SOUND ARCHIVE

Title: Living Linen Interview LL2_R99/03
Object Name: Sound Recording : Magnetic Tape, Reel
Maker: Whyte, Derry (Mr) (Primary maker)
Whyte, Derry (Mr) (interviewee)
Date Made: 13/10/1999
13/10/1999
Description: Sound Recording on Reel: Personal History, Ulster Weaving Company, marketing, sales and advertising in the United Kingdom. Library Transcript: Transcript. Summary: Derry Whyte was born in Belfast in 1941. His great grandfather ran a rope-making business on the Woodvale Road, while his grandfather, on his mother’s side, was chairman of Irish Linen Mills and the Falls Flax Spinning Co. Mr Whyte began his schooling at Cabin Hill at the age of 7 and then went on to Campbell College between the ages of 12 and 18. He also attended Belfast Tech, completing the four year spinning course on day release. He worked in several firms, including Whitehouse Spinning Co, Blackstaff, and Irish Linen Mills (where he was sales manager for the UK, America and Canada) before joining the Ulster Weaving Company. As UK retail sales manager with Ulster Weavers, Mr Whyte travelled around the various agents who were appointed to various regions, and attended a number of trade exhibitions in the UK and on the continent. As part of their UK operation, the firm had a permanent London office with four full time employees. Printed linen tea-towels accounted for the largest part of their trade. The Ulster Weaving Co produced a large range of high quality tea-towels and stressed that the goods were produced in Ireland, as the market demanded. Much of their work was in the gift trade, and in the upper end of the tourist trade, producing a number of souvenir and commemorative tea-towels for organisations and heritage sites. Floral and animal designs proved particularly popular in their household linens. The firm also had a specific Irish range, with some 20 different designs such as shamrocks, locations, family names and recipes. The firm employed a sales staff of between 10 and 30 based in Belfast and had a large showroom attached to the factory. Their flax was sourced from Belgium and Holland, and to a lesser degree from Russia. Since 1995 Mr Whyte has worked largely in a consultancy role with Ulster Weavers, liaising with the London hotel trade. He deals primarily with the 5 star hotels, such as the Dorchester, which insist upon the finest Irish linen bedding. Derry Whyte also has an interest in philately and collects textile related postage stamps from around the world. He has recently set up a web site devoted to this passion.
Catalogue Number: HOYFM.R1999.98
Notes: National Museums NI

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