Dom Carlos de Melo Manuel da Câmara Gomes, 5º Conde da Silvã

D. Carlos de Melo Manuel da Câmara Gomes, widower of Maria da Paz Albarran, passed away suddenly on 30 March 1973, aged 86, at his residence in Ponta Delgada. He was born on 9 February 1887 in Ponta Delgada. He held the noble title of Count of Silvã, a title he began using with the authorisation of King Manuel II in 1924, which was later confirmed by the Council of Nobility in 1957. He attended the University of Coimbra, where he graduated in Law, distinguishing himself as an influential figure within the social and political context of São Miguel. During the early years of the Republic, he participated in the monarchist incursions led by Paiva Couceiro in Northern Portugal. Following their defeat, he was exiled to Galicia and London, subsequently returning to São Miguel after his period of exile. An illustrious figure of San Miguelian society, he held significant positions in local and regional administration. He served as a Member of the Administrative Commission of the General Board of the District of Ponta Delgada and as Mayor of Ponta Delgada in 1939. In the business and financial sectors, he held directorships at the Companhia de Seguros Açoreana and Mutualista Açoreana. His funeral took place at the São Joaquim Municipal Cemetery, following a Requiem Mass at the Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Dores, in Ponta Delgada.