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ABSTRACT
This article summarises the assessment of industrial heritage in Greece and revisits the remains of Glavanis Ironworks in Volos, shedding new light on the significance of this remarkable industrial building. It employs a value-based approach as a methodology, involving the documentation of surviving industrial buildings as well as the analysis of unpublished archival data. The detailed examination of Glavanis Ironworks illustrates how under-represented, derelict and at-risk industrial structures can provide evidence for overlooked industrial heritage values.
Acknowledgements
I greatly appreciate the support received and the material permissions granted during my fieldwork. Thanks to Emeritus Professor Christine Agriantoni and the Department of History Archaeology-Social Anthropology (School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Thessaly), Dr Annita Prassa and the General State Archives in Magnesia, Ms Eleni Beneki and the Historical Archives of the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation, Mr Giorgos Gagas and the Municipal Development Company in Volos, and the National Bank of Greece’s Historical Archive for making those few months of data collection all the more interesting.
Disclosure Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 Aigli Dimoglou, ‘Establishment and Development of Industry in Volos’, in Volos. In Quest of the City’s Social Identity, ed. Thomas Maloutas (Thessaloniki: Paratiritis, 1995), 119–40; Nitsa Koliou, The Industry of Volos (Volos: Municipality of Volos, Municipal Center for Historical Research and Documentation, 1994), 9–23; Charalampos Charitos, ‘Volos: The Course of the New Town. In Volos and Its District Through History’, in Volos and Its District Through History, ed. George Kypriotelis and Costas Liapis (Volos: Thessalian Research Society, 2004), 267–328.
2 Nitsa Koliou, The Industry of Volos (Volos: Municipality of Volos, Municipal Center for Historical Research and Documentation, 1994), 23–6.
3 Charalampos Charitos, ‘The First Statute of the Labour Center in Volos’, En Volo 30 (July–September 2008): 12–25; Giannis Kordatos, History of the Greek Working-Class Movement (Athens: Boukoumanis, 1972), 21.
4 Kostas Adamakis, The Industrial Buildings of Volos (Athens: Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation 2009), 45–6, 52, 112.
5 Ibid.
6 General State Archives of the Prefecture of Magnesia, Exchequer Records, Business files: Glavanis Ironworks (1921–83), 114144/27333/67.
7 Koliou, The Industry of Volos, 25.
8 Spiridoula Arathimou, ‘Historic Archival Data of Industrial Businesses in Volos’, En Volo, Industrial Heritage in Magnesia 23 (October–December 2006): 66–7; Eleni Triantou, Volos Through the Fog of the Time (Volos: ed Grafi, 1994), 116–19; Mixalis Psalidopoulos, Texts for the Greek Industry in the 19th Century (Athens: ETVA Cultural Technological Foundation of the Hellenic Bank of Industrial Development, 1994), 11–26.
9 Aylin Orbasli, Architectural Conservation: Principles and Practice (Oxford: Blackwell Science, 2008), 29.
10 Ibid.
11 Aspa Gospodini, ‘The Structure of Space as a Mechanism for Organising Central Functions in the City, the Case of the Volos’, in Τhe Development of Greek Cities: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Urban Analysis and Policy, ed. Dimitris Oikonomou and Giorgos Petrakos (Volos: University Press of Thessaly, 2012), 371–96.
12 Vilma Hastaoglou, ‘Volos from the 19th to the 20th Century: The Rise of the Industrial City’, in Volos. In Quest of the City’s Social Identity, ed. Thomas Maloutas (Thessaloniki: Paratiritis, 1995), 89–117; Charalambos Charitos, ‘Volos: The Course of the New Town’, in Volos and Its District Through History (Volos: Thessalian Research Society, 2004), 267.
13 Dimitris Oikonomou and Ilias Beriatos, ‘Urban Planning System of Volos: Geographic Influence and Location in the Urban Network’, in Volos. In Quest of the City’s Social Identity, ed. Thomas Maloutas (Thessaloniki: Paratiritis, 1995), 237–60.
14 Charitos, ‘Volos: The Course of the New Town’, 278.
15 Vilma Hastaoglou, Volos: Portrait of the City in the 19th and 20th Century (Volos: Municipal Centre of History and Documentation of Volos, 2002), 86–7.
