POTTER United Families

Living from a redemption pay (for 3.5 years) Frans de Potter from
1882 to 1891 began a series of historical descriptions of the city of
Ghent in 25 parts each of 400 to 500 pages under the name "Gent -
From the oldest time to the present" .
This work was not so much built up chronologically but
topographically. It was a walk through the ages that covered not only
historical buildings and local activities but also the working of guilds
and nations.
As Chief Clerk of the “News of the Funds” of Ghent and in 1886,
co-founder of the Belgian Flemish Academy.
He wrote an extensive masterpiece, composed of numerous books
such as “History of Flemish Literature” (1854), “Popular Country
Songs” (1861), “Ode to Jacob van Artevelde” (1863), “History of
Ghent and Courtrai” (1870), “History of Jacoba van Beieren” (1880),
and many more.
Of particular importance is his “Flemish Authors Bibliography”
(1893) and his “History of Flanders’ Communes” in 46 volumes
(1888-1995). He received an award for his “Communal Celebrations
in Flanders” (1870).
He also wrote the historical novel Robert of Valois in Ghent (1862).
He was the main founder of the famous Flemish Roman Catholic
“David Fund”, and became its first general secretary.
In 1886, he created the Flemish Academy in Ghent as an addition to
the Royal Academy in Brussels which also became the Flemish wing
of the Royal Academy in Brussels.
"The life of that gifted folk boy was an example of toughness and of unwavering
diligence”. No-one can be described more accurately, now that he is
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