In front of a captivated assembly attentive to the shared memories, the host and writer paid tribute to his grandfather in three titles: patriarch of a large family, pioneer of scouting in Belgium and France, and talented architect and quote works still present in the urban landscape.
His speech, tinged with humor and personal anecdotes, evoked family memories, such as the theater room set up in the house, the stained glass windows bearing the image of an architect’s badge which flickered when the tram passed in front of the house. Jacques Mercier thanked the owners for preserving this precious architectural testimony and joked about the idea of opening the house to visitors every week.
That of his son Christophe, as talkative as his dad, was just as friendly.
Among the family members present, the nonagenarian Michel Fache, son of Lucien Fache and grandson of Gustave, came from Gerpinnes with his children. JI’m happy to have come, there are little cousins that I had never met until today. It would be great to organize a big family reunion. There are people coming from Jamaica, Canada… if we want to bring everyone together, we will have to plan this well in advancehe confided, pointing to the house where he was born, located opposite rue du Christ, whose frontage has completely changed.
Gwénaëlle Dekegeleer, accompanied by her sister Aurélie and their mother Isabelle Fache, also shared her emotion: I’m impressed that we’re such a big family. My grandfather, Daniel Fache, often spoke about my great-grandfather who had a great impact on him. He showed us certain houses in Mouscron and said: ‘It’s a creation by Gustave’. It’s great to hear other testimonies. It’s moving to see that the stories we heard as children are shared by so many people.
Having passed away too young, Gustave Fache left a lasting mark both on the heritage of Mouscron and within his family. Jacques Mercier recalled his spirit of adventure, evoking his years spent in Congo at the age of 21 and his role as a builder. His descendants continue to perpetuate this legacy, particularly in architecture and journalism.
The ceremony closed on a musical note, with Stéphane Mercier, son of Jacques, who performed on the saxophone emblematic scout songs such as La Promesse, La Légende du Feu, and Le Cantique des Patrouilles. The Belgian and French national anthems sounded, followed by the local song “Bé! Qu’in est fir d’êt Mouscronnos”, taken up by the public.
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