16 Association of Greek Industries, The Greek Industry till 1945 (Athens: Association of Greek Industries, 1945), 67–9.
17 Nikos Belavilas, ‘Industrial Heritage in Attica: Facts About the Current Situation’, in Strategies towards the Promotion of Industrial Heritage Issues, ed. Universities of NTUA, AUTH, DUTH, UTH, UPATRAS and TICCIH Greece (Athens: National Technical University of Athens, 2011), 3–4.
18 Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works of Greece, Town Planning Diagram of the City of Volos, 31 March 1930, box 102, folder 93940, plan no. 5, Building Service Directorate, Municipality of Volos, Volos; Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works of Greece, Aero-topography of the City of Volos and Nea Ionia, 23 June 1956, box 144, folder 22924, plan no. 1, Building Service Directorate, Municipality of Volos, Volos.
19 Rea Stylianou, Greek Vernacular Architecture: Mount Pelion (Athens: Melissa Press, 1992), 83–4.
20 Giannis Kizis, Pilioritiki Oikodomia, The Architecture of Houses in Pelion from 17th to 19th Century (Athens: ETVA Cultural Technological Foundation of the Hellenic Bank of Industrial Development, 1994), 154–5.
21 Ibid.
22 Dimitris Paliouras, ‘The Architectural Development of Volos’, in Volos and Its District Through History, ed. Petros Kypriotelis and Costas Liapis (Volos: Thessalian Research Society, 2004), 360–3.
23 Adamakis, The Industrial Buildings of Volos, 56–8.
24 Nikos Sifounakis, Industrial Buildings in Lesvos. Olive Factories — Soap Factories. 19th and Beginning of 20th Century (Lesvos: Prefecture of Lesvos, 1986), 95.
25 Nikos Sifounakis, Vranas Olive Press Museum, Parados, Gera, Lesvos (Athens: Archipelagos Society, 2013), 52–66.
26 Stylianou, Greek Vernacular Architecture: Mount Pelion, 109.
27 Ministry of Industry (today the Ministry of Economy and Development), ground-floor plan, 25 February 1970, box 2254, folder 2252, Architectural Drawings, Archive of Glavanis Factory, Archives of Magnesia, General State Archives, Volos.
28 Konstantina Demiri, ‘Τhe Evolution of the Architecture of Industrial Buildings in Greece since the End of the 19th Century till Today’, Arhitektonika Themata 25 (1991): 57; John Peponis, ‘The Spatial Culture of Factories’, Human Relations 38, no. 4 (April 1985): 357–90; Alexandros Tobazis, ‘Architecture of Industrial Buildings in Greece’, Arhitektonika Themata 25 (1991): 88.
29 Comparable to the Henry Boot Ironworks in Trikala, the Vasileiadis Ironworks in Piraeus (demolished), the Hellenic Railways Organisation Ironworks in Piraeus, the French Mining Company in Lavrion and the Neorion Ironworks on Syros Island.
30 Iakovos Georganas, Evaluation of Glavanis Industrial Co. Ltd Volos, 29 July 1959, box 68, folder 1, pp. 32–43, The Economic Development Finance Organization (OECD), Industrial Company Glavanis, Historical Archive of the National Bank of Greece, Athens.
31 Kostas Glavanis and Michalis Kazazis, ‘Illustrated Catalogue: Machine Workshop Sfyra in Volos, Founded in 1895, Agricultural Section’, 1911, Glavanis Archive 266, General State Archives in Magnesia.
32 Michalis Kazazis, ‘Delivering Binders in Greece’, The Harvester World 4, no. 12, ed. International Harvester Company (Chicago, December 1913): 24–5.
33 Ibid.
34 Ibid.
35 Koliou, The Industry of Volos, 25.
36 Nikos Tzafleris, ‘The Role of the Greek Military Industrial Production During the Greek-Italian War (1940–1941)’, Paper presented at the Economic and Social History International Conference, Rethymno, 2008, School of Philosophy Press, University of Crete, 160–1.
