Louis Puech (1 May 1851, in Gavernac, Bozouls,

Aveyron Aveyron (; oc, Avairon; ) is a department in the region of Occitania, Southern France. It was named after the river Aveyron. Its inhabitants are known as ''Aveyronnais'' (masculine) or ''Aveyronnaises'' (feminine) in French. The inhabitants ...

– 15 July 1947, in Aubignac,

) was a député of the

French Third Republic The French Third Republic (french: Troisième République, sometimes written as ) was the system of government adopted in France from 4 September 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed during the Franco-Prussian War, until 10 July 19 ...

and

Minister of Public Works This list indicates government departments in various countries dedicated to public works or infrastructure. See also * Public works * Ministry or Board of Public Works, the imperial Chinese ministry overseeing public projects from the Tang ...

in the second government of

Aristide Briand Aristide Pierre Henri Briand (; 28 March 18627 March 1932) was a French statesman who served eleven terms as Prime Minister of France during the French Third Republic. He is mainly remembered for his focus on international issues and reconciliat ...

from 3 November 1910 to 24 February 1911. During his 30 years in office he was inscribed with the group of Républicains de gauche. He was the brother of the sculptor

Denys Puech Denys Puech (3 December 1854, Gavernac, Bozouls, Aveyron – December 1942, Rodez, Aveyron) was a French sculptor. Biography From a family of farmers (his brother was Louis Puech, Député for the Seine Department from 1898 to 1932, and Mini ...

, director of the

Villa Médicis The Villa Medici () is a Mannerist villa and an architectural complex with a garden contiguous with the larger Borghese gardens, on the Pincian Hill next to Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. The Villa Medici, founded by Ferdinando I de' Medici ...

(1921–33).

Life

A lawyer by profession, he was noted for pleading in several varied political affairs, notably those of the grévistes of Decazeville (also known as the Watrin affair) and the anarchists Monod and Lucas. Conseiller municipal for Paris between 1893 and 1898 and a député for the Seine ( 3rd arrondissement of Paris) from 1898 to 1932, he was known for having denounced the poor care and pitiable monitoring of the archives for France's colonial African administrations, revealing he was in possession of originals which should never have left Africa. His action forced the then Minister for the Colonies to review the organisation of the archives in French West Africa. He was Minister of Public Works, Posts and Telegraphs from 3 November 1910 to 27 February 1911.

References

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