“The installation of the railway in Barreiro in 1861 and the easy flow of goods by sea to Lisbon led to the emergence of the cork industry in the municipality of Barreiro. The first news about the installation of a cork factory dates back to 1865 when Augusto Gomes de Araújo states that “although it appeared later than in Alentejo or Algarve, a cork factory was installed in Barreiro […]”. In a text by Dr. António Camarão.
The history of cork manufacturing at the Braamcamp farm dates back to 1882 when the Reynolds family rented the farm to George Abraham for 375 thousand réis. In 1883, cork was already being processed.
1895 – John Reynolds sold the building to The Cork Company Ltd. for the price of 60,003 thousand réis.
1897 - The Cork Company Ltd. sold the property to the National Cork Company for the price of 60,600$000 mil-réis.
1976 - Mr. Edmundo Luís Rodrigues Pereira took over the management of the factory and acquired 15% of the National Cork Company, S.A.
1980 - Dode,s National Cork Company was dissolved and Esence National Cork Company, S.A. was created. Now owned by Mr. Edmundo Luís Rodrigues Pereira.
2008 - July 4. The Cork Company ESENCE National Cork Company, S.A. was declared insolvent by a court decision issued by the Commercial Court of Lisbon.
2010 - Its assets were sold at auction, with 3 companies in the scrap metal industry acquiring the factory's contents, equipment, machinery, tools, etc., and the land being acquired by BCP.
2010 - 28 March The administrator of the insolvent estate ceases to function and hands over the farm to Banco Comercial Português (BCP), leaving the farm completely abandoned.
The recent history of this last cork factory in Barreiro is one that we all know.