On September 3, 1864, the island’s only newspaper ‘The St.Lucian’ carried the following news item: . e. “Mr. H. Minvielle arrived by the last packet (R.M.S.C. ‘Conway’) from England with a small portion of his light goods for the new firm. The goods having been selected by himself in London and Paris, there is no doubt that they will prove suitable to our market On Sunday September 4, the premises were blessed by the French Parish Priest l’Abbe Lecailtel, and opened to business on Monday 5th.

The firm of Minvielle & Chastanet evolved from an earlier business partnership named DuBoulay, Minvielle & Co. Having bought over DuBouay’s shares, Henry Minvielle then went into partnership with Charles Chastanet: and so began the partnership of Minvielle & Chastanet, now popularly known as “M&C” situated as always on Bridge Street, the main thoroughfare through the City of Castries.

Minvielle & Chastanet (M&C) began as a partnership between Henry Minvielle and Charles Chastanet in 1864. During the first 20 years the areas of business included dry goods, wines, shipping and insurance. Over the years the company expanded into the Coal Trade, the Automotive Industry, Cigarette manufacturing and the Shrimp Industry. The company, even after the deaths of its founding fathers, remained a family owned business until 1973.

Owner of Banana Plantation Beausejour and Sugar Business in Soufriere and co-owner (with Charles Chastanet) of the trading house Minville and Chastanet in Castries, (currently the largest trading house in St Lucia, headed in 1990 by Henry's great-grandson Joseph Devaux); Consular Agent for France in St Lucia (patent 6/3/1869)

propriétaire de l'habitation sucrerie Beauséjour à la Soufrière et co-propriétaire (avec Charles CHASTANET) de la maison de commerce Minvielle et Chastanet à Castries (actuellement la maison de commerce la plus importa nte de Ste-Lucie, que dirigeait en 1990 son arrière-petit-fils Joseph Devaux); agent consulaire de France à Sainte- Lucie (brevet du 3 6 1869)

___________________________ Henry Eustache Sainte-Croix d'Etcheparre de Minvielle was born in Soufrière on 20 September 1833.

He was mainly a trader in Castries, but also a sugar planter at the Soufrière. He first teamed up with a Sieur Cornibert du Boulay, and then formed, with Charles Chastanet, the still-existing Minvielle-Chastanet trading house.

The two associates bought in 1873 from Charles Giraudy, the land of the Marquis, in the Dauphin district; but after the death of Henry de Minvielle his share was sold to Charles Chastanet, who thus became the sole owner. He also became the sole owner of Minvielle- Chastanet.

On 26 April 1862 Henry de Minvielle acquired from his mother the Beauséjour (Beau Séjour) at Soufrière sugar factory. He also became the owner of an old uncultivated dwelling located in the heights of the Choiseul district, known as Chervaux (named after a former owner). He was making his main residence at Chesterfield House, then outside the town of Castries.

On 3 June 1869 Henry de Minvielle became consular agent of France in Saint Lucia by patent of the consul of the consul General of France in London, under a special authorization of Napoleon III's Foreign Minister, dated November 9, 1868. ____________________ Henry de Minvielle died in St. Lucia on July 29, 1886. He had been married twice. He married Marie Louise Félicité Camille Cornibert du Boulay (daughter of Auguste Belisle Cornibert du Boulay and Marie Marthe Maturine Becker) at Soufrière on 2 February 1870.

and Henry de Minvielle remarried at the Soufrière on January 27, 1875, with Marie Thérese Isabelle de Gaillard de Laubenque (daughter of Charles Honoré Marie de Gaillard de Laubenque and Sophie Léontine Cavalier).

Aftermath of Castries 1948 fire. *Photo credit: caribbeanpeoples.wordpress.com

Aftermath of Castries 1948 fire. *Photo credit: caribbeanpeoples.wordpress.com

Did you know that no small island in the Caribbean has suffered more from fires than St. Lucia in particular its capital Castries?

In 1796 Castries was razed to the ground and all official and private documents were destroyed. On that occasion it was said to have been set on fire deliberately during a military engagement between the English and the French.

Then 17 years later, in 1813 Castries suffered heavy loss by fire when most of the town was destroyed again. What was left was finished destroyed by a cyclone in 1817.

In the twentieth century, in 1927 and 1948, two major disastrous fires wiped out substantial portions of the town, while comparatively large fires occurred in 1951, 1959 and 1960. A large number of houses on the eastern side of the Chaussee known as Fonds le Grand were destroyed in 1951. In 1959, the St. Joseph’s Covent, the Convent School, the Chapel as well as five dwelling houses went up in flames.

In 1960. Messrs. Minvielle & Chastanet Ltd, the largest department store in Castries was partially destroyed.

Soufriere was the victim of a disastrous fire on June 09, 1955 and over 2000 people were rendered homeless and there was a considerable loss of property.

Did you know on April 01, 1916, the Castries Fire Brigade Station was completely destroyed by fire?