We recently reminded you of the story of two entrepreneurs who laid the foundations of modern industry in Bulgaria after the Liberation. Today we go back even further in time, to the years before 1878, to tell you about one of the most significant textile factories in our country at that time.
In our article from the series about the noble Plovdiv families, we already introduced you to the family Gyumyushgerdan, which is believed to originate from the Rhodope village of Boykovo. It is believed that the founder of the family was Atanas Kalmukov, also called Kumanov. The names of his sons – Dimitar and Georgi – appear in the lists of masters from the Plovdiv abadji guild in 1769 and 1793. There they are already recorded with the family name Gyumyushgerdan, a nickname the family received because their mother wore a string of silver coins.
The grandson of the former peasant from Boykovo, also named Atanas, around 1800 became the first master of the abadji guild in Plovdiv. It was from his heirs that the rise of the family began, which left a lasting mark on the economic life of the region.
The most famous among them are the brothers Mihalaki, Dimitar and Georgi. In 1847, they founded the second woolen textile factory in Bulgaria. The enterprise is located in the lands between the present-day villages of Parvenets and Hrabrino and is equipped with modern machinery for its time, some of which were imported from Vienna. About 50–60 people work in the production, producing high-quality woolen fabrics.
The main initiator of the enterprise is the eldest brother - Mihalaki, while the younger Dimitar participates as his partner. The factory mainly produces shayak for the needs of the Ottoman army and receives numerous orders, which quickly turns the enterprise into one of the most significant of its time.
In 1853, the factory was expanded and a new building was built. Mihalaki Gümüşgerdan also began the creation of the first terraced vineyards in the region. The residents of Parvenets and the surrounding villages found a living not only in the factory, but also in the vineyards and the dermendjiyniks built along the river.
However, the success of the enterprise also caused discontent. It was believed that the factory's activities led to the mass ruin of the abadjis in the region. Therefore, some of them sought help from one of the leaders of the Bulgarian-Mohammedans. The Rhodopes even sent a man to kill Mihalaki. However, the mercenary did not know the manufacturer. When he began to ask about Gümüşgerdan, instead of Mihalaki, his brother Dimitar was pointed out to him. Thus, the victim of the assassination attempt became the youngest of the brothers, who was fatally shot.
During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, production at the factory stopped. The buildings were looted, and some of the family's properties were seized by local peasants. After the creation of Eastern Rumelia, the family managed to regain some of its possessions, but the enterprise never regained its former scope.
During the communist regime, the factory was declared a cultural monument. In 1979, Lyudmila Zhivkova visited Parvenets and the idea was born to turn the Gumushgerdan building into a Center for Aesthetic Education. However, the ambitious program was never realized and remained only on paper.
Today, the remains remind us of the time when some of the first attempts at industrial production in Bulgarian lands were made near Plovdiv, a story of entrepreneurship, ambition, and a family that left a lasting mark on the development of the region.
Изпращане на отзиви
Тhere are no comments yet.