LOCAL history: "La Belle Epoch"

The " belle epoch " began very early for Lapeyrouse, even before 1890. This was due to the railway. Several people visited the Expositions of 1889 and 1900. In 1889 they returned filled with wonder by the Eiffel Tower. The quality of life had evolved with the discovery of exotic foods, the discovery of the benefits of changing potato seed, the use of fertilisers and lime, even the drinking of wine on weekdays. Around 1900 celebrations increased in number; festivals of the railway stations became very big. It was also the epoch of evening gatherings. The hardships of working life had diminished thanks to the mechanical mower, the reaper, and lastly the threshing machine. A few years later came wooden-rimmed bicycles and then the first car.

Pierre Duranthon was re-elected Mayor in 1892, with Firmin Meunier as adjoint. He had to resign in 1893 having lost his son, a vet of 29 years. He died from illness 22nd February 1894. Claude Guillot replaced him. Pierre Duranthon had carried out many public works costing 6,000 F and inaugurated the new cemetery 29th December 1892 at 10am.

The year 1900, however was marred by the violent hailstorm of 2nd July. During the extraordinary meeting of 8th July 1900, the Council estimates the damage as at least 200,000F, claims aid for the most needy and draws up a list of 60 disaster victims in need of help. The areas to the south and west were hardest hit. In 1894 foot-and-mouth disease was widespread. At the end of 1902 there were some cases of rabies in Lapeyrouse and in neighbouring communes (mayor's decree of 4th January 1903).

MUNICIPAL LIFE

After the building of the school, the attention of the council turned towards the creation of a 4th fair "considering that at the fair of 17th January there arrived an enormous quantity of pigs and it would be more in the interests of agriculture to create a 4th fair to avoid disorder and above all to facilitate the sale of animals…", the installation of a weighbridge in the upper square (cost 2,300 F) then its transfer to the bottom of Le Bourg (cost 450 F), the renovation of the school (9 years after its construction), the displacement of the cemetery, the transport of the rubble from the old cemetery and its transformation into a public square. The council several times demands the construction of a road to Durmignat, preferring the route past Les Partiers and the Station, to that of Le Bourg, La Torne, and Les Brandes. "Given that at Lapeyrouse there is a large railway station, there is an argument for linking Durmignat to this station…"

A request was made for a road from Le Monteix to Le bas du Four. A decrease in the contribution towards the maintenance of the secondary roads between villages was called for, because since the opening of the railway station, traffic was carried by rail and the roads had much less use. However, the road from Echassières was in a deplorable state due to the heavy loads carried on it, and the council asked the kaolin mines to pay 9/10 of the cost of maintenance. (The carters used vast wagons pulled by several horses to reach the station, which eventually created deep ruts; the kaolin mine belonged at that time to the Dubousset family). The council rejects the proposal of the creation of a mixed school at Le Créchol and at Les Chemins (due to the lack of funds). The 5th January 1908, a favourable decision is given to the Mayor of Beaune who wants to build a railway station at Le Bas du Four.

The council often intervened in favour of conscripts, declaring them family breadwinners. The drawing of lots instituted by the law of 1872 existed up until 1905. Good numbers reduced service to one year, other numbers 5 years; teachers, members of the clergy and breadwinners were exempted; students who enlisted before they were called up served only one year on payment of 1,500 F. Up until 1889 one could obtain a total exoneration, then, after 1889, a partial exoneration, active service being reduced to 3 years, then to 2 years in 1905 and put back up to 3 years in 1913.

The council also often intervened in the form of aid to the unfortunate, to women in confinement (there was no social security!), to widows etc. The 6th June 1910 Madame Alajouanine was granted the Station bookshop, her husband having been killed at Montluçon. The council requested and was granted the installation of a telephone at the Post Office and a letter box at Peuchot (6th February 1910).

A relative tranquillity reigned from about 1900 and lasted until after 1910. But anxiety began to grow after Agadir (1911) and the return of the law of the 3 years of military service. Still, one didn't believe….

Even after Sarajevo, there was still hope at the end of July 1914 when there arrived the alarming news of the Austrian declaration of war against Serbia (28th July) then the assassination of Jaurés (31st July), the news of which was learnt the next day at the same time as that of the German ultimatum.

The harvest was looking promising, the wheat crop good…

The 3rd August the bells rang out the alarm signal….

LAPEYROUSE AND THE GREAT WAR

The first moments of stupor over, it was with much patriotism that mobilisation took place. Cries of "TO BERLIN" rang out continuously. The "8 chevaux, 40 hommes" (8 horses, 40 men=name given to cattle wagons during the Great War) were taken by storm. The men arrived from all around to take the train at Lapeyrouse; they didn't delay; they slept all over the platforms; they rushed to leave.

