La population de Roubaix : 1740-1889 : une croissance exceptionnelle
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Abstract EN:
The population of roubaix exceptionnally went up from about 7 000 inhabitants in the middle of the 18th century to 115 000 in 1891. This development is strictly linked with the economic growth which turned the old and proto-industrial borough into a big textile town, of the first rate, to eventually become the capital of wool, the "manchester francais". The population first grew slowly and naturally until 1814, then soared up in the 19th century, mainly because of migrations and finally stagnated from 1896 to the 1st world war. Such growth, superior to any other that occurred in the towns in the french departement: nord, and quite extraordinary when compared with the rest of france, can only be likened to that of some european cities. This very important population growth resulted from an increase in migrations. The maps of the recruiting areas, which had extended during the 19th century, show how important the number of men and women coming from northern ij-ance and northern belgium was. In 1886 as many as 54% of the whole population in roubaix were belgians. A research into the causes of migrations shows the essential, though not exclusive, role played by the economy. The geographic situation together with family traditions, political and cultural factors also acount for the migrations to roubaix. The demographic study reveals, unusual demographic attitudes which are not to be found elsewhere in france in the 19th century. People were very much attached to marriage although the number of unmarried couples was on the increase in the late 19th century and the fertility-rate remained very high until the beginning of the 3rd republic while the death-rate, higher than the french average, dropped tardily. Such important migration flows led us to study the relationship between the different communities. Apart some tensions in periods of economic crises, it is note worthy that mixed marriages did occur and that many migrant families, some of them went as far as to opt for the french nationality, settled down in the area. By the end of the 19th century, the integration of the belgians was a reality.
Abstract FR:
La population de roubaix a connu une croissance exceptionnelle passant d'environ 7000 habitants au milieu du xviiie siecle a 115 000 habitants environ, en 1891. Cet essor est directement lie au developpement economique qui fit de roubaix, ancien bourg proto-industriel, un centre textile de tout premier rang, capitale de la laine, le "manchester francais". Apres une progression lente due plutot a l'accroissement naturel jusque 1814, la population roubaisienne profita d'un accroissement rapide (nourri surtout par l'immigration) avant de connaitre une certaine stagnation a la fin du xixe siecle. Cette croissance demographique superieure a celle des villes du nord, extraordinaire comparee a l'espace francais, rapproche roubaix de certaines villes europeennes. La ' fulgurante progression de la population roubaisienne resulta, surtout au xixe siecle, de l'immigration. La representation du bassin demographique qui s'etendit au long du siecle fait ressortir une predominance des hommes et des femmes originaires du nord de la france et du nord de la belgique (les flandres en particulier). L'etude des mobiles de migration revele la part essentielle mais non exclusive de l'economie, en effet, les conditions geographiques, les traditions familiales, les facteurs politiques et culturels contribuent egalement a expliquer l'importance des flux migratoires vers roubaix. L'etude demographique montre des comportements singuliers par rapport a l'espace francais : un fort attachement au mariage malgre la progression du concubinage, une fecondite elevee jusqu'au debut de la iiie republique et une mortalite, bien ! superieure a la moyenne francaise, qui recula tardivement. L'importance des populations immigrees impliquait d'aborder enfin les rapports entre les differentes communautes ; au-dela des tensions qui se manifesterent par un rejet de l'autre lors des periodes de difficultes economiques, il faut cependant remarquer le poids des mariages "mixtes" et l'enracinement de nombre de familles immigrees dont certains membres opterent d'ailleurs pour la nationalite francaise. A la fin du xixe siecle, l'integration etait reelle.