SOUND ARCHIVE

Living Linen Interview LL2_R00/10

Sound Recording : Magnetic Tape, Reel

McConkey, Harry (Mr) (Primary maker)
McConkey, Harry (Mr) (interviewee)

17/02/2000
17/02/2000

Sound Recording on Reel: Factory Manager, Markethill & Corgi Carpets. Library Transcript: Transcript. Summary: Harry McConkey was born in Belfast in 1928. On leaving school he applied for a number of jobs. He was called for interview by Edwin Bryson - Managing Director of Loopbridge weaving factory off the Ravenhill Road and taken on as an Apprentice Manager. Mr McConkey was to remain with the Spence Bryson group throughout his working life, retiring after 47 years service. Loopbridge produced quite a range of linen goods of coarse to medium quality. They wove drills, dress linens, embroidery linens and a lot of rayon fibro. Although the Spence Bryson group included the Brookfield and Edenderry mills, a lot of yarns were purchased outside. After completing his apprenticeship at Loopbridge, Mr McConkey was transferred to Portadown where he worked under Sam Lutton. Portadown specialised in fine handkerchiefs and cambrics. The handkerchief cording was achieved by the hand throwing of shuttles. Within a year Mr McConkey had been appointed Factory Manager in Spence Bryson Markethill. Markethill was an extension of the Portadown factory and all finished goods were sent to Portadown or directly to Spence Bryson's warehouse in Great Victoria Street. His predecessor, Mr John Dawson, an expert in fine linens was forced to retire due to ill health. Markethill operation overlapped with Portadown and Loopbridge in terms of the types of linens being produced. Despite this replication the quality in Markethill was far superior to that in Belfast. Mr McConkey attributes this to the existence of alternative employment opportunities in Belfast and the firm's inability to find and keep experienced weavers. As the firm were continually starting new weavers the quality of their produce suffered. In Portadown and Markethill by comparison there was little labour-force turnover. Markethill employed some 150 employees, all of whom lived in the immediate area and had longstanding family associations with the firm Yarns for Portadown and Markethill were purchased in-house as well as from Sintons, Herdmans and Andrews. Mr McConkey remained in Markethill for roughly two years. One of the Directors - George Lutton - informed him that as a city man his career did not lie in a country factory and he was transferred back to Loopbridge as Assistant Factory Manager to Joe Kerr. Harry succeeded Joe Kerr on his death. Mr McConkey also had the responsibility of dealing with the trade unions and shop stewards at Loopbridge. Harry accompanied Lawrence Bryson to the 1958 textile exhibition in Manchester where the decision was taken to purchase a tufter and branch out into carpet manufacture. Over the next few years the carpet end of the business expanded at the expense of the somewhat ailing linen sector until 1962 when Loopbridge was given over entirely to carpet production. In the same year Spence Bryson purchased Northern Ireland Spinners of Killinchy - the firm's sole suppliers of carpet yarns. This was managed by Garfield Brown, Jeremy Bryson and more recently by Jim Pedlow. The carpet range, marketed under the trade name 'Corgi', proved hugely successful. By 1968 the firm had outgrown the Loopbridge site and the carpet production was moved to the Albertbridge Road and then to Bangor. Harry was involved in the planning of the Bangor factory. Richards PLC bought out the Spence Bryson group in 1989. They were primarily interested in the carpets and ultimately sold off the remaining linen business to Ulster Weavers. Mr McConkey retired as Production Director in 1993.

HOYFM.R2000.38

National Museums NI