The War: The Revenge, it would all be over in 6 months! In the spring they'd be back, victorious! They didn't even suspect what would really happen: Lapeyrouse would lose 43 of its sons (against 3 in 1870-71). Out of this total, 13 deaths were never recorded at the Mairie. Their names were: SAMY Pierre, BRUNAT Louis, MELOUX Henri, GAUVIN Claude, RIVIERE-BIDAUD, OLIVIER Gilbert, MICHARD Jules, LEPEIX Adolphe, PICANDET Alfred, MANDET Jean, MELOUX Louis, MOSNIER Alfred, FERRANDON Pierre, most of who were certainly lost without trace.

Out of the 30 deaths whose official notification reached the Mairie (after investigation and judgement) one counts 5 in 1914, 13 in 1915, 5 in 1916, 3 in 1917, and 4 in 1918.

THE FIVE DEATHS IN 1914

The hamlet of La Villatte, so cruelly hit (4 deaths during the war) had the distinction of having the 3 first deaths in the commune, that is:
1 - MICHEL Léon, Pierre, bachelor, born 9th August 1892 (16th Infantry Regiment) died at Sarrebourg 20th August, 1914
2 - MICHEL Lucien, bachelor born 26th July 1893 (16th Infantry Regiment) died at Xafevillers 25th August 1914
3 - RIVIERE, Honoré, Fréjus, (of the 105th) died at the farm of Confrécourt, in the region of Fontenoy (Aisne) 13th Septembre 1914
4 - At Fontenoy also, 20th September, died MARTIN, Alexandre, Frédéric, husband of SAVY, Marie-Louise (he was born 15th August 1883)
5 - GUILHOT Adolphe, died 25th December, 1914 (Christmas Day) at the woods of St-Mard (Oise) bachelor, born 30th March, 1894

THE THIRTEEN DEATHS RECORDED IN 1915

1 - MELOUX Léon, Jean, born 31st December 1894, died at Moosch (Haute Alsace) 14th March, 1915
2 - PAUQUET Mathieu, husband of BUVAT, died in the hospital of Commercy, 19th March, 1915 (he was born at Beaune 29th April, 1881)
3 - MICHEL Fernand, Pierre, soldier in the 152nd Infantry Regiment, son of Louis and Hélène PHILIPPON died at Moosch (Haut Alsace) 21st April 1915 (he was born 15th April 1894)
4 - LAFANACHERE Théophile, Alphonse, born 17th February 1883, died 24th June 1915 at Rambucourt (Meuse)
5 - PIRON Ernest, Eugenie, born at Commentry, 23rd October 1894, died 14 July 1915, at Louchy (Pas-de-Calais)
6 - CHIROULET Albert, born at La Celle, 2nd January 1884, married, inhabitant of Le Créchol, died at Metzgeral (Haut-Rhin) 21st July 1915
7 - LAPORTE François, Alphonse, born 24th May, 1880, husband of LAPORTE Maria, died at Lingekopf 10th September 1915 (14th Fighting Battalion)
8 - LAPORTE Alexis, Michel, born 18th March, 1885, died at Mareuil (Pas-de-Calais) 25th September 1915
9 - MARTIN Edmond, born 23rd June 1886, bachelor, 2nd Zouaves Regiment, died 27th September, 1915 at St Hilaire Le Grand (Marne)
10 - AUDINAT Albert, Frédéric, Léon, born 2nd November 1895, died at Tahure, 27th September 1915
11 - JEAMBRUN Georges, Marcel, (42nd Infantry Regiment) disappeared between 25th and 29th September 1915 at Sovain, discovered 4th October 1915 on the battlefield of Champagne (born at Vernusse, 24th October, 1894)
12 - CHEVILLE Marcel, Corporal, born 13th March, 1895, died 1st October, 1915 at Pontavert (Aisne)
13 - GUILHOT Julien, Albert, born 6th November 1891, died 6th October 1915 at Rethel (Aisne)

Thus 1915 saw a record number of deaths in different sectors of the front and in the course of the tough battles of the Vosges (Linge, "Vieil Armand), Artois, Aisne and Champagne.

The 5 soldiers recorded in 1916 met their deaths in the sector of Verdun and on the Somme.

At the beginning of the Battle of Verdun, GUILLOT Albert met his death, at Les Bois des Fosses, 24th February 1916. He was born 4th September, 1885.

The 30th May it was the turn of BELLOT Albert, born at Echassières the 25th July, 1896, whose parents were at the railway at Lapeyrouse. He was killed by a shell explosion 2kms to the North East of Proyard (Somme)

The 2nd June, MANSAT Louis, born at St-Eloy-les-Mines, 30th March 1895, met his death at Vaux-Chapitre in the ultimate fighting before the fall of Le Fort.

TAUVERON Aimé, Jean, born 28th November 1889, was killed at Clery (Somme) 26th August, 1916.

Then Corporal BIDET Pierre, born at La Celle 16th January 1881, died 30th September 1916 on the battlefield of Berny-en-Santerre (Somme).

The 27th April, 1917, CHARVILLAT Louis, died at Cugny (Aisne). He was born 31st December 1893.

