In the last years of the Ottoman Empire's rule, with the development of trade, the seas surrounding Lesvos were full of life and movement. Shipowners, Greek and Turkish sailors, merchants, craftsmen from Ayvalik, citizens, workers and bussiness men from Smyrna were coming and going from Lesvos to the Asia Minor coasts.
At that time, Plomari, built in an isolated area of the island, with steep mountains, deep seas, coastal cliffs, and rocks, came slowly out of isolation and became an important industrial town and a busy commercial port. Mills, soap factories, machine shops and shipyards worked continuously. The industry brought trade, trade brought wealth, the wealth brought exploitation, and exploitation brought trade unions. Workers were forced to work 12 to 15 hours...