# Brechin Castle Sugar Factory, Trinidad - January 2009



## Trinpaul (Jan 13, 2009)

Brechin Castle sugar factory (known as "BC" to the locals) located in Central Trinidad was the second to last sugar factory in operation and also was (I think) the second largest, in both cases to the Usine-St. Madeline factory in south Trinidad. The factory is surrounded by flat land and rolling hills ideal for growing sugar cane. Like the other sugar factories in Trinidad it was owned by Tate & Lyle until nationalisation in the early 1970's when it became part of Caroni (1975) Ltd. Like Woodford Lodge, Brechin Castle has been put up for sale as scrap. Unfortunately there is little respect for old buildings or architecture in Trinidad, let alone industrial history. Like the other former British colonies, sugar was king in Trinidad in the 1800's but not to the extent as in the other islands given the oil and gas reserves which became the basis for the economy prior to WW2. 






An aerial view of the Brechin Castle sugar factory.





The sign at the entrance to the factory.





The gates at the entrance. Note in the background that even though there is security on the site, parts of the buildings and factory have begun to disappear, taken either by the demolition contractor or the local pipers.





Being located in a country area the main mode of transportation for many workers was by bicycle which were parked outside the factory. 










Administrative offices outside the factory compound. 





View of the factory and storage sheds from the road. 














An old train engine outside the factory compound that was used to bring the cane trucks in from the surrounding fields. I think that Brechin Castle's train system was retired sometime in the 1960's.


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## Foxylady (Jan 14, 2009)

That looks like a huge site with lots of interesting aspects. Love the old train engine. 
Cheers, Trinpaul.


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## RichardB (Jan 14, 2009)

Brechin is a small town in Angus in Scotland. I wonder what the connection is.


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## Trinpaul (Jan 14, 2009)

Trinidad was a British colony and the middle and senior managers on the sugar estates came from England and Scotland. There are other towns and villages in Trinidad with "British" names such as Edinbugh, Waterloo, Cochrane, Waterloo, Jerningham Junction, Picton, Duncan, Forres Park and Chatham.


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## LiamCH (Jan 14, 2009)

Trinpaul said:


> The gates at the entrance.



Haha! Those are bizarre gates. Lovely design, but they might as well be made out of ladders - anyone could climb that in a snap!


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## Lightbuoy (Jan 14, 2009)

Hi TrinPaul,

Another interesting Report -ta very much for sharing with us all here in the UK! 
Remember driving past this place at night. I wondered what it was -now I know!
Real shame that the Sugar Cane Industry has disappeared in recent times -although obviously what happened in the early years of the Industry wasn't so good, with slavery etc. 

Thanks again,

Lb:jimlad:


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## Lightbuoy (Jan 14, 2009)

LiamCH said:


> Haha! Those are bizarre gates. Lovely design, but they might as well be made out of ladders - anyone could climb that in a snap!



So true matey, sooooo true!


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## Lightbuoy (Jan 14, 2009)

Those chimneys look pretty old. Do you know how long the Factory has been on this site?

Lb:jimlad:


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