agreed to rebuild a new and bigger steam-powered factory to begin the modernisation of Spanish industry, but the treasury committee decided that he must give up any compensation claims if he wanted state investment for his new venture. By this time, Bonaplata was living in a modest room in Madrid where he formed Bonaplata, Sandford y Cía to restart the project. The business was established in the former convent of Santa Barbara, in the Hortaleza neighbourhood. He was now forty-two, and still single. The business included his second iron foundry and an engineer named William Sanford. Bonaplata was probably suffering a breathing disorder, which could explain why his younger brothers Ramon and Narcís joined him here. In 1839 the company name was changed to Bonaplata y Hermanos (Bonaplata and Brothers), and Sanford remained as a technician. Ramon took over the Madrid business, which was capitalised with 200.000 reales, while Narcís opened a new blast furnace in Seville capitalised with 90.000 reales. Major decisions for both businesses were still taken by Josep. Two years later Narcís took full control of the Andalusian factory, leaving Bonaplata y Hermanos in Madrid capitalised with 403,063 reales. Although Josep Bonaplata owned the bigger part of the Santa Barbara concern, the legal documents acknowledged his brother Ramon as its lone administrator, probably because of Josep's poor health, though he retained the right to act on whatever he thought necessary. The rural business A few months after the destruction of El Vapor, in December 1835, Josep Bonaplata had paid 187,000 reales for the Espinar estate in the Valencian village of Llíria. Here he built an olive oil mill, and planted many almond trees. He also invested 1,190,000 reales in a project that would link the Cinca and Segre to irrigate the Llitera area. The plan was promoted by his friend Antoni Gassó, but it came to nothing. Illness and death The severe respiratory disorders that Bonaplata had been suffering affected his work. Fearing a last attack, he made his will in May 1840. Three years later he decided to retire at the Espinar farmhouse in Llíria. On 30 May 1843, Bonaplata handed his will to his executor and started the trip, but he suffered a fatal asthma attack on 2 June close to the nearby village of Bunyol. He was 48. He died without progeny so the brothers were his successors. It is known that he had