José Brosa Roger

José Brosa Roger was a merchant involved in the cultural life of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the management of El Museo Canario. His activities combined support for a scientific institution, participation in public affairs and collecting. His relationship with the Museum reveals a sustained contribution: he accepted administrative responsibilities, donated books and helped maintain its journal. He also headed the Junta de Obras de los Puertos de La Luz y Las Palmas, the ports’ works board, at a documented point in 1931.

Brosa lived in Las Palmas for more than forty years and was a full member of the Museum from the time he settled in the city. He served as treasurer and vice-president. In the latter capacity he acted as president when the library opened to the public. His involvement was associated with the meeting of 16 November 1930, held to mark the reopening of the museum rooms and the public inauguration of the library. His speech was published in Barcelona by Elzeviriana as a booklet of twenty-one pages. A copy is catalogued in the library of the Carles Rahola collection at Girona’s Municipal Archive.

His collaboration also involved material assistance and editorial work. He made donations to the society on several occasions, particularly of books. He worked to support the publication of its journal before its third series and renewed his assistance when the fourth series began. Although age and health problems eventually led him to relinquish positions of responsibility, he continued visiting the Museum and advising its collaborators. His association with the institution therefore continued beyond his service on its governing board.

Brosa’s public activity extended to port administration. On 17 June 1931 he signed, as president of the Junta de Obras de los Puertos de La Luz y Las Palmas, a notice advertising a competition for a chemist’s position in its technical department. It appeared in the Gaceta de Madrid on 25 June. This document places him at the head of the board on that occasion; it does not establish the full duration of his term or identify him as a chemist.

He also contributed to the press. Agustín Millares Cantero identifies him as a merchant and places his writing for El Tribuno within the debate about tolerance and freedom of conscience. The study records his article «La libertad religiosa», published in December 1931. As a private collector, Brosa gathered postcards of spas. Material inherited by his grandson Augusto Brosa Quintana became the starting point of a collection that subsequently expanded. The later collection as a whole cannot be assigned to the grandfather.

Brosa died in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on 28 April 1945. Only a few days earlier he had still been discussing projects for the institution at the Museum. His career connects commerce and public responsibilities with the care of books, publications and collections.