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Factory House

Common name (also British Association House) for a historically important building in the Gregorian style in the Portuguese port city of Porto. It was occupied in 1790 by British port wine trading houses under Consul John Whitehead (a predecessor building built as early as 1727 stood elsewhere). It is the only surviving "factor's house" where "factors" (trade commissioners) once negotiated and concluded their deals on foreign territory. The British wine merchants who met regularly in the Factor House had a decisive influence on the port wine business. The foundation stone for the port wine boom was laid by the treaty concluded as early as 1703 and known as the Methuen Treaty, which provided for special customs concessions for the import of Portuguese wines in England. As a result, the British gained an absolute monopoly on the port wine trade.

Factory House und Marquês de Pombal

At the numerous meetings of the factors, prices were agreed without involving the Portuguese authorities, which was increasingly criticised by the Portuguese side. In order to break the monopoly, the Portuguese Prime Minister Marquês de Pombal (1699-1782) initiated the foundation of the "Douro Wine Company" (also "Real Companhia Velha") in 1756. Due to the British business practices, there were riots and disturbances throughout the city in February 1757 Porto, which were suppressed by 3,000 soldiers. Pombal held the factors primarily responsible for the incidents and reacted with harsh punishments against the British and their sympathisers. Property was confiscated and 26 Factory members were exiled to Africa and India. The monopoly of the British was thus ended. The new building was then occupied in 1790.

In 1806, due to the historic role of the British in the port wine trade, the building was granted "from this day forth and forever to the Consul of the British Nation and his Company and their heirs". During the Napoleonic Wars, the French invaded Portugal and between 1807 and 1811 the Factory House was therefore temporarily closed. As early as 1810, the English King George III (1738-1820) and the Portuguese royal family in the person of Prince Regent João VI (1767-1826), who was in office from 1792 to 1816, had signed a trade agreement which no longer permitted British factories in Portugal. Therefore, the Factories were dissolved and replaced by the "British Association". Members are recruited exclusively from the British port wine trading houses.

Among the many rooms are a portico with a monumental staircase, as well as a card room, a drawing room, a dance hall, a library and a banqueting hall. It also has an Anglican church, a cricket and tennis club, and the oldest British school outside England. To this day, it serves as a gentlemen's club and meeting place exclusively for the remaining British port wine trade organisations. However, these now "only" generate a third of the turnover. Traditionally, the "Wednesday Lunch" is held, but today it is mainly Portuguese (as directors of the British companies) who dine and discuss the wine business. See also under Marquês de Pombal.

Factory House: By Manuel de Sousa - Own work, CC BY 2.5, Link
Marquês de Pombal: By Unidentified painter - artigos, Public Domain, Link

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