Josep Bonaplata i Corriol
 | This article may be a rough translation from Catalan. It may have been generated, in whole or in part, by a computer or by a translator without dual proficiency. (March 2014) |
Josep Bonaplata | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1795 |
| Died | June 2, 1843 Bunyol, Foia de Bunyol, Valencian Community |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation(s) | Founder of Factory Bonaplata, business executive, engineering |
| Parent(s) | Ramon Bonaplata and Teresa Corriol |
Josep Bonaplata and Corriol (Barcelona, 1795 - Bunyol, June 2 of 1843) was a Catalan industrial entrepreneur known to be the one who introduced the steam machine in Catalonia and Spain. Their parents were chintz makers Ramon Bonaplata and Teresa Corriol; and their brothers were Salvador, Ramon and Narcís.
Youth and trip to England
Josep Bonaplata worked at the family manufactory until his father retired and the business was inherited by the older brother, Salvador.[1] In 1828 Josep and his friend Joan Vilaregut started a cotton textile factory in Sallent, with mechanical looms that were hydro-powered by the River Llobregat.[1][2] In 1829, in an attempt to modernise the plant, he was given permission by the Spanish government to import an English steam engine.[3]
Bonaplata travelled to the Britain with Joan Rull and a man named Camps to learn about the textile industry in Lancashire and to buy the needed machinery from the Boulton & Watt manufactory in Birmingham.[2] He received from the Spanish ambassador to London Francisco Cea Bermúdez the legal authorization to import the steam engine. Bonaplata and Rull went back to Catalonia in July 1830, but Camps stayed in Manchester to keep learning, in particular about Richard Roberts' self-acting spinning mule, which Bonaplata planned to produce under licence.[1]
Industrial entrepreneur
At September 30 of 1831 formed the firm "Bonaplata, Rull, Vilaregut i Cia." with his three brothers, his friend Joan Vilaregut, and the new partner Joan Rull. This company was capitalized with 1.600.000 reales.[1] The Factory Bonaplata (also known as "El Vapor") was placed at Tallers Street, at Raval's neighborhood in Barcelona, and held two activities: At 1832 was founded the blast furnace for processing iron, with a workshop for making mechanical looms, and at November 1833 was founded the factory for weaving and spinning mechanically. Significantly it was the first factory in Spain to use a steam machine for generating mechanical motion to move other engines.[2] Its value and social impact was recognized then already because it employed roughly 700 people, and because it inspired the aim to learn and to modernize the economy.[4] However, the factory was assaulted and burned at night between August 4 and August 5 of 1835, during the turmoil of a riot with a component of luddism, among other issues.[1][5]
The losses from the disaster raised to 2.696.625 reales. Therefore he sued the Spanish government as the last responsible because it couldn't stop the revolt. Initially the government tried to elude all responsibility, but asked to the Cortes Generales a permission to pay a compensation. At April 1 of 1837 Josep Bonaplata appeared before the Cortes and committed himself to rebuild a new and bigger steam factory for starting the modernization of the Spanish industry; but later the treasure committee declared that he must gave up any compensation if he wanted a state investment.[6]
Before this resolution, Bonaplata already had gone to live in Madrid at 1837 to form the company Bonaplata, Sandford y Cía for showing his truly intentions of restarting the project. The company chose to establish the business at the late convent of Santa Barbara, at Hortaleza's neighborhood, and he took a humble room as a home. He was forty two already, but still single. The place became his second blast furnace with the participation of a machinist named William Sanford.[6] Possibly he was already suffering a breathing disorder, which could explain why his brothers Ramon and Narcís joined him again: At 1839 the company was changed to Bonaplata y Hermanos, while Sandford remained staying only as a technician. Ramon took over the Madrilenian business, which was capitalized with 200.000 reales, while Narcís opened a new blast furnace in Seville capitalized with 90.000 reales; but both little brothers had to check the important decisions with their older brother.[6]
Two years latter Narcís emancipated the Andalusian factory, so the Madrilenian one (which kept the brand) was capitalized with 403.063 reales. Although Josep Bonaplata owned the bigger part of it, the legal documents acknowledged Ramon as the lone administrator of "Santa Barbara"; probably he was suffering a bad health, but still then he kept the right to act on whatever he thought was convenient.[6]
The rural business
Right after the destruction of "El Vapor", at December 1835 Josep Bonaplata bought by 187.000 reales the estate of "Espinar" in the Valencian village of Llíria. He made some important investments in the site like the construction of an olive oil mill, and planted almond trees massively. In parallel, he invested 1.190.000 reales in a project that would link the rivers Cinca and Segre for developing the irrigation of the middle shire of Llitera. The plan was promoted by his friend Antoni Gassó, but ended not realized at that time.[6]
Illness and death
At least since 1839 Josep Bonaplata was suffering severe respiratory disorders that affected his dedication to business. Fearing a last attack, he made his will at May 1840. Three years later he finally decided to retire at the Espinar farmhouse in Llíria. At May 30 of 1843 Bonaplata handed the will to the executor and started the trip, but his lungs collapsed in a last asthma attack at June 2 while he was passing the near village of Bunyol. He was 48.[6]
He died without progeny so the brothers were his successors. It is known that he had had an illegitimate daughter named Sofia, but she died while was being born at 1840. It's likely that Josep and Jesusa Romero, the mother, became a couple.[6]
References
Footnotes
- ^ a b c d e Jordi Nadal: p. 6-8
- ^ a b c Enciclopèdia Catalana
- ^ The news was greeted with strong opposition from the Catalan trade organisation, Junta de Comerçtrade, because it was feared that the project was a cover-up for importing cheaper English textiles. However, they came round after inspecting the new factory in March 1833. Jordi Nadal: p. 6-8
- ^ In 1834 French geographer Moreau de Jonnès praised the factory in the Spanish part of his "Statistique de l'Agriculture de France, contenant la statistique des céréales diverses, des pâturages, des bois et forêts et des animaux domestiques, avec leur production actuelle comparée à celle des temps anciens et des principaux pays européens". This part was translated to Spanish language by lawyer and future politician Pascual Madoz on its "Estadística de España" at 1835, adding some comments that described it as a "full revolution". In 1846 Madoz highlighted again the importance of the Factory Bonaplata as the dawn of the new industrial age. Furthermore, at 1867 was Ildefons Cerdà himself, talking about his years of youth, who remembered "El Vapor" as the turning point between two ages. Jordi Nadal: p. 7 and 15
- ^ Years later Valentí Esparó used the same place to build up a workshop that would become the basis of the famous factory "La Maquinista". Enciclopèdia Catalana
- ^ a b c d e f g Jordi Nadal: p. 9-11
Bibliography
- "Josep Bonaplata" (in Catalan). Enciclopèdia Catalana. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- "Els Bonaplata: Tres generacions d'industrials catalans a l'Espanya del segle XIX" (PDF) (in Catalan). Institut d'Estudis Catalans. Retrieved 12 March 2014.