- Hazebrouck
Hazebrouck is a commune of the Nord "département", in northern
France . Population (1999): 21,396. Land area: 26.20 km² (10.116 sq mi).Hazebrouck in Flanders was a small market town before it became an important railway junction in the 1860s.Flemish was the usual popular language used in the town until 1880. In those days French was learnt at school and became spoken thanks to the development of the railways which links Hazebrouck to
Lille toCalais andDunkirk .*Its town hall was built in the 19th century and the oldest monument of the town is St Eloi's church. During the two world wars Hazebrouck was an important military target. Many British soldiers are buried in the cemeteries around the town. In the town Museum which originally was a Chapel and a Friary of the Augustines, visitors can see the Hazebrouck's giants - Roland, Tijse-Tajse, Toria and Babe-Tajse, a collection of Flemish and French paintings and a traditional Flemish kitchen.
*A private Chapel which is now part of [http://www.college.stjacques-hazebrouck.fr/ College Saint-Jacques] can now be visited. This old College was an [http://hazebrouck.histo-nord.com/hazebrouck_history.htm English hospital] during the first world war and a twinning is still active in 2008 with Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School,
Faversham (Kent). School exchanges take place every year and are very beneficial to all who attend.External links
* [http://www.ville-hazebrouck.fr/ Official town website] (in French)
* [http://hazebrouck.histo-nord.com/hazebrouck_history.htm History of St Francis of Assisi college 1854-1973] (in English)
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