Célestin Montcocol (French pronunciation: [selɛstɛ̃ mɔ̃kɔkɔl]; 26 June 1879 – 27 December 1981) was a French businessman. He built underground constructions and railroad tracks, including some of the Paris Métro. He is a co-founder of the Sainte-Maxime Golf Club.
Célestin Montcocol | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 June 1879 Avignon, France |
| Died | 27 December 1981 (aged 102) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Spouse | Emma Labour |
| Children | 2 daughters, including Aline Ménétrel |
| Relatives | Bernard Ménétrel (son-in-law) |
Early life
editMontcocol was born on 26 June 1879 in Avignon.[1][2] He graduated from the École nationale des arts et métiers in Aix-en-Provence in 1898.[1][2]
Career
editMontcocol started his career at the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris.[1][2] He then joined his father-in-law's construction company.[1] He received a gold medal at the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition for his work.[1]
When his father-in-law died in 1912, he became its sole owner.[1] In the 1920s and 1930s, his firm was one of the top three largest construction firms building the Paris Métro.[1] He also built the sewage system and buildings in Marseille, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and Antibes.[1] Additionally, he built railroad tracks for the SNCF.[1]
He acquired sixty-six hectares in Sainte-Maxime in 1933, with the aim of developing the land.[1] It became the Sainte-Maxime Golf Club thanks to his grandson, Thierry Ménétrel, in 1991.[2]
His firm was inactive during World War II.[1] In 1943, he was a co-founder of the Ecole d'Application aux Métiers des Travaux Publics in Egletons.[1] After the war, he revived his construction firm.[1] He built the Sainte-Dévote Tunnel in Monaco.[1] He also built subways in Montréal, Mexico, Santiago and Caracas.[1]
He was a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1934, and an Officer in 1951.[2]
Personal life
editHe married Emma Labour, the daughter of Victor Labour, a businessman in the construction industry.[1] They had two daughters.[1] One of them, Aline, married Bernard Ménétrel, the physician and advisor to Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II.[3]
Death
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Jean-Pierre Jougla, « Célestin Montcocol, 1879-1981 - Notice biographique », Revue d’histoire des chemins de fer [En ligne], 27 | 2003, mis en ligne le 14 janvier 2015, consulté le 21 juin 2015. URL : http://rhcf.revues.org/1889
- ^ a b c d e Sainte-Maxime Trophée Célestin-Montcocol : hommage à un grand monsieur, Var Matin, July 13, 2009
- ^ Alain Frèrejean, 'Bernard Ménétrel, le médecin, l'imminence grise et l'amuseur de Pétain', Historia, no 791, November 2012, pp. 108-112
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