Looking for Dark Matter Credit: Exploring Notarial Credit Markets in Antwerp and Its Surroundings ca. 1835

Abstract

This chapter investigates the notarial credit markets in Antwerp and its environs during the early nineteenth century, with a focus on their structure, functioning, and flows. Prior to the twentieth century, notarial credit markets played a significant role in supplying substantial investment capital to both firms and households. However, knowledge regarding these markets, particularly outside of France, is limited. Leveraging a newly compiled dataset of notarized loans, we employ descriptive statistics, geographical mapping, and social network analysis to analyze the dynamics of the credit market. Our findings indicate a sizable and expansive urban credit market, wherein affluent creditors dominated, yet the middling classes also actively participate as debtors. Credit transactions primarily circulated within the city or its surrounding countryside, while the city was well connected to surrounding municipalities and more distant large cities. Contrasting with village notaries, those situated in Antwerp showed a broader geographical reach, engaging in credit transactions not only within Belgium but also extending internationally. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of notarial credit markets beyond the scope of nineteenth-century France.