Factory House
Encyclopedia
The Factory House is an 18th century Palladian building located in the Portuguese wine
center of Oporto, Portugal
. Constructed in 1790 by the British Port wine
shippers, the building served as a gentleman's club and meeting place for the trade organization known as the British Association. The original Factory House opened at another location in Oporto in 1727. Conceived as a meeting place for British shippers to discuss business, the house became a private club for the British where they colluded to consolidate their monopoly
over the Port wine industry. Eventually the Factory House moved to the Rua Nova dos Ingleses (The New Street of the English) by the Oporto docks. In 1806, the Portuguese government granted the land upon which the Factory House is built to the British consulate in perpetuity "....from this day and forever." The Factory House building is still open today and still serves as a meeting house for British Port shippers though the street has changed it name to now Rua do Infante Dom Henrique.
The first Factory House opened at another location in 1727. The purpose of the Factory House was to serve a meeting house for the foreign British merchants in the Portuguese city. Members of the Factory House became known as "Factors". With their frequent meetings, the British shippers were able collude together on pricing and strengthened their monopoly over the Port wine trade. All business was conducted in absolute secrecy from the Portuguese.
Over time the Factory House became a symbol of the British monopoly. Complaints about the business practices of the British shippers and eventually lead to the Portuguese Prime Minister Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, Marquis of Pombal establishing the Douro Wine Company
in 1756 to bring more Portuguese influence and control to the Port wine industry. Among the Douro Wine Company's powers was the ability to set pricing for what the British shippers had to pay the Portuguese wine growers of the Douro. The monopoly of the British Factors was essentially over. The British passed on their increased costs by adding them to the price of their Port. In Oporto, the local tavern owners reacted angrily to the price increase which lead to the so-called Tipplers' Riots that broke out on February 23, 1757. Riots broke out across the city, prompting Pombal to send 3,000 soldiers to squelch the rioting. Believing the Factors were primarily responsible for the riots, Pombal dealt out harsh punishments. Both the British and their sympathizers faced large fines, the confiscation of property and jail time. Some were banished to Africa and India, while Pombal had 26 members of the Factory House executed.
In 1790, the current building was constructed. During the Napoleonic Wars
, the Factory House was temporarily closed when the French invaded Portugal
in 1807. After the war, it was reopened on November 11, 1811, with a lavish dinner and ball. By 1814, the building turned into more of a private gentleman's club among the merchants. During the 19th century, the Factory House developed an air of exclusivity, holding formal balls for the British of Oporto and excluding most of the Portuguese shippers who worked in the wine industry. While sometimes Portuguese dignitaries and government officials were invited, until the end of the 20th century there was an official decree of the Factory House that excluded any Portuguese military officer below the rank of Field Officer
from attending. Today, though membership is still officially limited to British-owned Port companies, there are now more Portuguese than British members of the Factory House due to the extensive integration of Portuguese workers into the corporate structure of many of the British Port shipping firms.
and tennis
club as well as the oldest British school found outside of the United Kingdom
.
Port that is tasted blind. Wagers are taken among the guests as to what vintage the wine is and from which shipper it comes, as a ritual game among the members.
Portuguese wine
Portuguese wine is the result of traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and mostly the Romans. Portugal started to export its wines to Rome during the Roman Empire. Modern exports developed with trade to England after the...
center of Oporto, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Constructed in 1790 by the British Port wine
Port wine
Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced exclusively in the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal. It is typically a sweet, red wine, often served as a dessert wine, and comes in dry, semi-dry, and white varieties...
shippers, the building served as a gentleman's club and meeting place for the trade organization known as the British Association. The original Factory House opened at another location in Oporto in 1727. Conceived as a meeting place for British shippers to discuss business, the house became a private club for the British where they colluded to consolidate their monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
over the Port wine industry. Eventually the Factory House moved to the Rua Nova dos Ingleses (The New Street of the English) by the Oporto docks. In 1806, the Portuguese government granted the land upon which the Factory House is built to the British consulate in perpetuity "....from this day and forever." The Factory House building is still open today and still serves as a meeting house for British Port shippers though the street has changed it name to now Rua do Infante Dom Henrique.
History
Over time the Factory House became a symbol of the British monopoly. Complaints about the business practices of the British shippers and eventually lead to the Portuguese Prime Minister Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, Marquis of Pombal establishing the Douro Wine Company
Douro Wine Company
The Douro Wine Company was a government oversight organization established by the Portuguese Prime Minister Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, Marquis of Pombal to regulate the trade and production of Port wine...
in 1756 to bring more Portuguese influence and control to the Port wine industry. Among the Douro Wine Company's powers was the ability to set pricing for what the British shippers had to pay the Portuguese wine growers of the Douro. The monopoly of the British Factors was essentially over. The British passed on their increased costs by adding them to the price of their Port. In Oporto, the local tavern owners reacted angrily to the price increase which lead to the so-called Tipplers' Riots that broke out on February 23, 1757. Riots broke out across the city, prompting Pombal to send 3,000 soldiers to squelch the rioting. Believing the Factors were primarily responsible for the riots, Pombal dealt out harsh punishments. Both the British and their sympathizers faced large fines, the confiscation of property and jail time. Some were banished to Africa and India, while Pombal had 26 members of the Factory House executed.
In 1790, the current building was constructed. During the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, the Factory House was temporarily closed when the French invaded Portugal
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
in 1807. After the war, it was reopened on November 11, 1811, with a lavish dinner and ball. By 1814, the building turned into more of a private gentleman's club among the merchants. During the 19th century, the Factory House developed an air of exclusivity, holding formal balls for the British of Oporto and excluding most of the Portuguese shippers who worked in the wine industry. While sometimes Portuguese dignitaries and government officials were invited, until the end of the 20th century there was an official decree of the Factory House that excluded any Portuguese military officer below the rank of Field Officer
Field officer
A field officer is an army, marine, or air force commissioned officer senior in rank to a company officer but junior to a general officer; in some navies, it is an officer who is a Lieutenant Commander, Commander, or Captain....
from attending. Today, though membership is still officially limited to British-owned Port companies, there are now more Portuguese than British members of the Factory House due to the extensive integration of Portuguese workers into the corporate structure of many of the British Port shipping firms.
Features
The Factory House features a pillared entrance hall leading to a monumental staircase. Among the many rooms of the house are a map room, drawing room, ballroom, dessert room, library and banquet hall. The house also features an Anglican church, a cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
club as well as the oldest British school found outside of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Customs
The Factory House host a weekly luncheon where members meet for lunch to discuss the wine industry and business. During these lunches the shippers share various Port wines from their collection, including one vintageVintage
Vintage, in wine-making, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product . A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certain wines, it can denote quality, as in Port wine, where Port houses make and...
Port that is tasted blind. Wagers are taken among the guests as to what vintage the wine is and from which shipper it comes, as a ritual game among the members.