SOUND ARCHIVE

Living Linen Interview LL2_R00/05

Sound Recording : Magnetic Tape, Reel

Beckett, Robert Osmond (Mr) (Primary maker)
Beckett, Robert Osmond (Mr) (interviewee)

27/01/2000
27/01/2000

Sound Recording on Reel: George Walkers, Linen Thread Company, Ewarts - Spinning. Library Transcript: Transcript. Summary: 'Ozzy' Beckett's father, Robert John, was secretary manager of George Walker's Flax Spinning Mill in Newtownards. Ozzy was taken on as an apprentice mill manager straight out of school. Due to his father's position Ozzy did not have to pay for the privilege of training as a mill manager and was granted a small salary. After serving his first year's apprenticeship at Walkers, Ozzy began attending evening classes at Belfast Tech. Although the firm encouraged and expected all trainees to attend courses they did not meet their fees or travelling expenses. After completing the spinning course, Ozzy opted to take the weaving course as well even though he was doing no practical weaving at Walkers. The then factory manager at Walkers was well into his sixties and Ozzy had been taken on to replace him On completing his apprenticeship Ozzy became factory manager at the age of 22. Walkers were flax and hemp spinners. Their hemp was mostly sold to make ropes and twine for the fishing industry in Newfoundland. During The Second World War flax from Europe was in short supply. Walkers managed to secure Egyptian flax and hemp from India to keep production going. Although they did not receive many direct orders from the Ministry of Defence, a lot of their yarns went to make parachute harnesses, knapsacks and canvas. Within a week of starting in the spinning mill, Ozzy took 'Mill fever'. Working conditions changed dramatically between 1934 and 1958 when Ozzy left to join Prospect Mill. Facilities were greatly improved and means for regulating heat, humidity and dust levels were introduced. In 1958 Ozzy became General Manager at Prospect Mill - Linen thread Co. on the Crumlin Road. Prospect spun fine yarns that were used in damasks and sheetings. The Linen Thread Co also owned a large mill in Gilford. When the manager at Gilford died Ozzy was asked to take his place. He was reluctant to take this job as he had a young family and began to look around for an alternative position in the Belfast area. At the same time a Mr Dickey who was a spinning manager in Ewarts (Ewarts and prospect shared a dividing wall) also died, and Ozzy, realising that there was a vacancy, contacted the firm and let it be known that he was available. Prospect closed a few years after Ozzy left. Retrospectively Ozzy came to suspect that the Linen Thread Co was doing him a favour by moving him out of Prospect into a more secure working environment. Ewarts was one of the largest mills in Belfast, employing some 500 workers. Although Prospect and Ewarts were in adjoining buildings there was very little cross over between the work forces. Prospect was largely a catholic firm while Ewarts was largely protestant, and generations of workers from the one family would have been employed in the respective firms. Ewarts also owned Mountain Mill in Ligoniel. Mountain Mill was mostly concerned with Rayon, although it was eventually closed and the machinery transferred to the Crumlin Road site. From 1962 to 1967 business was booming. After 1967 the industry was hit by a major depression. As linen became less and less profitable, Crumlin Rd began to spin acrylics for the knitting trade and for carpets. Despite a considerable amount of investment Ewarts had fallen behind their European competitors. This only became apparent during a visit to Lille in Northern France by Ozzy. Sir Ivan Ewart and the then Bleaching Manager at Glenbank. Ozzy left Ewarts when it closed in 1972 and saw out the remainder of his working life at Michelin.

HOYFM.R2000.14

National Museums NI