Castillazuelo

Castillazuelo is situated in the valley of the Río Vero near Barbastro. Both should be on any map. From Barbastro's city center take the road towards Adahuesca and Alquézar. You will soon reach Castillazuelo. The equipment is on display near the village center in the Calle Estadilla.

Pictures: 30.x.2002, 01.iii.2019

(1) The display with the water pump and the hydraulic press — 2002.

(2) Malaxator; hydraulic press with trolley; water pump.

(3) Water pump for the hydraulic press.

The equipment on display brings the torno of Buera to the mind (†). In this village a configuration with the same machinery of the same brand can be seen. The main difference is that in Buera the equipment was moved by a system of belts driven by one engine while here, in Castillazuelo, the pump and the malaxator (batidora) each have their own electromotor (3,7).

In 1890 (¶) the Talleres de Baró were founded by Francisco Baró Ginesta in Tortosa (Tarragona province in Catalonia) After his death in 1936 both his sons (Francisco and José Baró Gargallo) continued the company with equal shares.

After the death of the son named Francisco in 1947 (10) a quarrel started and the company was divided between José, his brother, and his widow. The foundry activities would stay with José (5) and the widow of his brother would continue under the name Talleres viuda de Francisco Baró Gargallo without the right to make presses. (‡). A batidora, mixer, of the Viuda-brand can be seen in the in oil mill of Buera.

The business of José would remain active until the end of the 1970s.

(4) Tag on the head of the press.

(5) Tag at the foot of the pump.

Some items of an earlier generation are also on display: an bottom plate of a press (8) and an old rollerstone (9).

At the time of our visit in 2019 the display seemed unattended and was overgrown with ivy and high weeds. Some of the devices were broken or used as a bin for empty cans and plastic bottles.

(6) The olive crusher (torno).

(7) Malaxator (batidora).

(8, 9) Remains of a previous generation of equipment: bottom plate of a press and roller stone.

(10) Obituary in La Vanguardia Española 12.x.1947.

	†	We have seen some products of Talleres de Baró in Angüés also.

	‡	Boletín Oficial de la Propiedad Industrial Histórico at spain.iprgazettes.org. ● On May 3th of 1950, José Baró applies for the brand names Fundiciones Baró, Talleres Baró and his own full name: entries 26.629, 26.630, and 26.631 respectively. ● The first and third of the names were granted in 1950 on November 9th, and September 21st respectively. The second name (26.630) was denied in 1951 on May 1st. ● The name Talleres Viuda de Francisco Bar&ocute; Gargallo. – Antigua Casa Baró was granted on October 7th of 1950: entry 26.164.