Émile Basly
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Émile Basly was born in March 29, 1854 in Valenciennes. He died on February 11, 1928 in Lens. Together with Arthur Lamendin, he is one of the great figures of trade unionism mining in the field of Nord-Pas-de-Calais. One reason for this is his participation in the strike of 1884, when he became known as the untameable miner and the tsar of Lens. Emile Basly was the inspiration for the character Etienne Lantier in Emile Zola's novel Germinal.
At twelve years of age, he entered into mining as a "galibot" (young person minor), and later became the secretary of the Trade Union of the Minors of Anzin when it was created in 1882. He became its president in 1891. He was appointed from 1885 to 1889 and then again from 1991 to 1928 in the district of Lens-Liévin.
He was mayor of Lens from 1900 until his death. He devoted the last ten years of his life to rebuilding the city, which had been completely destroyed during First World War.
A street named Rue Émile Basly is named in his honor in Avion.
