Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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In 1891 [his father] Alfred Thompson (age 25) and [his mother] Sarah m Thompson (age 33) were married.
Around 1894 William "Willie" Thompson was born to [his father] Alfred Thompson (age 28) and [his mother] Sarah m Thompson (age 36) at Hattersley, Cheshire.
31st March 1901. Census. Higher Fold Farm, New Mills.
[his father] Alfred Thompson (age 35). Head. 35. Farmer.
[his mother] Sarah Thompson (age 43). Wife. 40.
Joe Thompson. Son. 9.
William Thompson (age 7). Son. 7.
Elizabeth Thompson. Daughter. 5. School.
2nd April 1911. Census. Little Hayfield, Derbyshire [Map].
[his father] Alfred Thompson (age 45). Head. 45. Married 20 years. Farm Labourer.
[his mother] Sarah Thompson (age 53). Wife. 53. Married 20 years.
Joe Thompson. Son. 19. Single. Paper Works Assistant.
William Thompson (age 17). Son. 17. Single. Paper Works Assistant.
Elizabeth Thompson. Daughter. 13. School.
On 1st July 1916 William "Willie" Thompson (age 22) was killed in action whilst serving with the 13th Battalion of the Yorks and Lancaster Regiment. Service Number 320506.
Hayfield War Memorial [Map]. Side 4:
Richardson Harold R,
Smith George
Thompson Willie
Towler Herbert
Wardle William
Waterhouse Fred. Second cousin of Charles Waterhouse ie same great-grandfather William Waterhouse.
Waterhouse Joe. Eldest brother of Charles Waterhouse above.
Waterhouse Willie, Wogan Edward, Woolley James S, Handford Joseph N.
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