Sete Fontes is a small place in the county of São Martinho das Moitas, located on the northern slope of the S. Macário hill (or Sequeiros Mountain as otherwise known in these parts), just a short distance from the village of Sequeiros, so that, over time, the two villages have shared a history largely common, despite some occasional rivalries and disputes, especially motivated by issues of shared water since Sete Fontes is situated at an elevation above that of Sequeiros and of the water that is used by both locations, is precisely Seven Springs (as the name suggests this place ).
One element in a certain period of history marked a difference between the villages: the deep relationship of Sete Fontes to the mining of tungsten, the coincidence of being born in this place called the “King of Iron”, Agostinho Gaspar Gralheiro and many of inhabitants have worked in the existing mine a short distance from town. Moreover, the inhabitants that today still inhabit this place are descendants of people who came to these shores between the years 20 and 40 for work in the mine.
In that regard, with the appropriate salute the excellent text published in the Gazeta da Beira, let the words that Aurora Simões de Matos devoted to this essential character of the river Paiva valley:
“Augustine Gaspar was born on November 24, 1900, in place of Sete Fontes, in the county of São Martinho das Moitas, in the municipality of S. Pedro do Sul with his parents, João Gaspar, Ana Ribeiro, and with his three sisters: Emilia, Florinda and Rosa, and lived a childhood smoothly, though humble and weak economic resources. In the wasteland of their land, kept goats and sheep. Following his father in business, bought and sold cattle grown. Around the Valley Paiva, were known, father and son by the nickname ‘Gralheiro’, because its a bottom-up in this region lived in the early nineteenth century, to come from Gralheira town situated on the tops of Montemuro. This nickname was to be adopted by Agostinho Gaspar, such as nickname, circa 1930, from which now legally use the name of Agostinho Gaspar Gralheiro in all their records and documents.
With about fourteen years, while guarding the cattle, under a chestnut, instead of Lubízios and near the village where he lived, he captured a stone to throw a goat dish and felt a strange sense of shock. Noticed that a stone was different from the others: darker, smoother and brighter, more heavy and cold. Would never forget the day and find that place that – knew it later – was the first sign of wolfram lode discovered in the municipality of S. Pedro do Sul His rebellious spirit led him sometimes to incompatibilities with the parent. Thus, at sixteen, in a fit of independence, ventured to a job in Lisbon. He began working in a warehouse of wines. But things did not run down feature and, after a few months, returned to Seven Springs, returned to the ‘stones’.
Already self-conscious in full vigor of life, a legitimate act of emancipation and freedom, about seventeen years old, near the village, instead of Albotieira, where luckily found new evidence of ore, made his first record. We were in full First World War. Between tin and tungsten, was gathering ore, which held, to sell when prices rose. As foreman of mine, lived with the land gutted the entire massif of Gralheira, Arada the Mosteiro and elsewhere bowel trasmontanos.
His talent and luck in finding veins (veins of ore) were recognized by the best dealers. With the end of World War II, tungsten prices have suffered a huge fall. Agostinho Gralheiro again tried his luck, in Lisbon Railways, he worked for some years. But the umbilical cord left him stuck him in the folds of the hills of his home, grabbed the shiny stones that shattered into memories and longing. The ore had become a fascination, dreams and nightmare that was to dog the steps of a life of constant effort, hard work, risk, demanding the power of fantasy adventure, ability and like to live intensely a concern to unfold in contrast, unfolding in appetite for high-flying. And an intelligence and wit truly remarkable.
When the tungsten began again to make profits, he returned to Sierra, to live a golden age. His fame grew. The admiration and respect for the name ‘Gralheiro’ spread over a vast region and, together with a very peculiar sense of leadership and financial success, earned him the nickname “King of Iron.” The excitement and euphoria, the demand for ore brought to these parts, provided significant improvement to the difficult living conditions of many who demanded the Sierra in small or large groups, trying to find work and get rich in no time.
However, especially in the thirties and forties, because of the Spanish Civil War and World War II was the great international interest in all this activity is linked to tungsten, which had agents in several countries, most notably coming from the players of strife: England and Germany. In 1944, toward the end of the war, realizing the approach of the decline in exports of tungsten, and while it could also take advantage of enough profit, he sold all his interests in the mines. To them back later for a short time, even to satisfy the passion for the ore, which had pursued him all his life. But the heyday was over. In 1945, grateful to the saints of their devotion and in fulfillment of a promise, erected in Lubízios, where you found the first stone of tungsten, the Cross of Peace, which is both a monument of peace and joy for the allies’ victory, beside whom he had always been, through their dealings with the British. ”
Aurora Simões de Matos, Gazeta da Beira, July 30, 2009
Geographical Coordinate:
40° 54′ 13.35″ N, 8° 3′ 21.25″ W
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