37 Industrial Company Glavanis S.A. to Greek Powder and Cartridge Company, 4 March 1941, Glavanis correspondence, Glavanis Archive 266, protocol nos 697, 709 and 749, General State Archives in Magnesia, Volos.
38 John Glavanis to Director of the National Bank of Greece in Athens, 17 May 1972, Glavanis correspondence, Glavanis Archive 266, General State Archives of Magnesia, Volos.
39 Agriantoni, interview.
40 General State Archives of Magnesia, 29 January 1951, Glavanis correspondence, box 86, folder 2864, Glavanis Archive 266, General State Archives in Magnesia, Volos; and Industrial Company Glavanis S.A. to Ministry of Agriculture, Contract for the Supply of Agricultural Tools Glavanis, Glavanis Correspondence, box 85, folder 2864, Glavanis Archive 266, General State Archives in Magnesia, Volos.
41 Beyond industrial success, John Glavanis contributed to the implementation of various economic policies that would lead to much-needed local urban regeneration. During his career as a local political leader, he attempted to address the immediate social problems facing Thessaly, such as unemployment, the cost of living and infrastructure requirements, thus gaining the trust and appreciation of his fellow citizens. Funding electricity and water projects, managing major infrastructure projects and financially supporting institutions are a few examples of his contribution to Thessalian cities and villages. See John Glavanis to Director of the Thessalia Newspaper, 8 October 1964, Glavanis correspondence, Glavanis Archive 266, General State Archives of Magnesia, Volos.
42 UNRRA Iron sheets recording, 1946, box 83, folder 1984, Glavanis Archive 266, General State Archives of Magnesia, Volos.
43 Koliou, The Industry of Volos, 25.
44 Kouroumalos, in discussion with the author, September 2017.
45 Koliou, The Industry of Volos, 25.
46 This bridgework was a kind of makeshift bridge used during war time in 1941.
47 Nikos Tzafleris, ‘The Deindustrialization in Volos: Claiming the Urban Space Between the Historical Machine Workshops and the Locals’, Paper presented at the 5th Panhellenic Scientific Meeting TICCIH, Volos, 22–5 November 2007, Centre for History and Documentation, City of Volos, 447–576.
48 Aris Tsalapatas, ‘Industrial Heritage: Dedicated to Volos (1/2)’, filmed June 2012, Volos, video, 13:42, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tsb1dc39gU.
49 Kazazis, ‘Delivering Binders in Greece’, 24–5.
50 Eleni Kormazou, Michalakis Kazazis: 1850–1938 (Volos: Hores, 1995), 29–32.
51 Kareklidis and Koutseris, ‘Μills, Ironworks and Tobacco Shops Have Boosted the Local Economy’, The Industry of Volos, Yesterday and Today, special edition Magnesia Newspaper (2013): 29–32.
52 Kouroumalos, former worker at Glavanis Ironworks, in discussion with the author, September 2017.
53 Kormazou, Michalakis Kazazis: 1850–1938, 43.
54 Michalis Koundouris, ‘The Creation of the Labour Party and the Contribution of the Labour’s Movement of Volos’, En Volo 30 (July–September 2008): 88–91.
55 Ilias Lefousis, ‘Drums of 1909’, En Volo 30 (July–September 2008): 30–1.
56 Piliorites were the locals coming from Mount Pelion who moved in the beginning of 19th century from eastern and southern Pelion to the castle area close to the port, where they would build Volos and transform the place into the most prominent industrial city in Greece during the inter-war period.
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Maria Dimitriou
Maria Dimitriou received a PhD degree in Architecture in 2020 from the University of Kent. Since then, as well as during her doctoral studies, she has worked in both academic institutions and the public sector including the National Technical University of Athens, School of Architecture (Greece), the University of Kent, Classical and Archaeological Studies (UK) and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. She also collaborates with other public bodies and research centres, such as Historic England and the University of New England. Her research interests include built cultural heritage, heritage protection legislation and policy as well as historic urban landscape assessment and management. Correspondence to: Maria Dimitriou, 1405 Watkins House, 3 Thomas Layton Way, Brentford TW8 0SJ. Email: [email protected]