Cats of Yore: You've probably seen this photo - it's Louis Coulon. He was born in Vandenesse, France, in 1826 and became famous by posing for postcards with his extremely long beard. He also worked as a toolmaker at a foundry in Montluçon. Info source: www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-...

You've probably seen this photo - it's Louis Coulon. He was born in Vandenesse, France, in 1826 and became famous by posing for postcards with his extremely long beard. He also worked as a toolmaker at a foundry in Montluçon. Info source: www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-...

The reason I'm posting about him today is that in the past few years I've seen him posted as an unofficial labor mascot of sorts, with people claiming he was a union organizer or labor champion or something. Does anyone know where this claim came from or a credible source for the info?

Perhaps @garius.bsky.social? Do you know anything about this guy?

Oh THAT guy. I am very 🤨 about suggestions he was a major figure in the French labour movement. It seems to be based on one, invited, line on his French wikipedia that mentions he was a union official. That's then been blown up into full-blown syndicalism presumably to make him "interesting"

I did an (admittedly limited) amount of digging on him a while back, to see if there was enough to do a bit of a debunk (or confirmation) thread on twitter. But couldn't really find enough either way. He's best treated though as a guy with a big beard who was happy posing for photos for money.

UNCITED not "invited". Bloody autocorrect

👍🏻 That was my impression, too.

Yeah. Not every historical figure photographed has to be deep and multifaceted. Sometimes they get their photo taken just because they have a cool beard and a cute cat. Just like now!

Life goals 👍

So... A case of citogenesis?

My suspicion, yes.

Also that he was only temporarily a union official, so…

May be @notabenemovies.bsky.social , famous youtuber on History, heard of him ?

Nope^^

je me doute que le sujet est barbant (je ne suis plus laaaaaa)

The CGT, a major union in France, has some info ici: ftm-cgt.fr/le-pere-coul...

Le Père Coulonftm-cgt.fr Louis Coulon est sans doute plus connu des cartophiles – les collectionneurs de cartes postales – que des militants de notre organisation syndicale. Et

Ah, wonderful! Thank you!

Mostly I question how someone managed to maintain that beard while working in a foundry.

the thought of him anywhere near a lathe is giving me the fantods

Even the CGT says there isn't enough known documents about his union engagement ftm-cgt.fr/le-pere-coul... (last paragraph)

Le Père Coulonftm-cgt.fr Louis Coulon est sans doute plus connu des cartophiles – les collectionneurs de cartes postales – que des militants de notre organisation syndicale. Et

That cat's just the lookout, there are 21 others inside

[Raising Arizona shopkeeper voice] Man, you got a kitty in your beard.

This guy is the inspiration for Beardcat's Sweet Shop in Sullivan's Island, SC (which is a great place!).

A toolmaker. Not the guy I’d pick to run a lathe

it's one thing to be aware of surroundings but you can only stay lucky for so long. It was all flat-belt line shaft stuff then, right? he MUST have kept it tucked into his shirt or something.

Never seen this one!

Hey, there’s a cat in there!

And one of the references is to this page about him on the French CGT trade union website ftm-cgt.fr/le-pere-coul...

Le Père Coulonftm-cgt.fr Louis Coulon est sans doute plus connu des cartophiles – les collectionneurs de cartes postales – que des militants de notre organisation syndicale. Et

He is listed on French Wikipedia as a significant figure of French Trade Unionism: fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_C...

Louis Coulon (syndicaliste) — Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org

Beard goals

Life goals is how I first saw this puc.

cat: O___O cat: i barely escaped, it's like another dimension in there

Do NOT get that thing caught in the machinery

LOL With a cat!

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