Orphanage and Conservatory J.V. Emperor and King Francis Joseph I. 

Humpolec (German Humpoletz, 1939–1945 also Gumpolds) is a town in the Pelhřimov district in the Vysočina region, 23 km northwest of Jihlava, approximately halfway along the D1 highway between Brno and Prague.

At the end of 1897, Mr. Emerich Dítě, the largest manufacturer in Humpolec, sent a letter to the city council with a surprising request for permission to build an Orphanage on his own land. His request was preceded by a godly decision to help the city solve the issue of caring for a large number of orphaned children. Emerich Dítě was like c.k. the court supplier of cloth for the Austrian army, decorated several times by the emperor himself, and became a knight of the Order of Francis Joseph I. The orphanage was therefore built in honor of the 50th anniversary of his reign, as you can read again on the building's facade. The construction of the Orphanage was started on 2 May 1898 according to the project of the Prague architect Josef Blecha, and it was carried out by the Humpolec builder Rudolf Kasal. The approval certificate of the Orphanage dated 12/11/1898 assesses the work without defects, fireproof, completely dry, with two habitable bedrooms for girls and boys. The one-story building surrounded by a nice garden was given the descriptive number 582.

n the 19th century, the city already had such a developed cloth production that it employed 2,000 people and the city began to be called "Bohemian Manchester". The clothier Emerich Dítě set a world record at the time, which contributed to the promotion of the city. In just seven hours, he was able to make the fabric for a hunting suit for Emperor Francis Joseph I. Everything by himself, from sheep shearing to the match. In another three hours the suit was sewn and delivered to Vienna. It is not surprising that it was at his factory that the first electric lights were lit in Vysočina.

In 1999, the building was purchased by Ing. Petr Machek – PROTECT for your headquarters. In the years 2000 – 2006, the company carried out extensive repairs, thanks to which it managed to save the Orphanage and the care home and put them in perfect condition. Today, you can visit the store and sample room of protective clothing and accessories, sportswear and footwear in the historic premises at the address Hálkova 582 HUMPOLEC

Historical inscriptions are preserved on the building:

a) Built in 1908

)  To celebrate fifty years

reign of Emperor J. V. Emperor

Francis Joseph I.

c) Jubilee Custody of H.V. Emperor and King Francis Joseph I.

Source:

http://www.vyletnik.cz/mistopisny-rejstrik/ceskomoravska-vrchovina/pelhrimovsko/11120-sirotcinec-a-opatrovna-j-v-cisare-a-krale-frantiska-josefa-i-/