Did you know that Rue Édouard-Lockroy is a tribute to a man of many talents? This street in the 11th arrondissement of Paris bears the name of Édouard Lockroy. He was not just a politician but also a journalist.
Rue Édouard-Lockroy is a public road in Paris. It starts at 88 ter Avenue Parmentier. The street ends at 60 Rue Jean-Pierre-Timbaud. Measuring 135 meters long and 10 meters wide the street has a modest size.
Originally, this street was a dead end. Before getting its current name, it was called Ruelle Sainte-Geneviève. From 1848 it became Passage d’Angoulême because of its proximity to Rue d’Angoulême.
Édouard Lockroy was a deputy for the arrondissement. He was born Édouard-Étienne-Auguste Simon. Lockroy lived from 1838 to 1913.
Lockroy’s life was marked by many different activities. In 1860, he joined Garibaldi as a volunteer. After that, he worked as a secretary in Syria for three years. He wrote against the Second French Empire as a journalist. He commanded a battalion during the siege of Paris.
In 1871, Lockroy was elected deputy to the National Assembly. He resigned after signing a proclamation for the election of the Paris Commune. He was imprisoned but later released. Lockroy was imprisoned several times because of his writings.
Lockroy was a Radical deputy for Bouches-du-Rhône. He was elected in 1873. In 1881, he was also elected in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. During the elections of 1893, a cab driver shot at him but he was not seriously hurt.
In 1886, Lockroy became the minister of commerce and industry. He made the arrangements for the Exposition of 1889. Lockroy defended the erection of the Eiffel Tower in a witty letter against artistic Paris.
Later in life, Lockroy became minister of marine. He served under Lèon Bourgeois. Lockroy also served under Henri Brisson and Charles Dupuy.
Lockroy was a strong supporter of a powerful navy. He wrote several books on the topic. These books include La Marine de Guerre and La Défense navale.
In 1877, Édouard Lockroy married Alice Lehaene. She was the widowed daughter-in-law of Victor Hugo. Lockroy died in 1913. He was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery.
Rue Édouard-Lockroy received its name in 1933. This street is a reminder of a man who played many roles in French society.