed this new company to survive.
Around 1980 Lesne company (marketing of brass objects, bronze, tin, etc.) and Wittendal company take back buildings; this one, producer of industrial machine-wovens principally intended for export, leaves the site to become established in Roncq around 1990.
Establishments DEPRAT
In 1929 JEAN DEPRAT did not hesitate to leave his job to fabricate in his garage of hinges for wooden roller shutters, famous " Roubaisiennes ", from tools that realised itself.
Kick-off was given. Certainly, the risks were numerous. And 1946 will mark the true launching of the society through a policy of diversification.
And each year, events in events, the company Jean DEPRAT took his dimension.
- 1949 : with his elder son Jean-Pierre, JEAN DEPRAT decides to specialise in the manufacture of components for closings and to build the first building.
- 1956 : Construction of the second building and purchase of presses to increase production.
- 1958 : lucky date ! With the acquisition of injection moulding machines plastics, the DEPRAT society is the first one to manufacture a mechanism of roller shutter entirely with polyamide.
- 1961 : François-Xavier enters the society and in 1963 JEAN DEPRAT creates a SA with his 2 sons, which helps enterprise development.
- 1975 : Creation of a workshop surface treatment of aluminium.
Over the years, the JEAN DEPRAT society was equipped with all machines necessary for its production.
The transformation of raw materials in final assemblage, it specialised in mechanisms and components for building closures.
The production is broken down as follows :
- 70 % intended for the travelling shutters,
- 10% with the wings flap,
- 10 % with the doors with side displacement,
- 10 % with the jealousies, blinds, shutters etc…
The water-treatment plant of Grimonpont
With the industrialization of the towns of Roubaix and Tourcoing, the rivers; Trichon, Espierre and its affluent Berkem transport the pollution of companies and the cities whose which gallops demography increases livable surface to the detriment of the campaign.
Wastewater runs out towards the lowest point which is at the limit of Wattrelos-Leers in Grimonpont.
Then water carries on their road towards Belgium to throw itself in the Escaut river which of this fact is polluted.
Other problems are generated. Berken is used as natural border but also crosses artificial borders between Tourcoing and Mouscron, between Wattrelos and Herseaux. To intensify the whole, the become brooks laugh cause floods with the nauseous smells.
In 1861, the Belgian government proposes to name an international commission charged to examine the question of the purification of Espierre.
October 21st, 1863 following prefectoral decrees, the "trade union of Espierre" constitutes . Originally two cities Roubaix and Tourcoing participate in the cleaning out and the maintenance of large Espierre, Trichon and riez St Joseph in order to calm the Belgian neighbours. Those threaten to build a dam on l'Espierre, just after the reunification with Berckem in Grimonpont, which would cause a worn water of all the infections. This dam would be built in Leers-North.
February 22, 1887, the President of the Republic, Jules Grévy signs a decree announcing that the State and the cities whose industry pollute, finance the construction of a water-treatment plant in Grimonpont.
March 11th, 1887 the King Léopold II receives the prefect of North Mr. Saisset-Schneider. During this time the Mayor of Wattrelos D. Pollet protests near the Prefect because he wishes that the towns of Roubaix and Tourcoing built the water-treatment plant in their commune.
In May 1886, in his report engineer H. Barrois of Tourcoing presents an original project for the time. With the muds retained in the station one could create a gas-works: "the gas of Espierre", the project was not retained.
Finally the administration of Departments of civil engineering has in liability the construction of this water-treatment plant, as well as the improvement of the stream of the Espierre river with the construction of bridges in Sartel and Grimonpont.
The treatment of waters
A surface of 7 hectares in border of Espierre will be reserved for a half with the reception of muds and for the other with construction of a dam of reserve of water. Pumps in 18 basins will bring those from where the organic matter will be withdrawn. Then will be settled by whitewash before rejecting water in the river Espierre to join Belgium.
The lime will be produced also on the spot in single oven of a production of 20 tons day and what it will be necessary to build.
In 1889, from the 1st year we notice that this new working tool for the cleanup is unsuitable. Foreseen for 10 000 m3 day, the flow of Espierre is now 125 000 m3. Crucial problem: what to make muds ?
