The Postcard
A carte postale which was posted in Belgium via Postes Militaires on Wednesday the 7th. June 1916 to:
M. Valery Gillard,
26, Cheltenham Street,
Old Basford,
Nottingham.
The sender wrote ‘O.H.M.S.’ on the back of the card. This stands for ‘On His Majesty’s Service’ and refers to George V.
Fécamp
Fécamp is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of north-western France.
Fécamp is situated in the valley of the river Valmont, at the heart of the Pays de Caux, on the Alabaster Coast. It is around 35 km northeast of Le Havre, and around 60 km northwest of Rouen.
In 2017, Fécamp had a population of 18,641 individuals.
History of Fécamp
The prehistoric site, on the high ground inland from the port of Fécamp, reveals human occupation dating back to Neolithic times. Spreading over 21 hectares, surrounded by walls and ditches for a length of nearly 2000 meters, the area has yielded objects ranging in date from the Neolithic until Roman times.
Many items of the Gallo-Roman period have been found locally, particularly coins (including two gold Gallic coins found in 1839). A bronze axe, of Celtic design, was unearthed in 1859.
The history of Fécamp has always revolved around the fishing industry and its harbour (first mentioned in the 11th century). The reputation of the salt-herrings of Fécamp was established as early as the 10th. century, and that of smoked herrings from the 13th. century.
An association of whale fishermen was created in the 11th. century. Fishing for cod started commercially in the 16th. century, under the impetus of Nicolas Selles, an early shipping magnate.
Throughout the 19th. century and the early part of the 20th. century, Fécamp had an important role as the chief fishing port in France for cod and cod-related fish. This was the case up until the 1970’s, when Canada stopped all access to their fishing grounds.
First practised by three-masted sailing ships (as shown in the photograph), Atlantic fishing trips could last more than six months, the time taken to fill the hold with cod, which were salted to preserve them.
The fishing was actually carried out in small boats, carrying only two or three fishermen. Many of these small boats became lost in the fog, and never returned to the main ship.
As technology evolved, the three-mast boats disappeared, giving way to steamers, then to diesel-engined vessels. These days, only a small fishing fleet survives, restricted to fishing around coastal waters. In the harbour, pleasure-boats have taken the place of all but a few fishing-boats.
Civil Architecture of Fécamp
— Ruins of the 12th. to 14th. century former ducal palace enclosed in the abbey grounds – two towers and a wall section.
— Remains of the fort of Bourg-Baudouin, on the approach to Notre-Dame-du-Salut.
— Benedictine Palace, ruined buildings of the Benedictine abbey.
— Former mill of the 18th. century.
— The Town hall, a Louis XVI style building.
— Former hostelry of the Grand Cerf, 16th. century.
— Courtyard de la Maîtrise with an 11th. to 12th. century tower.
— Old houses in the neighbourhood of the Hallettes, of which two houses are 16th. century – in Rue Arquaise and Rue de la Voûte (built with reclaimed materials from the abbey palace).
— Water Tower 13th. century.
— Épinay farm, 16th. century, former country retreat of a religious order.
Church Architecture of Fécamp
— Church of the Trinity: Primitive Norman Gothic style, constructed from 1175 to 1220 with some Roman traces. Lantern tower from the 12th. century; Façade – 18th. century; Porch – 13th. century; choir – 14th. to 15th. century; Chapel of the Virgin 16th. century with 13th. century stained-glass windows; Organ from 1746, originating from Montivilliers Abbey; Group of multi-coloured stone from the 15th. century; 16th. century balustrades and tombs of the Dukes of Normandy from the 13th. to 14th. centuries.
— Saint-Étienne’s church: 16th. century flamboyant Gothic porch and south transept from 1500, façade and tower from the 19th. century; wooden statues and pulpit 17th. to 18th. century.
— Chapel Notre-Dame-du-Salut: Originally 14th. century, on a cliff: Rebuilt in the 17th. century; a gilded statue of the Virgin on the roof.
