This fascinating book reminds readers that in the last decades of the 16th century, Maros’s (Armengol) and Nerja’s (San Antonio Abad) sugar entrepreneurs, started their operations of grinding the sweet cane that was cultivated in their fertile lands, and the manufacture of the sugar that this one was providing. For almost three hundred years, both men were the economic engine of both localities, and helped the society to grow and develop in modern times. In the 19th century, another two enterprises (Nuevo and San Miguel) competed with Nerja for a short time, but they all reduced pressure before the advance of steam technology and new production methods introduced by sugar factories.
Francisco Capilla Luque, writer of the book, stated that readers will be able to discover what these preindustrial businesses were like and how they used to operate, their manufacture system, the different types of operative workers who were employed by them. Also discussed is what the relationships between the owners and workers/farmers was like, the agricultural practices and what a lucrative business the production of sugar turned into. All of this is summarised beautifully as the book describes a fundamental epoch in the history of Maro and Nerja, during the end of the Middle ages and the second half of the 19th century.
It is reported that the first sugar mill in Nerja was built in 1591 and the remains of a more recent Sugar factory can still be seen in Nerja. Despite various obstacles and fears of being invaded by Arab pirates, the original mill ran for the next 200 years and sugar milling, became a principle means of employment in the area for centuries.
