Person
Villa-Amil Castro, José (1833-1910)Other forms
Madrid (España) 1838-11-12 - Madrid (España) 1910-09-27
Spanish archivist, librarian, historial and bibliographer.
Born in Madrid in 1833. He spent his childhood and youth in Mondoñedo, forming in the Seminario Conciliar.
He obtained his baccalaureate title in Arts by the Instituto de Enseñanza Media of Lugo. Then, he got examined in the Escuela Superior de Diplomática, and obtained the title of archivist, librarian and antique dealer in 1869. He obtained his doctorate in Civil and Canon Law by Madrid's Central University with the thesis: Laudemio: Naturaleza de esta prestación: juicio crítico.
As archivist, he was commissioned by the Dirección General de Instrucción Pública, the transfer of confiscated funds of Lugo to the Real Academia de la Historia, and to the Archivo Histórico Nacional in 1873. He was destined as Oficial 1º in the Archivo General de Indias of Sevilla, with category of boss of Negociado de 2ª clase, by Real Orden of 14 November 1883.
Moreover, he dedicated to the historic studies and archaeological investigations, and wrote articles about findings in the archaeological excavations of Lugo.
He was founding partner, secretary and member of the board of directors of the Sociedad Geográfica of Madrid; academic correspondent of the Real Academia de la Historia, of the Real Academia Gallega, of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes of San Fernando, and of the Real Academia de Ciencias of Lisbon. He was decorated with the Gran Cruz of Isabel la Católica in 1901. He passed away in Madrid in 1910, at the age of 71.