Pache Family

Pache
Pache
Etymology	Pache (Old French): 'Pact or Agreement'
Origin	Morges, Switzerland
Founder	Claude Pache (d. 1605)
Titles	Burgher (title) de Morges; Seigneurs; Coseigneurs (Lords) de Bournens; ;
Traditions	Protestantism
Motto	Dieu Y Pourvoira ("God Will Provide")

The Pache Family was a prominent Anglo-Swiss dynasty descended from the patriarch Claude Pache [d. 1605], who was originally from Ferlens, and then moved to Morges, Switzerland in the Canton of Vaud. The family held substantial properties, status and rights in both Morges and the nearby municipalities of Bournens , providing merchants, officers and businessmen for over 300 years.

The family claimed to descend from the legendary Pazzi banking family, from a member who served as vice-bailiff of Vaud and magistrate in Moudon in 1354 under Count William I of Namur.

Origins

Claude Pache [d. 1605] first established the families prominence and influence in the region by securing the citizenry status of bourgeoisie in 1587, in the town of Morges.

Claude was Abbé (Master) of the powerful and highly influential Guild of Shoemakers, who controlled much of the towns productional wealth during this period. Not only did the guild oversee much of the towns economy and trade, but it also functioned as a distinct brotherhood (confrérie). Notably, they had their own shooting abbey (abbaye de tir) which meant members were directly involved in the town's military defense and civic festivals. He was elected on three separate occasions to lead the guild between 1576-96.

Sieur Jean Pache 'The Elder' (1626-1670) a descendant of Claude, was a prominent Burgher of Morges and military commander who was Captain of the district of Vullierens and of Vufflens-le-chateau in 1655. He was a member of the elite shooting guild (Noble Abbaye des Fusiliers) in Lausanne. It functioned as a prestigious patrician military and social fraternity responsible for the defense and civic leadership, being highly influential under the Bernese administration. It's membership reserved for the noble and bourgeoisie elite families of the region.

Jean was also a zealous heraldist, to whom we owe several collections of coat of arms in the region, most importantly the Armorial du Pays de Vaud (also knows as 'The Pache Armorial') written in 1654, and dedicated to Johann Ludwig von Erlach.

After the death of Jean Pache, the family began to split into three parallel branches:

• The Magisterial Branch : Led by Jean-Paul and Isaye Pache. This branch included court officials and leading officers, and had a 75 year monopoly as Bailiwick secretaries and senior court officials.

• The Seignorial Branch : Led by David Pache and after his death his son Gamaliel who inherited the lordship (Coseigneur) of Bournens including fiefs, rights, and land tenures.

• The Mercantile Branch : Led by Jean-Louis and his brother Jacob. This branch prioritised skilled trades, commerce and artistry. Leading to a migration over to London to establish and cultivate trade.

Notable Members from the Swiss Branch

Isaye Pache (d. 1665) - Consistorial Councillor (Elder) and Elected Master (Abbe') of the Guild of Shoemakers in 1646.
Pierre Pache - Burgher, Magistrate, "Councillor of justice", received 2 June 1662.

Jean-Paul Pache (1660-1736) - Magistrate and Bailli Secretary (Secretaire d'un Bailliage)
Louis Pache (d.1771) - Bailli Secretary (Secretaire d'un Bailliage)
Jean-François-Louis Pache (1736-1809) - Bailli Secretary (Secretaire d'un Bailliage)
Louis-Gamaliel Pache (1681-1751) - Magistrate
Pierre-Louis Pache (1738-1797) - Magistrate
David Pache (1680–1760) - Coseigneur (Lord) of Bournens in 1735 after inheriting fiefs, rights, and land tenures (cens) in the area from his sister, Catherine Baudelle.
Gamaliel Pache (1740–1817): He inherited the Lordship from his father David in 1760. He held these seigneurial rights over Bournens until the system was permanently dismantled during the Swiss (Vaudois) Revolution of 1798.
Samuel Pache (1785-1869) - Syndic (Mayor) of Morges between 1837-1845 and 1847-1862.
Alexis-Auguste Pache (1872-1905) - Cavalry Lieutenant who participated in the Boer War and died in an avalanche during an expedition in the Himalayas.

English Branch

During the 18th century, there was a distinct migration from the Morges region. This was primarily due to Swiss pastel exports. Jean-Louis Pache and his nephews Francis and Charles Henry-Pache ran a successful Haberdashery and Swiss pastel business, importing pastels into England and eventually securing a significant bounty from the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (Royal Society of Arts) for establishing the manufacture of high-end Swiss-style artists' pastels. The bounty amount was 20 guineas in order to help further secure the manufacturing of these quality pastels in England.

Due to this, multiple family members then proceeded to emigrate to London, and this established the English branch of the family.

This branch of the family went on to produce skilled businessmen for nearly 200 years. Most notably skilled Glassblowing and leading master Artificial Eye Makers. Pache & Son, a prize winning family business, supplied artificial glass eyes to all major UK hospitals.

Notable People from the English Branch

Jean-Louis (Lewis) Pache (1727-1773) - Merchant, Haberdasher, Swiss crayon vendor and Elder of the Swiss Church in London.
Charles Henry-Pache (1749–1820) - Swiss Pastelist manufacturer and supplier to the Royal Society.
Francis Lewis Pache (1733-1786) - Glover supplying the British Aristocracy in Soho,London
Charles Pache (1775-1849) - Seal carving and Intaglio (printmaking) business in Bristol.
Charles Lewis Pache (1814-1885) - Founder of Pache & Son, Artificial Glass Eye Maker and General Glass Worker.
Thomas Pache (1841-1918) - Wealthy businessman, prominent Ocularist and owner of the award winning family firm Pache & Son.
Frederick Louis Pache (1871-1910) - Ocularist and heir to the Pache & Son family business.