Marguerite Massart facts for kids

Marguerite Massart (1900–1979) was a pioneering Belgian engineer. She made history by becoming the first woman to graduate as an engineer in Belgium. Later in her life, she successfully ran her own business in Ghent. She also played a key role in bringing new technologies like water desalination and early solar panels to the first hotel on Sal Island in Cape Verde.

Early Life and Education

Marguerite Massart was born in Brussels, Belgium, on September 19, 1900. Her mother managed a business that supplied copper tools in the city. Her father, Arthur Massart, worked as the Belgian representative for a French metal company.

Marguerite showed a strong interest in science and math during her school years. She chose to attend the Lycée Dachsbeck in Brussels, a school known for its focus on mathematics. In 1918, she enrolled at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). Her older brother, Arsene, had studied there before her, which helped her path into the university.

In 1922, Marguerite graduated with a degree in civil engineering. This achievement made her the very first woman to become a qualified engineer in Belgium. Her accomplishment was even reported in newspapers around the world! The next year, she earned another degree, this time in electrical engineering, from the Ecole Montefiore-Levi in Liège.

Becoming a Professional Engineer

After finishing her studies, Marguerite Massart quickly joined the Association des Ingenieurs de Bruxelles (AIBr). This group was made up of engineers who had graduated from the Université Libre de Bruxelles. By 1925, she became the general secretary of the organization. She stayed connected with the AIBr throughout her life, even donating large amounts of money to help others, especially during the Second World War.

Marguerite also found a job at a Patent Agent's Office in Brussels. Here, part of her work involved writing detailed descriptions for new inventions.

In April 1924, Massart traveled to Manchester to speak at the second International Conference of Women Engineers. This event was organized by the British-based Women's Engineering Society. She presented a "very clever paper" about Alternating Current Motors. In March 1925, she was elected as a member of the Women's Engineering Society, becoming their first Belgian member.

Family and Business Life in Ghent

In July 1927, Marguerite Massart married Gaspard Vynckier (1896–1972). Gaspard ran an electrical equipment business called Vynckier Frères & Co. with his brother Maurice. Their company started small in Brussels but grew very quickly once they moved to Ghent. At its busiest, the company employed 2,200 people and made all sorts of electrical items. These included switches, distribution boxes, fuses, bakelite cases, and railway equipment. It's believed that Marguerite and Gaspard met through her parents' metal supply business, as his electrical company needed copper for wiring.

After their marriage, the couple settled in Ghent. Marguerite gave birth to two sons, Georges and Lucien, who both grew up to become engineers themselves. In 1937, the family moved into a large house in Coupure Rechts, a nice area of Ghent.

While raising her young family, Marguerite also started and managed her own successful company, the Cupro Foundry. This business worked with non-ferrous metals, which are metals that do not contain iron.

She also became active in the social life of Ghent. She took an important role in the local Soroptimists, a global women's organization. She also helped set up a local chapter of the FBFU, a Belgian group for early women graduates to support each other. Marguerite was very fond of the French language. She worked to protect its use at a time when the Belgian government was encouraging more use of the Flemish language in schools in the Flanders area. She even fought to create French-speaking classes in middle schools in Ghent. This made her quite well-known in the local newspapers.

Innovative Projects in Cape Verde

When they retired, Marguerite Massart-Vynckier and her husband traveled to warmer countries during the winter. They were looking for a climate that would be better for Marguerite's asthma. They were advised to try Cape Verde, a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, about 350 miles off the coast of Africa.

They first visited in 1963. When they returned home, the couple designed a house that could be built in pieces, shipped to Cape Verde, and put back together there. It even had its own independent energy supply! The house was built in Santa Maria between 1965 and 1966. After that, the couple spent their winters there.

They installed a small plant that could remove salt from seawater, using solar power to run the process. This is called desalination. In 1970-71, the couple also had the Santa Maria water castle built. This structure supplied clean water to the entire village for many years.

Their home eventually grew to offer lodging for long-haul airline crews. This was especially helpful for crews from South African Airways. This airline was not allowed to fly over or land in many African countries because those countries opposed apartheid (a system of racial segregation in South Africa). Cape Verde, however, allowed SAA to fly over and land, making it a key stop for the airline's flights to Europe and the United States. In 1967, Marguerite, Gaspard, and their elder son George opened Cape Verde's first resort hotel, named Morabeza.

The Vynckier family gradually expanded the air crew accommodation into a full tourist hotel. It was initially powered by alternative energy sources. The Hotel Morabeza was managed by their son George (who handled the engineering of the energy systems) and his wife Geneviève. As of 2020, the hotel is still open and is run by Marguerite's granddaughter, Sophie Vynckier Marcellesi.

Death and Legacy

Marguerite Massart's husband, Gustave Vynckier, passed away in 1972. Marguerite herself died of heart failure seven years later, on February 25, 1979, in Ghent.

A technical college in Brussels, the Institut de Mécanique et d'Électricité Marguerite Massart, is named in her honor. It teaches mechanics and electricity in French.