Women at the Boulogne Camp, 1803-1809. Some elements for a description derived from the marriages and births records of the communes: Montreuil-sur-Mer, Étaples, Saint-Josse, Camiers, Dannes, and Widehem
Prévot, Chantal
Women at the Boulogne Camp, 1803-1809. Some elements for a description derived from the marriages and births records of the communes: Montreuil-sur-Mer, Étaples, Saint-Josse, Camiers, Dannes, and Widehem - 2019.
64
The systematic consultation of the local records of marriages and births of six communes linked to the Boulogne Camp from 1803 to 1808 provides an interesting foundation from which to study the private lives of the soldiers of the First Empire and their emotional lives. The long duration of the time spent in garrison here provides an exceptional sample. The impact on mariage and above all birth rates seems to have been (not very surprisingly) real, though beyond this the data does not offer any correlation between the names of the couples and the names of the newborns. When statistics are available, it would appear that half of the marriages were the result of relationships with women born outside the region, and the other half were marriages of circumstance with women of the region. The husbands were for the most part soldiers, men employed by the army administration, musicians or occasionally NCOs, but never officers. The majority of children were born out of wedlock, but many were recognised by the father and were given that man’s name. Unfortunately, since information is lacking concerning the women, whether wives or mothers, it is not possible to derive statistics for them.
Women at the Boulogne Camp, 1803-1809. Some elements for a description derived from the marriages and births records of the communes: Montreuil-sur-Mer, Étaples, Saint-Josse, Camiers, Dannes, and Widehem - 2019.
64
The systematic consultation of the local records of marriages and births of six communes linked to the Boulogne Camp from 1803 to 1808 provides an interesting foundation from which to study the private lives of the soldiers of the First Empire and their emotional lives. The long duration of the time spent in garrison here provides an exceptional sample. The impact on mariage and above all birth rates seems to have been (not very surprisingly) real, though beyond this the data does not offer any correlation between the names of the couples and the names of the newborns. When statistics are available, it would appear that half of the marriages were the result of relationships with women born outside the region, and the other half were marriages of circumstance with women of the region. The husbands were for the most part soldiers, men employed by the army administration, musicians or occasionally NCOs, but never officers. The majority of children were born out of wedlock, but many were recognised by the father and were given that man’s name. Unfortunately, since information is lacking concerning the women, whether wives or mothers, it is not possible to derive statistics for them.
Réseaux sociaux