These historical documents belonged to Frans Beirens (1895-1991), who was a rural police officer in Mere from 1924 to 1953/1954. The 13 pocket notebooks date from the periods 1926-1933 and 1947-1953.
Rural police officers, also known as champetters, were municipal officials under the mayor's authority. They supervised public order, enforced local regulations, acted as municipal messengers, and were a trusted point of contact for residents. In their official pocket notebooks, they meticulously recorded their daily activities, movements, findings, and contacts, offering a unique insight into the daily life of the village.
The notebooks came to the Erpe-Mere Heritage Circle via Frans Beirens' granddaughter, after being carefully preserved for years by his son, Robert Beirens. The circle deemed these official documents, pertaining to a municipal official in service, to belong in the municipal archive and contacted the local administration for the transfer.
Such donations are rare and represent a great asset to the municipal archive, serving as a valuable resource for researchers and interested residents. The heritage circle is thanked for this donation.
The notebooks will be stored in the archive according to best practices and can be viewed by appointment in the archive's reading room via the municipality's website.
