Pierre David (mayor)
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Pierre David | |
|---|---|
| Burgomaster (mayor) of Verviers | |
| In office 1830 – 30 June 1839 | |
| Maire (mayor) of Verviers | |
| In office 4 July 1800 – 21 September 1808 | |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Toussaint Rutten |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 January 1771 |
| Died | 30 June 1839 (aged 68) |
Pierre David (9 January 1771 – 30 June 1839) was a Belgian civic official who was mayor of Verviers under French rule from 1800 to 1808; and after Belgian independence, from 1830 until his death. David's family were cloth-makers and he ran a weaving factory. He became involved in local government after serving as an officer in the city's police force. David, a Francophile and Republican, was appointed mayor of the city after the French annexation of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. He resigned in 1808 after disagreeing with one of the Emperor Napoleon's decrees but remained involved in the running of the city. When Verviers was incorporated into the United Netherlands, David secured a seat on the city's Regency Council. During the 1830 Belgian Revolution, David supported independence for Belgium as a republic, but when this proved unachievable, he instead voted for union with France. David was subsequently appointed the first mayor of Verviers within the independent Kingdom of Belgium, holding this position until his death.
David was responsible for establishing the city's first fire brigade and creating a new cemetery to replace its inner-city burial ground. He also supported low-cost housing for workers, and established a secondary school and several charitable organisations. David played a key role in constructing the city's second river crossing and also planted numerous lime trees. After his death, he was memorialised in a fountain in the city centre, in which his heart was entombed. Several busts of David survive in the city and some of its streets are named after him.
Pierre David was born on 9 January 1771 to Pierre David and Catherine-Joseph Jacob David.[1][2] The David family was involved in cloth manufacture and the junior Pierre David maintained a factory with 26 looms that employed 20 workers. His brother Jean-Nicolas David maintained a factory at Lambermont, west of Verviers, that had 140 looms and 200 workers.[2] Pierre David was noted for his loyalty during the 1789 Liège Revolution, in which rebels overthrew the Prince-Bishopric of Liège and established the Republic of Liège. After Austrian troops restored Prince Bishop César-Constantin-François de Hoensbroeck to the throne David was appointed by him as a second lieutenant in the Verviers police force.[3][4] David was sworn in on 20 February 1792, at the same time as Jean-Nicolas who was appointed adjutant; they were assigned particular responsibility for the Brassine (brewery) district.[3]
Civic official
Liège was annexed by the French First Republic in 1795 and Verviers became part of the Ourthe department of France.[5] David, a Francophile and supporter of the French Revolution, was appointed a municipal officer by the French authorities on 20 April 1799 and became maire (mayor) on 4 July 1800.[6][4] David established a fire brigade in Verviers in 1802 and in 1808 supported the construction of low-cost housing for workers.[7][6] After the establishment of the First French Empire decrees from Emperor Napoleon limited the freedom allowed to David as mayor. On 21 September 1808, he resigned the position. Succeeded by Jean-Toussaint Rutten, David remained a key adviser with a significant role in the management of the city.[4]
Verviers was captured by forces of the Sixth Coalition on 5 February 1814, as part of the campaign in north-east France. David was appointed by the coalition as a member of their commission d'arrondissement (council) for the area.[4] The post-war Congress of Vienna, which concluded in 1815, stipulated that Belgium was to be incorporated into the new Kingdom of the Netherlands. Verviers was then governed by a Regency Council and David secured a seat on this body.[8] In 1817 David closed the old church cemetery in the city and established a new cemetery on the outskirts.[8] In 1830 Belgium began a revolution against Dutch rule. David, a supporter of the Belgian cause, was a member of the Commission of Public Safety. He was also a member of the National Congress; he was one of nine members who voted for the establishment of a Belgian republic and later voted for Belgium to be annexed to France.[8] David was appointed the first burgomaster (mayor) of Verviers under the Kingdom of Belgium in 1830.[8]
David played a key role in stabilising the city in the aftermath of the revolution, during which it had been damaged.[6][9] He led a campaign to build a second bridge across the Vesdre, laying the foundation stone on 9 May 1832. The following year David received the royal visit of King Leopold I and his new Queen Louise-Marie.[7] David survived local government reforms in 1836, securing re-election as a city councillor and being reappointed as mayor by Royal decree.[8] During his time in office he established a secondary school as well as a number of charitable organisations and planted 53 lime (Tilia spp.) trees on the Promenade des Récollets to provide shade.[7][9]
