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Restoration of Gembloux's 1830 flag of honour
It was on 27 September 1832, on the Royale square in Brussels, that Belgium's first king, Léopold solemnly donated a flag of honour to the hundreds of towns and municipalities that contributed the most to the success of the 1830 Revolution. Seven localities in Namur Province were deemed to be worthy of distinction, including Gembloux[1].
During the 19th century and up until the First World War, our flag of honour figured prominently during our patriotic demonstrations. In 1914 it disappeared from view for the first time only to re-emerge in 1930 during the festivities to mark the 100th anniversary of Independence. And then it disappeared from sight once more, stored away in the cellars of the old town hall, after which it made a brief appearance in the municipal council room only to end up in storage in an attic. Until one day in the late 1970s, when the combined efforts of the municipal authority, the "Art and History" association and the CGER (General Savings and Retirement Funds) managed to rescue it and have it placed in a window.
However, the flag was seriously affected by its exposure to damp and light so it was in a fairly poor condition by the end of the 20th century.
Gembloux municipal council announced in February 2005 its decision to commission the Royal Art Collection Institute (IRPA) to restore the flag. Owing to the narrowness of the stairs, staff had quite a struggle removing the flag from Bailli House, on 7 April, to deliver it to the IRPA premises in the Brussels Cinquantenaire Park.
The flag of honour is now found in Bailli Castle's wedding hall.
[1] the royal ‘Art and History’ Association's bulletin n° 45 in September will feature further details about how the people of Gembloux participated in the events of 1830.
[1] Bulletin # 45, Circle Royal Art and History ', which will be released in September, will return in more detail on the participation of Gembloux events of 1830.