Then Paul Antoine, Alexandre, Sergeant, died in the entrails of Malzeville at Avocourt , (not far from the road Cote 304 )1st August 1917. He was born at St-Sulpice, near Bourg-Lastic 30th March, 1886.
DURANTHON Gilbert, Eugène, born 5th November 1873, died in an ambulance at Vauxbrun, in the region of Soissons (Aisne).

Four more deaths are recorded in 1918.

-CAILLOT Jean, Jules, born 12th January, 1880, died 28th May 1918 at Crugny.
-MARTIN Elie, Théophile, Corporal, born 22nd May, 1898, killed 17th July 1918 at Chêne-la-Reine (Marne) (second battle of La Marne).
-GUILLOT Marcel, Victor, born 4th January, 1894, died 6th October 1918 at the hospital at Savonnières-Devant-Bar (Meuse)
-ROBERT Alfred, born 17th April, 1891, died at Le Bois des Caures (Meuse, North East of Verdun) 11th October 1918 at 10am (Croix de Guerre 12th Infantry Regiment).

The records were often drawn up after very long enquiries among prisoners in Germany, or even during the hostilities by diplomatic means (Switzerland). The last five were recorded in 1922, after enquiries were made among comrades and witnesses.

Lapeyrouse found itself exhausted, undermined, with a disastrous demography: not a single marriage between July 1914 and 31st December 1914.

-1915: 0 marriages

-1916: 4 marriages:

BUVAT Jean-Bte and GIOLAT Marie, 20th May

MICHEL Hippolyte and BRUNAT Eveline Augustine 26th June

MOSNIER Joseph and LAURENT Marie, 2nd May

SAUVANNET Henri et PERRIN Marie-Louise 24th April

-1917 : 0 marriages, 1 divorce.

-1918 : 2 marriages :

AUCLAIR Ferdinand and DURANTHON Marie-Louise, 22nd March

TOURRET Gilbert Alexandre and JANTHON Louise 2nd April

As for births, from 30 in 1914, the number fell to 16 in 1915, 6 in 1916, 9 in 1917, 7 in
1918 and 14 in 1919.

From the 1,530 inhabitants at the 1912 census, the population fell to 1,300 inhabitants in 1920.

MUNICIPAL LIFE DURING THE WAR

At the close of the 1912 elections, the council of 16 members had elected mayor DUJON François, husband of ROCHET, giving him the benefit of age, after three rounds resulted each time in eight votes to eight for Monsieur SAVY. The deputy mayor, elected in the same conditions, was MICHEL Antoine against Monsieur TOURNEAUX.

Monsieur DUJON, aged 61 in 1914, was not mobilized. He had a son, born 11th May, 1914, who died at four days of age. He succeeded BRUN Félix on 4th November 1912. He had to make a bye-law banning the movement of dogs because of rabies.

ROUDAIRE and MARTIN were mobilised right at the beginning ; then TOURNEAUX, BUVAT, DURANTHON and FAYOL Sulpice, making 6 counsellors out of 16.

In an extraordinary session on the 9th August, the council drew up a list of needy families (families of men in action with children) and gave the power to the Mairie to tax essential items; then the council accepted all the demands for military allowances of all sorts and voted for aid for the refugees at Le Bourg.

The 15th June, 1915, the council asked Monsieur le Préfet for military labour for the haymaking and harvests.

On the 7th November, 1915 the opening hours of the Post Office were fixed at 7am to midday and 2pm to 7pm, shutting at 11am on Sundays.

Black bread was taxed at 36 centimes a kilo, white at 49 centimes.

Sugar was sold at 1,80 F instead of 1,70 F (rationed to 250g per family) from May 1917 it was distributed by the Mairie. Instead of the normal 975 kgs, there was only 135 kgs in January 1917, 200 in February, 425 in March, making a total of 870 kgs, instead of 3,700kgs.

In 1917, 46 tonnes of coal was used for the threshing (for 150 days of threshing), while the commune only received 25 tonnes.

Meeting of 16th December, 1917: the council, in view of the lateness of the requisition of the wheat, (400 quintals), declares impossible the delivery of 224 quintals, having already delivered 176 quintals.

There were no municipal elections in 1916 for obvious reasons.

The 2nd February 1918, from 9.30pm to 11pm, a series of explosions terrified the population. The sky was glowing red beyond Montmarault; the gunpowder factory at Moulins had exploded. The shock waves caused ceilings to collapse as far away as Ebreuil.

The 17th February 1918, the council voted in an aid to refugees.

Following a note from the military quartermaster of 30th June 1918, the Mairie (decree of 21st July 1918) requisitioned the entire fodder crop, deducting food needed for the animals. That being:

-for the horses; 30 quintals for the year
-for the cattle; 24 quintals for the year
-for the sheep; 6 quintals for the year

The 1st September, petrol is taxed at 0,90 F the litre.

At the next meeting, 17th November, it was the euphoria of the Victory: the festivities that had greeted the Armistice were still going on. The council voted a sum of 100 F to distribute in the five inns of Le Bourg.

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