SOUND ARCHIVE

Living Linen Interview LL2_R00/04

Sound Recording : Magnetic Tape, Reel

Paul, Irene (Mrs) (Primary maker)
Paul, Irene (Mrs) (interviewee)

19/01/2000
19/01/2000

Sound Recording on Reel: Cloth passing - Fergusons. Library Transcript: Transcript. Summary: Mrs Irene Paul, nee Hampton, was born and raised in Seapatrick. Her father worked briefly in Waringstown Weaving Factory, while her mother was a winder in Haye's mill in Seapatrick. Mrs Paul entered the linen industry at the age of 15, straight from school. A neighbour, who worked as a designer in Ferguson's, informed her of a vacancy in the office factory. Mrs Paul was interviewed by the Factory Manager - Ernest Gordon - and put to work making up the winders' pay. At the time Ferguson's employed approximately 150 people. Mrs Paul stayed in the office until her first child was born. Although Mrs Paul wanted to return to work she elected to work at night. As there was no call for office staff to work outside of normal business hours, she decided to learn weaving. She spent six weeks under the supervision of a friend before she was entrusted with looms of her own; three at first - soon rising to six and then eventually to nine. As Mrs Paul gained experience she was also able to progress from napkin and towel looms to weaving Ferguson’s famous double-damask tablecloths. After nine years weaving Mrs Paul left Ferguson's to go to Franklin's. A friend told Irene that a job Drawing-in, which she describes as being much easier than weaving, was available and that she would speak for her. By this stage Mrs Paul's children were all at school and she returned to daytime employment. Although Mrs Paul knew a lot of workers at Franklin's she was not happy at the firm and only remained there for a couple of months. Franklin's was a much smaller concern that Ferguson's and specialised in weaving badges. Their major customers included the Ministry of Defence, the Boy Scouts and various sports clubs. Mrs Paul let Ferguson's know that she was available for work and wanted to return. She quickly received word through her husband – Joe Paul the then Factory Manager - that a position in the warping room was open. Mrs Paul continued as a warper after 1985 when Franklin's took over Ferguson's. Production continued on the Ferguson site until 1991 when new looms were installed and the weaving operation was relocated to Franklin's. Mrs Paul then found herself working in Ferguson's warehouse cutting cloth from the web. In about 1993 she was transferred to the cloth passing room where she had to examine webs of cloth. Since then the jobs of examining and cutting have been combined. There are three examiners/cutters in the factory, but Mrs Paul is the only one who checks the tablecloths. Mrs Paul did not require any specific training to be a cloth passer due to her background in weaving and warping. Most of Ferguson's cloth is finished either at Ballievey or by Java in France. It is in its bleached state that Mrs Paul examines the cloth, checking for damage, variations in width and stains. Colour and shade matching are carried out by a different group of examiners. If the cloth is stained the examiners use various detergents and stain removers in an attempt to rectify the problem. The cloth would also be laundered, as a last resort, before being returned to the finishing works for re-processing or compensation. In certain cases the finishing contractors dispute the cause of imperfections – blaming either the yarn quality or the weaving process. Damaged cloth is either sold off to the employees at a reduced rate or destroyed. Mrs Paul continues to work at Ferguson's and provides information relating to facilities, working conditions, hours of employment and holidays that contrast sharply with the experiences of older interviewees.

HOYFM.R2000.13

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