The Belgian authorities doubt the efficiency of the station because pollution arrives always on their premises and due, the station does not function during the night.
On May 9th, 1892 a document arrives at the Belgian Ministry of Agriculture: the system of purification of Grimonpont is ineffective; Espierre transports daily towards the Schelde some sulfate of amoniaque, some acid sulfhydrique (acid formed of suffers and from hydrogen) and it floats smell of nauseous putrefaction.
August 29th, 1892, "le journal de Roubaix" announces an important discovery; a new treatment of muds will produce stearin (for the manufacture of the candles).
In 1894 lime is replaced by ferric sulphate but one year after one return to the use of lime.
In 1898 a new process with sulphuric acid and benzene is set up by the company Delattre of Dorignies les Douai and the Khulman company. The results are disappointing and the owners of the site towns of Roubaix and Tourcoing withdraw business on January 30th, 1902.
The first experiment of the water-treatment plant of Grimonpont finishes in a financial and technical fiasco and infected water always pollutes Belgium.
During the war 1914-1918, it is noted since 1915 due to the stop of the factories of Roubaix and Tourcoing, the contamination of water of Espierre and Escaut river decreased so much so that water becomes again clear and full of fish.
In 1934, studies are realized for a resumption of the activities of the Grimonpont station on the English model of Bradford but the events of time stop this project.
The war 1939-1945 stops the reflexion on the depollution of the rivers.
After the war of 1939-1945
It should be waited until 1961 so that new studies are undertaken in experimental station. It will be necessary more than 7 years to start to make decisions on the water-treatment plant. These studies do not succeed.
Currently, a new station works finally with the satisfaction of our Belgian neighbors.
Consequences of industrialisation in Leers: The Channel
In the XVIIth century, Mr de Vauban issues the idea of a fluvial link between Deule and the Scheldt
1827 : Work of digging of a channel starts in France. Purpose: to ensure the transport of coal for the functioning of the steam engines of the plants of Roubaix and Tourcoing.
1839 : Convention signed between France and Belgium for fluvial link with following feature: The Belgian part takes the name of channel of Espierre, the French part that of channel of Roubaix.
1840 : Digging of the channel in Belgium.
10/12/1843 : Inauguration of the channel of Espierre and of the channel of Roubaix to Roubaix-Croix because of underground channel to be accomplished in this place.
1/1/1877 : After working half a century and the modification of the line of the channel, the barge " La Décidée ", charged with coal, performs the first link Scheldt - Deule. The size of the 250 ton channel is accomplished. It is also the year of the discovery of the coal in basin of the Pas-de-Calais.
1/1/1893 : The customs office of Grimonpont opens its doors to control barges and to accept the perception of customs on the goods. It is installed on the territory of the village of Leers facing the "bridge of Grimonpont" it depends on the brigade of Wattrelos and not of Leers. (the bridge Grimonpont is on channel of Espierre).
1901 : The Chemical Company of Roubaix becomes established at the edge of the channel, it is the ancestor of Kuhlmann. His purpose is to accomplish sulphuric and hydrochloric acid for the industries of Roubaix and Tourcoing. The Kuhlmann factory makes discharge from phosphate coming from Morocco.
28/12/1912 : The brigade of Grimonpont solicits the mayor of the city of Wattrelos, Mr Henry Briffaut, for a small financial favour with a view to installing shelters.
17/10/1918 : At 6 pm the German soldiers blow up the bridge of Grimonpont and the customs houses are damaged, , the paving stones of the roadway are projected in a radius of 800 meters. The channel has dried up the following day, the locks of Leers-Nord were destroyed.
de 1919 à 1940 : The passage of barges was in the order of 30 - 40 by days.
1971 : The shelters of the customs officers located opposite the customs office is transferred to the service of waterways.
27/02/1975 : The Collector of Customs, Mr Henry Fougnies from Leers, makes the last statement in the importation of the office of the fluvial customhouses of Grimonpont.
1983 : The Kuhlmann plant closes its doors definitely. Barges stop the rotations of unloading.
5 juillet 1985 : A Dutch barge borrows the lock of the Grimonpont of Leers-North, its propeller is blocked in the whorls of a mattress. It was the last to want to go to Grimonpont, she transported some salt.
