Location of St Elizabeth Orphanage, Ypres- Dressing station February 1915?

[Aurel Sercu]

Bob,

Correct. I have a similar photo (taken in the Boomgaardstraat, looking south), but again it only shows part of that same towe of the Girls' orphanage..

Aurel

 

Edited 26 July , 2021 by Aurel Sercu
typo

[David_Blanchard]

Excellent, thanks again for the contributions.

 

 

David 

[Bob Davies]

23 hours ago, LDT006 said:

It has a photo of the boys orphanage:

https://westhoekverbeeldt.be/ontdek/detail/f1dadc54-bbc5-11e3-b331-2787878c0c39

But, like Aurel, I can't find anything on the girls one.

Luc.

Hi Luc, David et al,  from looking at the picture and the map, these boys are standing on the south side of the rue du Lombard. The orhanage is on the north side. The white building in the foreground left of shot could be part of the orphanage ie an entrance door. Regards, Bob.

[Bob Davies]

This picture of the same part of the rue de Lombard and the description (The name "De Lombaard" refers to the Lombards, bankers from the northern Italian kingdom of Lombardy, who specialized in credit trade in the Middle Ages. From the 15th century until the French Revolution, the Lombaard functioned as a loan bank and later as a pawnshop (1828-1868). Until before the First World War, the Orphanage School for Boys was also established in the 17th century. On 01-01-1876 the board of the Civil Almshouses leased the building to the Ministry of National Defense for a term of 9 years. The Blindeliedenstraat was then still the Rue des Aveugles as can be read on the street name sign. Note also the pushcart with water bottles.) confirms my former post. Well it does in my mind. I of course could be wrong but I am certain of what I see. https://westhoekverbeeldt.be/ontdek/detail/f1db1d90-bbc5-11e3-83c5-9ba4d5e528b2/media/77a72edd-2bc8-ae7b-c11c-8397a626649d?mode=detail&view=horizontal&q=rue de lombaard&rows=1&page=2

[LDT006]

Bob,

you beat me to it, wanted to clean my car first.....

23 minutes ago, Bob Davies said:

Until before the First World War, the Orphanage School for Boys was also established in the 17th century

The translation of that sentence is slightly different: Until the First World War it was also the location of the Orphanage School for Boys which was established in the 17th century. (Google isn't perfect)

Now this is confusing, was the school moved to this location shortly before the war? Another possibility is that the school was still at the location on the map (part of building n° 203a) where the boys went to school but that they resided at the corner building (n° 380) in the evenings and weekends.

This building looks large enough for billeting and could be the location in the war diary that Seaforths transcribed.

Luc.

Extract of the map with the approximate location of the photographer:

Note: the marking on the map "Mont de piétè" means pawnshop.

 

[Bob Davies]

10 minutes ago, LDT006 said:

you beat me to it, wanted to clean my car first.....

That made me smile, thanks for your details here Luc. What do the words north and south of your arrow mean; Voutee? and Yperlee? The pawn shop links to the picture description well, thanks, Bob.

[LDT006]

Bob,

the Yperlee was a small stream running through Ypres, access to waterways was the reason why the city was started there. Voutee means that it was running underground there.

A canal was made later where there was heavy fighting in Boesinghe and other locations. The story of John Alexander McCrae at the canal banks should ring a bell?

Luc.

[Bob Davies]

14 minutes ago, LDT006 said:

the Yperlee was a small stream running through Ypres,

Thank you Luc, that all makes scene to me know. Bob

[Aurel Sercu]

If Westhoekverbeeldt.be says:

"Tot voor de Eerste Wereldoorlog ook vestigingsplaats van de Wezenschool voor Jongens opgericht in de 17de eeuw."

then this certainly is wrong. My information (from other sources) gives several functions of the Lombaard, the building shown on the photo with the cildren, but never that it was the Boys Orphanage. On the contrary, my sources often mention: "Recht tegenover de Wezenschool voor Jongens stond "De Lombaard"."

So the orphanage certainly was on the north side of the Lombaardstraat. I think that the reason for the error is simple : the children posing on the photo are of the institution across the street.

Aurel

Edited 27 July , 2021 by Aurel Sercu
typo

[Bob Davies]

On 26/07/2021 at 19:27, Aurel Sercu said:

Correct. I have a similar photo (taken in the Boomgaardstraat, looking south), but again it only shows part of that same towe of the Girls' orphanage..

Thanks Aurel. 

 

12 hours ago, Aurel Sercu said:

So the orphanage certainly was on the north side of the Lombaardstraat. I think that the reason for the error is simple : the children posing on the photo are of the institution across the street.

Aurel

This makes complete scene, thanks Aurel.  @David_Blanchard I think some definite evidence would be needed to put the Northumbrian RE in the boys orphanage. I am not sure how destroyed the buildings are at this stage? They could well have been in another building/cellar. The Northumbrian RE is dated to 'moving in' 8th Feb and the 84th FA to the 2nd Feb. I would have thought that they would have needed separate buildings. Regards, Bob. **********This has to be edited as I have put them both in the Girls orphanage. Sorry, my mistake! However some definite evidence is still needed in my mind.

Edited 27 July , 2021 by Bob Davies
a misunderstanding of which way was up ;-)