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José Antonio Mestre y Alvarez-Tabio

1926

4 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 1926

    Born

  2. 22 Mar 1956

    A daughter is born

Family

See the tree

Partner

Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 11 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1920s · José is born

In the news1929–1932

Economic collapse during the 1930s Depression

Following the 1929 stock market crash, the value of Cuba's sugar production collapsed from nearly $200 million in 1929 to just over $40 million in 1932.

What people wore

Masculine style in the early Republic

During the early Republic, men frequently wore white drill suits paired with straw hats, while the guayabera shirt persisted as a key element of masculine dress.

Getting around

Rural transport relied on horse-drawn buggies

Rural travelers often relied on horse-drawn buggies for trips between towns, such as the 1 1/4-mile journey to Casilda which cost approximately 5 cents.

The Spanish flu. A flu pandemic infected a third of humanity and killed some 50 million people, more than the war that had just ended.Around the world · 1918–1920

The Spanish flu. A flu pandemic infected a third of humanity and killed some 50 million people, more than the war that had just ended.

Otis Historical Archives, National Museum of Health and Medicine · public domain

In the news1920

The 1920 Dance of the Millions crisis

In 1920, the price of sugar plummeted, causing a financial crisis known as the Dance of the Millions that ruined many Cuban banks.

Music

Everyday Objects Used as Carnival Instruments

In Havana and Santiago de Cuba, carnival comparsas (festive retinues) incorporated everyday metal objects like frying pans, iron railings, and automobile tire rims as musical instruments to enhance their rhythms. These ensembles also famously used the corneta china, a shrill, piercing Chinese wind instrument that could be heard over great distances.

Daily life

Rural school janitor wages

Janitors in rural schools were paid monthly salaries of 5 to 10 pesos to maintain the facilities and purchase water.