Heredia (António Correia)

This illustrious Madeiran was born on 2 March 1822 and died in Lisbon on 23 June 1899. He was the son of Francisco Correia Herédia (see that entry) and Dona Ana Margarida de Bettencourt Acciaioly e Sá Escórcio Drumond, and descended from old and noble families of this island. We do not know whether he held any formal academic qualifications, but his lack of higher or university education did not prevent him from being a skilful and talented journalist. He might perhaps have become a distinguished writer, had his many occupations not wholly absorbed the great energy of his mind. The writings he left prove it. He held many public offices: he was president of the Municipal Council (Câmara Municipal), representative (procurador) on the District General Council (Junta Geral), secretary-general (secretário geral), civil governor, director of the customs houses (Alfândegas) of Funchal, Porto and Lisbon, director-general of customs, deputy, peer of the realm, and president of many commissions for the reform of various public services, etc. In the course of some of these offices he wrote several reports, regulations and bills that amply prove his learning, his competence and his great capacity for work. Besides his journalism, which is extensive, he published: Breves reflexões sobre a abolição dos morgados na Madeira, Lisbon, 1849; As contradições imaculadas, Funchal, 1850; A Boa Fé do «Archivista», Funchal, 1852; Observações sobre a situação económica da ilha da Madeira e sobre a reforma das Alfândegas, Lisbon, 1888, 96 pp.; Relatório do Projecto do Regulamento Geral das Alfândegas, Lisbon, 1876, 129 pp.; Exposição e Documentos enviados à Câmara dos Dignos Pares, Lisbon, 1886; António Correia Herédia — Ao Público, Lisbon, 1885, 235 pp.

António Correia Herédia was secretary-general of this district and also served as civil governor, and he represented Madeira in parliament in the legislative sessions of 1857–1858, 1858–1859 and 1865–1868.

During the provisional government of the Porto Junta in 1847, António Correia Herédia was secretary of the governing board (junta governativa) of Madeira – or rather, he was the soul of that revolutionary movement in this city. See Junta Governativa.