He was a brilliant organiser, intelligent and charismatic, and he charmed dictators, queens and princes to become one of the richest industrialists in Europe.

Stephens was signed on for seven years apprenticeship, but his uncle's business failed and he was taken as a partner on by a successful merchant, George Medley.

Stephens recognised that there would soon be an urgent demand for building materials, and saw a way in which he could make more lime by using anthracite waste (culm) shipped from England, than the Portuguese could by using wood which was in short supply.

However Stephens rode these difficulties and was also helped by the passing of the Culm Act by the British Parliament in 1758 which exempted the material from duty.

In the meantime Stephens had come under pressure from the King Joseph I and his minister Francisco Xavier de Mendonça to reopen and operate the royal glassworks factory in the village of Marinha Grande which had fallen into disuse.

[2] This and the resurrected lime business made Stephens a wealthy man, and he built a palatial villa at Marinha Grande.

Maria increased Stephens' privileges and made two royal visits to Marinha Grande, but her mental health was unstable.