Gustave Boël
Encyclopedia
Gustave André Boël was a Belgian
industrialist and liberal
politician. He was the father of Pol Clovis Boël
.
and Geraardsbergen
of the railroad of Braine-le-Comte
to Ghent
.
On 16 July 1880 Ernest Boucquéau died without leaving an heir and he bequeathed his fortune and his companies to Gustave Boël and his accountant. When the accountant died, Gustave Boël became the sole heir of the entire fortune and the factories. As of 1881, he modernized his companies and created an industrial group by taking participations in other companies, such as the steel factories Fabrique de Fer de Charleroi (Fafer) in Charleroi
and in Braine-le-Comte, coal mines and glass
industry les Glaces de Moustier-sur-Sambre which would become Glaverbel. On 1 September 1888, Gustave Boël was one of the first in Belgium who established a participation in the profits for the employees of his factory. In 1912, the Etablissements Ernest Boucquéau would become the Usines Gustave Boël.
, and on 14 November of the same year he became alderman
. On 4 May 1881, Boël became burgomaster
of La Louvière. During his mandate, he supported many local initiatives and provided financial support for the construction of the hospital of La Louvière. In 1883, he resigned as burgomaster and became senator from 12 April 1883 until 8 July 1884. Asked by his liberal political friends, he again became senator on 14 June 1892 and from that moment onwards, Boël would stay senator for the Liberal Party
until his death in 1912.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
industrialist and liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
politician. He was the father of Pol Clovis Boël
Pol Clovis Boël
Pol-Clovis, Baron Boël was a Belgian industrialist, Director of the Usines Gustave Boël in La Louvière, and liberal politician....
.
Career
He was the son of farmers (Salasse farm), and grew up together with four brothers and a sister. Boël studied at the industrial school of Houdeng-Aimeries and in 1851, at the age of 14 years, he started working at the Etablissements Ernest Boucquéau. He became foreman of the factory and in 1865 he became plant manager. Ernest Boucquéau, at the edge of bankruptcy, and faced with the refusal of his family to help him, asked Boël and his accountant to assist him in saving the company. They helped him to gather the necessary funds to finish the work he had started on the railroad tunnel between EnghienEnghien
Enghien is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Enghien had a total population of 11,980. The total area is 40.59 km² which gives a population density of 295 inhabitants per km²....
and Geraardsbergen
Geraardsbergen
Geraardsbergen is a city and municipality located in the Denderstreek and in the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Geraardsbergen proper and the following towns:...
of the railroad of Braine-le-Comte
Braine-le-Comte
Braine-le-Comte is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut.On January 1, 2006, Braine-le-Comte had a total population of 20,305...
to Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
.
On 16 July 1880 Ernest Boucquéau died without leaving an heir and he bequeathed his fortune and his companies to Gustave Boël and his accountant. When the accountant died, Gustave Boël became the sole heir of the entire fortune and the factories. As of 1881, he modernized his companies and created an industrial group by taking participations in other companies, such as the steel factories Fabrique de Fer de Charleroi (Fafer) in Charleroi
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
and in Braine-le-Comte, coal mines and glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
industry les Glaces de Moustier-sur-Sambre which would become Glaverbel. On 1 September 1888, Gustave Boël was one of the first in Belgium who established a participation in the profits for the employees of his factory. In 1912, the Etablissements Ernest Boucquéau would become the Usines Gustave Boël.
Political career
Gustave Boël also inherited the liberal political and philosophical ideas of Boucquéau. As a progressive liberal, he embarked on a political career. On 11 October 1880, Boël became a member of the communal council of La LouvièreLa Louvière
La Louvière is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. La Louvière's municipality includes the old communes of Haine-Saint-Paul, Haine-Saint-Pierre, Saint-Vaast, Trivières, Boussoit, Houdeng-Aimeries, Houdeng-Gœgnies, Maurage, and Strépy-Bracquegnies...
, and on 14 November of the same year he became alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
. On 4 May 1881, Boël became burgomaster
Burgomaster
Burgomaster is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief magistrate or chairman of the executive council of a sub-national level of administration...
of La Louvière. During his mandate, he supported many local initiatives and provided financial support for the construction of the hospital of La Louvière. In 1883, he resigned as burgomaster and became senator from 12 April 1883 until 8 July 1884. Asked by his liberal political friends, he again became senator on 14 June 1892 and from that moment onwards, Boël would stay senator for the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Belgium)
The Liberal Party was a Belgian political party that existed from 1846 until 1961, when it became the Party for Freedom and Progress, Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang/Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès or PVV-PLP, under the leadership of Omer Vanaudenhove.-History:The Liberal Party was founded...
until his death in 1912.
Sources
- Duchène, C., Biographie Nationale, Brussel, Académie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux Arts, 1866–1986, XXXIV, 1968, col. 84-87.
- Dutrieue, Anne-Myriam, in: Kurgan-van Hentenrijk, Ginette, Jaumain, Serge, Montens, Valérie, a.o., Dictionnaire des patrons en Belgique. Les hommes, les entreprises, les reseaux, Bruxelles, De Boeck & Larcier, 1996, p. 60-61.
- Ginette Kurgan and Erik Buyst, 100 grands patrons du XXe siècle en Belgique, Alain Renier ed., Brussels, 1999, pp. 26–27 et 235.