Josep Caritg
| Josep Caritg | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 May 1841, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain |
| Birth name | Josep Caritg i Arnó |
| Died | {Template:Death date, Premià de Mar, Spain |
| Cause of death | Suicide |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Landowner, real estate broker, politician |
| Known for | Serving twice as Mayor of Badalona and promoting urban development |
| Political party | Liberal Conservative Party |
| Predecessor | Francesc d'Assís Guixeras i Viñas |
| Successor | Ramon Planas i Planas |
| Term | 1879– 1881 |
| Spouse/partner | Josepa Argemí Vidal |
| Children | 5 |
Josep Caritg i Arnó (12 May 1841 – 6 February 1897) was a Spanish landowner, real estate broker, and politician. A member of the Liberal Conservative Party, he served two terms as the mayor of Badalona during the Bourbon Restoration and was among the municipality's most influential political figures in the late nineteenth century. In addition to his political career, Caritg played an important role in the urban expansion and real estate development of Badalona.
Biography
Josep Caritg i Arnó was born on 12 May 1841 in Badalona, Catalonia, into a prosperous local family. Early in his career, he took over the family-owned grocery business following his father's retirement. During the 1860s, however, he gradually shifted his interests toward land investment and property development, eventually selling or leasing the family shop.
Caritg acquired extensive agricultural estates, including large tracts purchased from the Marquis of Rubí. Among these properties was the hill later known as Turó d'en Caritg, which subsequently became associated with his surname. Initially, his estates were dedicated to viticulture, where he cultivated vineyards and produced wine. Alongside his agricultural activities, he worked as a rural and urban real estate broker, promoting residential developments in Badalona and Llinars del Vallès during a period of significant urban growth.[1]
Political career
Caritg became actively involved in municipal politics during the years following the Glorious Revolution. As a leading member of the Liberal Conservative Party in Badalona, he gained considerable influence in local government and represented conservative interests throughout much of the Bourbon Restoration.
He served as a city councillor from 1876 to 1881 and again from 1883 to 1891. During these periods, he held office as mayor of Badalona on two occasions: first between 1879 and 1881, and later from 1884 to 1886. His administrations alternated with those of the Liberal politician Francesc d'Assís Guixeras i Viñas, reflecting the political dynamics of the Restoration period.
During his first mayoral term, Caritg supported the establishment of a municipal charity house in 1881 to assist disadvantaged residents. In his second administration, he oversaw the city's response to the cholera epidemic, implementing several public health measures intended to reduce the spread of the disease. Contemporary political opponents often portrayed him as an authoritarian local leader, while later historians have described him as a cacique, reflecting the system of local political patronage that characterized much of Restoration-era Spain.[2]
Death
Caritg died by suicide on 6 February 1897 in Premià de Mar at the age of 55. Contemporary newspaper reports attributed his death to severe financial difficulties resulting from losses following a stock market decline, which reportedly left him unable to repay substantial debts owed to his clients.
Following his death, his family accepted the inheritance and arranged the sale of much of his real estate through public auction in order to settle outstanding financial obligations.[3]
Personal life
Caritg married Josepa Argemí Vidal, and the couple had five daughters, one of whom died during childhood. Two of his daughters married prominent figures in Badalona society. Carme Caritg married pharmacist Joan Surroca, while Concepció Caritg married Martí Pujol, a landowner who later served as mayor of Badalona. Through these family connections, the Caritg family remained closely associated with the city's political and social elite.[4]