The Huelin family: Taking care of the workers in Malaga

The history of the Huelins in Malaga started three centuries ago when William Huelin Silver, (also spelt by mistake Sivel) arrived in Malaga from his hometown of Southampton. His grandson, Eduardo Huelin Reissig, was born in Malaga, on 18 November 1822. For some time Eduardo left Malaga for New York where apparently he made important business contacts in the US. So upon his return, he devoted himself to exporting, especially wines and nuts, and later he was involved in various businesses.

In 1856, the 34-year-old Eduardo Huelin was one of the founding partners of the Bank of Malaga. Eventually, he set up a cap and hat factory. His production was so successful that he was awarded various prizes in England. Additionally, for his industrial and commercial activity he was granted an honorary title of knight of the Order of Charles III by Queen Isabella II.

The first chimneys in Malaga belonged to a sugar factory established by Eduardo Huelin. In the 1860s the businessman and his company became the driving force behind a novel model for a working-class neighbourhood. The revolutionary project aimed to establish cheap houses for the working class on a large scale. In 1870, the first houses specially designed for workers were built in the western part of Malaga known now as Huelin. It was the first neighbourhood for workers that did not consist of the typical housing of the city: 'corralones', interior courtyards with running galleries in which workers were crammed together in extreme conditions. Incidentally, the Huelin neighbourhood became known for years as the Palodú (sweet cane) district due to the sugar cane business.

Additionally, Eduardo Huelin built a small chapel in the neighbourhood for his workers. Initially, this primitive chapel was dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows (Virgen de los Dolores), but over the following years it became the residence of the parish church of San Patricio (St Patrick). During the riots of 10-13 May 1931, the chapel was seriously damaged by anarchists and Republican extremists. In 1955, the new parish church of San Patricio (made in Gothic aesthetics and Mudejar style) was opened. Since 2005, the mass, celebrating St Patrick of Ireland, has been held in the church.

Eduardo Huelin's industrial and commercial activity was incessant during almost forty years. The people of Malaga at that time knew the businessman by the nickname 'El Brillante' (The Brilliant One). Huelin died of hemiplegia at the age of 69, on 25 April 1891.