— Chapel of the Precious Blood: Rebuilt in stone in the 17th. century, covering the miraculous source of the "Precious Blood".
Fécamp Museums
Fécamp museums are as follows:
— Municipal Museum: Earthenware, glassware, 18th. and 19th. century paintings, archaeology, religious art and maritime folklore.
— Benedictine Palace Museum: Objects of religious art from the 12th. to 18th. century (some of the collection originates from the former abbey); 14th. to 18th. century metalwork; Benedictine liquor manufacturing equipment for distillation etc.
— Museum of Arts et de l’Enfance: Gallo-Roman objects found in the 19th. century explaining man’s beginnings in Fécamp.
— Museum Terre-Neuvas et de la Pêche (Newfoundland and Fishing): Museum of Fécamp’s glorious maritime past, inaugurated in 1988 but closed in 2012 to be integrated in the new "Musée des Pêcheries". The adventures of the cod-fishermen that left for long months in the icy waters of Newfoundland (boats, models, equipment), construction and naval repair, architectural model of the town, audio-visual events and exhibitions of painting (annual display of naval painting).
The Musée des Pêcheries gathers together the municipal collections. It includes: art and history items, ethnographic items linked to fishing and sailors, and Doctor Dufour’s childhood collection. The museum occupies a historical building, a former fish factory which has been partly transformed to welcome the collections. It has been given a roof extension that gives a 360 degree view of Fécamp’s port.
— Musée du Chocolat: Chocolate discovery museum.
— Visits to the watercress beds.
— Maison du Patrimoine (Heritage house) Built and furnished as in the 16th century. Since 2005, the municipal archives have been stored here.
Villa Émilie, Art Nouveau style house from the end of the 19th. century.
People Associated with Fécamp
Notable people associated with Fécamp include:
— Jean Accart, World War II fighter pilot – born in Fécamp.
— David Belle (1973), creator of Parkour.
— Pierre Carron (1932), sculptor and painter.
— Louis-Armand Chardin (1755–1793), baritone and composer.
— Étienne Chicot, comedian, born in Fécamp.
— Remigius de Fécamp, first bishop of Lincoln.
— Raoul Dufy (1877–1953), Fauvist painter.
— Guy Dupré (born 1928), writer – born in Fécamp.
— Edward the Confessor, exiled to Fécamp.
— Gustave Lambert, explorer.
— Alexandre Legrand, industrialist, “rediscovered” Bénédictine.
— René Legros [fr], inventor, born in Fécamp.
— Eugène Lepoittevin, painter.
— Louis Levacher (1934–1983), sculptor and painter.
— Jean Lorrain, writer was born in Fécamp (9 August 1855).
— Jacques Mazoyhie, ship owner.
— Guy de Maupassant, once lived in Fécamp.
— Tony Parker, French basketball player (played one year with Fécamp).
— Bella Pochez, resistance member, murdered in Auschwitz.
— Philippe Porée-Kurrer (1954), writer.
— Richard I of Normandy (933-996).
— Paul Vasselin, politician.
— Wace, writer – stayed in Fécamp.
— William of Volpiano, religious reformer – buried in Fécamp in 1031.
The Taking of Fort Vaux
So what else happened on the day that the card was posted?
Well, on the 7th. June 1916, during the Battle of Verdun, the last of the French defenders at Fort Vaux surrendered to the Germans.
The Germans lost 2,700 casualties in capturing the fort, while the French lost only 20 men.
Posted by pepandtim on 2015-11-19 08:31:48
Tagged: , postcard , old , early , nostalgic , nostalgia , Fécamp , carte , postale , Belgium , Postes , Militaires , 07/06/1916 , 1916 , Valery , Gillard , Cheltenham , Street , Basford , Nottingham , O.H.M.S. , George , V , 82FEC53 , Quai , quay , Guy , de , Maupassant , Le , Littoral
