Henri Baels

Henri Louis Baels (Ostend, 18 January, 1878 - 18 June, 1951), was a shipowner from Ostend who subsequently had a brilliant political career in the Catholic Party, in Belgium.

Background

He was the son of Julius Ludovicus Baels (18 August, 1851 - 11 November, 1896) and wife (m. Ostend, 18 January, 1876) Delphina Alexandrina Mauricx (11 June, 1848 - 24 September, 1931).

Career

He eventually became Minister of Agriculture, then Minister of the Interior, and, finally, Minister of Public Works and Public Health. He crowned his career by becoming Governor of West Flanders in 1936. A friend of King Albert I of the Belgians, and later equally trusted by Albert's son, King Leopold III of the Belgians, Henri Baels was responsible, among other important public initiatives, for the creation of the famous Albert Canal. Henri Baels was also a great friend of Dom Marie-Albert van der Cruyssen, the Abbot of the Cistercian Monastery of Orval, Belgium, and took a lead in supporting the restoration of the Monastery, a project the Abbot (who was also a highly decorated Belgian war hero of World War I) had undertaken.

Family

The ancestors of Henri Baels' wife, Anne Marie de Visscher (7 April, 1882 - 6 July, 1950), daughter of Adolphus Gustavus de Visscher (3 February, 1854 - 3 November, 1920) and wife Alicia Victoria Carolina Opsomer, included illustrious personages such as the Count Felix de Muelenaere, member of the Belgian National Congress ( which founded the Kingdom of Belgium in 1831), and three-time Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1831 and 1841.

The couple had nine children: Lilian, Princess of Réthy, Elza Baels, Susanne Baels, Ludwina Baels, Walter Baels, Hermann Baels, who married, Henry Baels and Lydia Baels, who married Jean-Jacques Cartier and had two children, Viviane Mary Cartier (b. Dorking, 22 December, 1946) and N N Cartier (b. Dorking, 26 April, 1948).