Freitas (João Joaquim de)
Biography of João Joaquim de Freitas (1832–1910), born in Machico, who was for over thirty years librarian of the Funchal municipal library and a teacher at the Funchal lyceum. He helped Álvaro Rodrigues de Azevedo edit Frutuoso's 'Saudades da Terra'.
He was born in Machico on 5 October 1832 and died in Funchal on 1 April 1910. For more than thirty years he served as librarian of the Funchal municipal library, and he was also acting teacher of Portuguese language and literature at the central lyceum (state secondary school) of this city. Although he died almost forgotten, he was a distinguished educator and a man of uncommon talent and great learning. He assisted the distinguished jurist Álvaro Rodrigues de Azevedo (see that entry) in interpreting and correcting Frutuoso’s manuscript entitled ‘Longing for the Homeland’ (As Saudades da Terra), and he contributed to several of the island’s newspapers. He left a rich library, which the British subjects W. and A. Reid bought for two thousand escudos (Portuguese currency from 1911, = 1,000 réis) and presented to the Funchal Municipal Council (Câmara Municipal do Funchal). The former Rua das Cruzes in Funchal now bears the name of João Joaquim de Freitas. (1921).
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 02Place
Places mentioned · 04
- Funchal
City where Freitas worked and died.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
- Funchal Municipal Library
Funchal. Library where Freitas served as librarian for over thirty years.
Funchal's municipal library, which received nearly 10,000 volumes from the Reid brothers and where João Joaquim de Freitas was librarian for over thirty years. It holds manuscripts including copies of Noronha's Memórias and Nobiliário, a manuscript attributed to Dias Leite, and a photographic copy of Landi's book.
- Machico
Birthplace of João Joaquim de Freitas.
The parish of Machico was the landing place of the discoverers Zargo and Tristão Vaz and the seat of the captaincy of Machico; the parish was founded c. 1450. The Elucidário covers its clergy and stipends, chapels, historical events, mineral springs, localities, population and notable natives.
- Rua João Joaquim de Freitas
Funchal. Former Rua das Cruzes in Funchal, renamed after Freitas.
Street in Funchal, formerly the Rua das Cruzes, renamed after João Joaquim de Freitas. It had earlier been named after Luís de Ornelas Pinto Coelho.
People
People mentioned · 05- João Joaquim de Freitas1832–1910
Madeiran scholar, librarian of the Funchal municipal library for over thirty years and interim teacher of Portuguese language and literature at the Funchal lyceum.
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British subject who, with W. Reid, bought Freitas's library and donated it to the Funchal council.
- Álvaro Rodrigues de Azevedo1825–1898
Jurist whom Freitas assisted in interpreting and correcting Frutuoso's manuscript 'Saudades da Terra'.
- Gaspar Frutuoso1522–1591
Chronicler, author of the manuscript 'Saudades da Terra', which Freitas helped to edit.
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British subject who, with A. Reid, bought Freitas's library for two thousand escudos and gave it to the Funchal council.