Patricio Malheiro de Melo Foster (Funchal, Portugal; 1791 - Caniço, Quinta da Estrela, Vila Franca da Serra, Portugal; 1842) was consul of the Kingdom of Prussia, member of the First Constitutional Chamber of Funchal, and of one of the Masonic lodges most important of the time.

Family

Patricio Malheiro de Melo was the son of Ana Foster (c.1755-?), of English descent and the daughter of John Foster (1723-?), an English landowner who emigrated to Portugal taking advantage of the historic alliance between the British and the Portuguese.

His father was Captain Paulo Malheiro de Melo, a native of Viana do Castelo, and in turn son of Maria Rosa de Amorin and Francisco Malheiro de Mello (1714-1782), originally from Barreiros-Cinfães who served as captain in the mid-18th century in Viana do Castelo.

His parents were married on August 27, 1782 in Funchal, Portugal and together they had 3 children: Ricardo Malheiro de Melo, Patricio Malheiro de Melo (1791-1842) and Ana Malheiro de Melo.

Ricardo Malheiro de Melo married Isabel Marcial de Araújo in Funchal, Portugal in 1822.

Patricio Malheiro de Melo (1791-1842) married Luísa Frederica Catarina in Funchal, Portugal in 1841 and together they had 2 children: Maria da Glória Malheiro and Maria do Monte Malheiro.

It should be noted that he was the cousin of Ricardo Foster (1808-1865), a Portuguese colonizer, landowner, surveyor and politician who emigrated to America as a result of the Liberal Wars (1828-1834), also known as the Portuguese Civil War.

Biography

In August 1820, the so-called Liberal Revolution began in Porto, which then spread to Lisbon in September, a movement that had consequences both in the history of Portugal and in the history of Brazil. The action was promoted by Madeiran, military and civilians, bringing with it a time of acute political and institutional crisis that was never the same again.

Patricio Malheiro de Melo Foster participated in the movement of January 28, 1821, as part of the First Constitutional Chamber of Funchal, chaired by João de Carvalhal (1778-1837).

In 1828, he fled abroad and only returned with the restoration of the Constitutional Government.

Death

He died in 1842 at the age of 51 in Caniço, Quinta da Estrela, Portugal and his remains rest in the same city.

References

• A Madeira entre 1820 e 1842: Relações de poder e influência Britânica. Rodrigues, Paulo Miguel. Colecção Funchal 500 Anos nº 21.
• Arquivo Regional e Biblioteca Pública da Madeira (ABM).