People
They left their mark on the history of Neuville-Saint-Vaast
They left their mark on the history of Neuville-Saint-Vaast
Men and women whose lives became intertwined with that of Neuville.
The main square of Neuville-Saint-Vaast bears his name. A native of Amiens, this great journalist fought in Artois. He wrote Les Croix de bois (Wooden Crosses), an enduring masterpiece that shows the Great War as it truly was — men in the mud.
Born at 64 Rue du Canada on 25 April 1842. A stonemason turned pioneer, he poured his first reinforced-concrete slab in 1879. His slogan: “No more disastrous fires”. His works include the Manchester docks, the Newcastle tunnel and the stadium in Lyon… He revolutionised architecture worldwide.
Official photographer to the Arras prefecture from 1892, he captured rural life and the landscapes of Artois. December mists, gleaners at Vimy, ploughing scenes — his pictorialist work, exhibited at the salons of Paris and Douai, is a precious record of the pre-war farming world.
A body of volunteers devoted to the service of the dead. With the same ceremony, whatever the station or faith of the deceased, they carried every one of the village's dead to the grave.
Throughout its history the society showed extraordinary devotion, especially after the war of 1914-1918. In the village, several soldiers were buried every day, and the “consolateurs” were always faithfully at their post.
They were local people, most of them farmers. Their customary dress: a beret and a cape.
Around 1960, as the villagers' occupations grew more varied, the society of “consolateurs” faded away. It had fulfilled its mission well.