François Charles De Latour

François Charles De Latour was born in Ghent on 28 april 1846 and died in Brussels on 17 april 1903. He is the third and last son of Léopold Charles De Latour, trader from Mons and Joanna Maria Veerdam, annuitant from Ghent.

He completed his secondary studies at a Jesuit college in Ghent and then began, in 1866, studies at the Faculty of Law at the University of Ghent.

Graduated in 1870, he practiced as a lawyer in Ghent until he joined the Ministry of Justice. The start of his career is difficult to rebuild. In 1876 he is listed as part of the second directorate of the Ministry of Justice, that is to say Prisons and Public Security and, more particularly, of the second section which only concerns Public Security. office manager, probably since 1874, he is promoted, in 1881, to the position of head of division in a personal capacity. In 1887, he is promoted to director. Finally, in 1890, he is appointed to the position of Director General of Prisons and Public Security. From 1896, he combines his functions as administrator with those of secretary general of the Ministry of Justice ; functions he held until his death in 1903.

François De Latour does not marry and has no children. His only immediate family consists of his brother Benoît Joseph De Latour. This one was born on 25 march 1844 and died on 28 october 1911. Benedict, his, gets married and has a son. Benoît also works at the Ministry of Justice, to the general management of charitable establishments (which then became the fourth General Directorate of Charity). He was deputy office manager there until 1884. He was then office manager until his appointment to the position of division head., that he takes care of 1887 to 1889. He was appointed to the position of director of 1890 to 1895, and finally general director of 1896 to 1911. He retires in April 1911 and receives the honorary title of his functions.

Sources:

• Official Royal Almanac published since 1840 in execution of a royal decree of 14 october 1839, years 1876-1886, 1895-1904.
• Civil status registers (birth and marriage certificates) and population registers 1841-1871, Archives of the municipality of Ghent.
• Ghent University registration records, 1866-1867, 1868-1869, 1869-1870, Ghent University Archives.
• The Twentieth Century, 18-21 april 1903.
• Belgian independence, 1874-1903.
• Brussels Journal, 27 april 1911.

Danitza Thiry

Notice written as part of the Seminar on the History of the Contemporary Period of the Catholic University of Louvain (LHIST2280, teacher Emmanuel Debruyne).