Early Days of the British Factory

Author:

Godfrey Fisher

Report:

HA 10

Page:

609

Year:

1946-1950

Subject Matter:

Lisbon and OPorto Factory Houses, British Merchants and Ec. Relations

Excerpt:

It is a curious and regrettable fact that so little information is available about those trading communities, or factories, which developed independently of control or assistance from their home country and yet played such an important part not only in our commercial expansion but in our naval predominance at the time when the distant Mediterranean suddenly became the great strategic battle-ground - the "Keyboard of Europe".

Thanks to the ability and industry of Mr. A. R. Walford we now have a picture of the great British Factory at the vital port of Lisbon during the latter part of its history. Of the earlier part, which is "shrouded in obscurity".  I would venture to place on record a few details which have attracted my attention while trying to find out something about the history of our early consuls who were originally chosen, if not actually appointed, by them to be their official spokesmen and chief executives.

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