245 - Léopold POUPLIER (1847 - 1898) [1]

Léopold POUPLIER was an industriel living in Luxembourg-Hollerich. He was born in Verviers (Belgium) in 1847 and must have resided in Bochum around 1870 (where he had a child in 1874), before he moved in 1875 to Luxembourg.

On 7 August 1879 POUPLIER applied for a 5-year patent for a

Matière liquide propre à empêcher la formation d’incrustations des chaudières à vapeur, des tuyères de hauts fourneaux et en général de tous vases clos renfermant de l’eau calcaire et exposés à l’action du feu

The corresponding administrative file is no longer available to determine the fate of the application. The Mémorial does not mention any granted patent either under the 1817 regime or under the 1880 regime.

A publication of 1905 describes the « Désincrustant Léopold Pouplier » as matière onctueuse fétide, ressemblant à la terre à foulon; odeur pénétrante rappelant celle des huiles minérales impures ... [2]

In another publication of 1905 Pouplier's product is listed under: Geheimmittel welche zur Verhütung und Beseitigung von Kesselstein dienen sollen. [3]

These publications show that POUPLIER managed to market his novel product beyond the Grand-Duchy.

Besides selling his product for coating the inside of heated vessels and tubing, POUPLIER also sold coatings for their outside to reduce heat loss.

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POUPLIER took part in a number of exhibitions:

1880 Foire agricole et horticole Ettelbruck, médaille de bronze for "enduits chimiques"

1885 Exposition universelle d'Anvers, prix d’honneur

1888 Exposition de Bruxelles, médaille d’or for "produit calorifuge"

1889 Exposition universelle de Bruxelles

The local press reported additional events that affected the family:

In 1893 POUPLIER's house and atelier burnt down completely in Muhlenweg (damage of 15.000 fr, the family probably moved at the time to rue Wallis) [4] and in 1895 son Charles Léopold's stuttering problem was successfully treated.

POUPLIER died in 1898 and his wife Elisabeth MAGNIÉE carried on the business to transfer it later to the eldest son Charles Léopold.

In 1912 Charles transferred the business from the Gare to rue de l’Arsenal.

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Charles died in 1919 in Brussels.

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[1] FamilySearch database

[2] Bulletin de la Société industrielle de Mulhouse, 1883, Volume 53, pages 21 - ???

[3] Eckermann G, 1905, Berichte über Geheimmittel, welche zur Verhütung und Beseitigung von Kesselstein dienen sollen: mit einer Einleitung über Kesselspeisewasser und dessen Reinigung