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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Monument to Madame Declercq, located in Oignies in the Hauts-de-France, was erected to pay tribute to the local chestnut and commemorate the discovery of coal in her estate in 1841. Inaugurated for the first time in 1913, it symbolized both Mrs.Declercq's generosity and the economic importance of this resource to the region. This monument, typical of the industrial tributes of the early twentieth century, also reflected the mining boom that marked the Pas-de-Calais basin for a long time.

Destroyed during the First World War, the monument was rebuilt identically in 1932, reusing the original sculptures of sculptor Charles Caby, recast for the occasion. Its inauguration in July 1932 marked the desire to preserve local memory despite the ravages of the conflict. Today, it has been classified entirely since 2011 and remains an artistic and historical testimony of the industrial era in Nord-Pas-de-Calais.

The monument is distinguished by its commemorative style and its link to regional mining history. Originally located at Fernand-Darchicourt Avenue, its current location near Jules Guesde Street highlights its anchoring in the urban landscape of Oignies. Owned by the commune, it also illustrates the role of local elites, like Mrs Declercq, in the economic development of the territory in the nineteenth century.

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