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Marie-Thérèse de Spoelberch

Born 15 Jan 1972

3 facts1 source

Living person. The family sees only the name, dates and photo; everything else stays private unless they choose to share it.

Facts and their sources

  • Born15 Jan 1972Taken as verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 15 Jan 1972

    Born

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During her lifetime

She has lived through 6 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1970s · Marie-Thérèse is born

In the news1974

Ban on non-EEC labour immigration imposed

Following the oil crisis, the Belgian government imposed a ban on unskilled labour immigration from non-EEC countries.

Getting around

Transition from trams to buses in Brussels

During the 1950s, public transport in Brussels and other regions relied heavily on trams, but many lines were rapidly replaced by bus services, causing service frequencies to drop; for instance, waiting times increased from six or seven minutes to about twelve minutes.

Around the world1973–1974

The oil crisis

Arab oil producers cut supplies and the price of oil quadrupled; petrol queues and inflation followed around the world.

Daily life

Weekly bathing and public shower houses

Bathing was a weekly ritual, often taking place on Saturdays in an oval tub that narrowed at the feet, with the same water frequently used for the entire family. In some communities, public shower houses existed, such as one in Zaventem where a shower cost 1.50 BEF.

What people wore

Belgian boys' clothing in the 1950s-1960s

In the 1950s and early 1960s, Belgian boys frequently wore short pants until they were 12 or 13 years old, sometimes even until age 16 for school uniforms. By the 1960s, American-style casual wear like T-shirts began to gain popularity among the youth.

Music

Flamenco Socializing in Immigrant Communities

In immigrant communities, private parties often featured spontaneous singing and dancing to sevillanas and rumbas. After formal restaurant performances ended, guests sometimes held private gatherings to enjoy more authentic flamenco music.

At the table

Potatoes were the staple of daily life

In the 1950s, potatoes were a staple of the daily diet, with average consumption reaching 150 kilograms per person annually, compared to roughly 80 kilograms today. Households followed a strict meal pattern of potatoes, meat, and vegetables, often considered the holy trinity of the time.