From traditional know‐how to technical skill. The process of training and of professionalization in the Belgian coalmining industry, 1700–1850

Abstract

Ever since the end of the Middle Ages, coal‐mining had built the reputation of the region of Liège. No technical educational institution existed however: coal‐mining training was performed through apprenticeship and tradition. In the Liégeois coalfield, a special court of justice (the “Cour des Voir‐jurés du charbonnage") played, until 1795, a crucial role in maintaining technical tradition. Will the annexation of the Belgian territories by the French Republic, the old customary laws regarding coal‐mining were abolished and replaced by the laws of 1791 and 1810. According to these, a special body of experts (the Conseil des mines de la République) was created to supervice and improve coalmining. French engineers were primarily oriented towards German coal‐mining experience. Until 1814 Paris was the place where one could receive a technical education with the most up‐to‐date techniques. However when the Napoleonic empire collapsed the network formed by the mining administration broke down completely in the Belgian departments. After a long debate an Ecole des mines de Liège was founded in 1825 and was attached to the University. The French model of training prevailed. In 1836, after the Belgian revolution, the Ecole des mines was reorganised. It was renamed the Ecole des arts et manufactures et des mines and and annexed to the Faculty of Sciences. French influence remained preponderant though the French graduate engineers themselves conveyed the technical knowledge of Germany and, to a lesser extent, that of England as well. The study of the creation of an educational mining institution in Belgium illustrates the impact of French legislation which pushed forward the professionalization of the mining engineers.