Capstan

The records of the Funchal Municipal Council (Câmara Municipal do Funchal) contain three deeds of emphyteutic lease (aforamento, perpetual lease for an annual quit-rent) of land beside the sea for the building of capstans (cabrestante): the first dates from 1600, the second from 1635 and the last from 1642. The first capstan in Funchal belonged to Manuel Cabral, the second to the Castilian Lopo Pardo de Luna and the third to Bartolomeu Dias.

In February 1848 the Correio da Madeira (‘Madeira Courier’) published the following report on the capstan on the city beach: ‘The establishment responsible for landing export and import goods on this island, known as the administration of the Funchal Capstan, was founded more than two centuries ago and carried out its functions as a privileged royal concession (patronado), by royal order, until 1807. At that time General Beresford, then governor and captain-general (capitão-general, military governor of Madeira) of this island, heeding the representations made to him by the Portuguese and foreign merchants of this stronghold, abolished the said Patronado, ordering that the ownership and management of that establishment should pass into the possession and administration of merchants, who bought all the Proprietor’s boats and equipment. By a royal notice dated Rio de Janeiro, 25 July 1808, His Royal Highness the Prince Regent ordered that the establishment for the business of the pebble beach (calhau), as General Beresford had shaped it, should be provisionally maintained until His Royal Highness decided what he judged most suitable to his royal service and to the public. The capstan establishment of the Calhau has thus continued from 1808 until now, with no other contrary provision by the government of which the petitioners are aware.’

The capstan referred to by the Correio da Madeira still exists today. It is said, however, that only the representative of one of the former owners takes part in its administration, all the other persons with rights to the ownership of the establishment having ceased to assert those rights, for reasons that are unknown. It is said that in former times, perhaps in 1807 or 1808, shares were issued for the purchase of the capstan, and some of them are still held by a very few people.

Not many years ago there were still three capstans in Funchal, but today only two remain, both run by the managers of the old capstan, which has been greatly improved in recent times.

This information goes no further than the year 1922.