Paul Mirat

Basile-Paul Mirat (born January 24, 1885 – July 6, 1966) was an owner of a thoroughbred stud farm, military instructor in the United States, president of the Chamber of Agriculture of the Basses-Pyrénées, journalist and mayor of Meillon. He was also a musician, artist, poet and sportsman. The Mirat family of Meillon is listed in the first Béarn census ordered by Gaston Febus in 1386. Around 1830, Paul's grandfather, Jean Mirat (1817-1893), owned the auberge "Relais de la Poste" and raised remount horses. Paul Mirat's father, Lambert Mirat (1841-1921), married Lucie Lacaze (1859-1940); he created his stud farm in Meillon in 1890. Doubling as an entrepreneur, he founded a marble factory on the Néez, in Gan. Associated with the brewer Octave Heid, they created the first hydroelectric power station on the Gave de Pau that supplied electricity to Pau during the Belle Époque. Also associated with Raphaël Milliès-Lacroix, they founded four furniture stores "A la Ville de Londres", in Dax, Mont-de-Marsan, Biarritz and Pau. In Meillon, Lambert bred Béarnese cattle and thoroughbred horses. He also served as deputy mayor of Pau under Henri Faisans. Paul Mirat had two brothers: Gaston (1881-1955), who took over the family store in Pau. Musician and musicologist, he travelled the Pyrenean valleys collecting the music and lyrics of traditional Béarnese songs. Deputy Mayor of Pau under Gaston Lacoste, Gaston Mirat founded the School of Music of Pau in 1921, and in 1923 participated in the creation of the Academy of Béarn alongside Doctor Georges Sabatier. The youngest sibling, Jean Mirat (1899-1959), was Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, doctor of law, barrister for the Paris Court of Appeal, member and designated president of the French Bar, recipient of the Horace Helbronner prize (1925), and author of L’obligation alimentaire entre époux en cas de divorce (1930) (Maintenance Obligations Between Spouses in the Event of Divorce (1930)).