SOUND ARCHIVE

Living Linen Interview LL2_R00/20

Sound Recording : Magnetic Tape, Reel

Paul, Joe (Mr) (Primary maker)
Paul, Joe (Mr) (interviewee)

13/03/2000
13/03/2000

Sound Recording on Reel: Fergusons. Library Transcript: Transcript. Summary: Mr Paul's father, George, was a tenter in Bessbrook. After George Paul met Joe's mother, a cloth passer in Ferguson's, he moved to Banbridge and worked as a tenter for the rest of his life in Ferguson's. Joe joined Ferguson's in 1956 as a battery filler. His father was still working in the firm and his brother was an apprentice tenter. Each loom was fitted with a magazine of 30 or so pirn bobbins. A magazine loaded with fine yarn could last for four hours, while a coarse cloth could need a magazine re-filled after 30 minutes. Mr Paul began an apprenticeship as a jacquard card-cutter once he had reached the minimum age. The apprenticeship lasted five years. Card cutting was a very skilled but laborious process and, despite advances in technology, was still being done in the 1980s. Both men and women worked as card-cutters. The cutter who taught Joe Paul was a Mrs Ida McDowell. Fergusons produced rayon and cotton as well as linen. Their linens were mostly household items such as tablecloths, napkins and sheetings. They did not weave any apparel fabrics. The company is renowned for its double-damask tablecloths. Their yarns were bought from Herdman's and from merchants such as John Preston. All of Ferguson's linens were woven with a 40s lea warp. The weft varied from 40s to 70s. All of their bleaching, dyeing and finishing was carried out at Ballievey - where the company were part owners and Norman Ferguson a Director. Norman Ferguson was Managing Director and Stanley Ferguson Sales Director. The company's main customers were in the south of Ireland, the USA and in the Middle East. Ferguson's supplied a number of hotel chains and shipping/railway lines. Although they employed a sizeable number of agents Stanley Ferguson was often away overseas on business. Ferguson's also had a small factory shop on site where their full range was available to buy from stock. This was, however, a small retail outlet. In the mid 1950s Ferguson's employed some 300 people in their weaving operation alone. The workforce was almost all local and very loyal. The company also owned 16 or so houses, which have only recently been demolished and the site redeveloped for private housing. While working as a card cutter, Joe Paul, with encouragement from his employers, began studying textile management at the Belfast Tech. On completing this course he was appointed Production Manager, where he was responsible for planning orders, achieving delivery dates, buying materials and managing stock levels. Mr Paul worked under Ernest Gordon (Factory Manager) who was well known for his public addresses on the linen industry. Mr Gordon was, however, in poor health and Joe Paul was brought in to work alongside, and eventually to succeed, him after Mr Gordon was forced to retire. The linen industry in general was becoming increasingly difficult. Domestic and foreign competition was becoming ever keener. Ferguson's did invest in new technology. Re-equipping with Pickanol looms and diversifying into rayons. They also experimented with new colours and design. Despite their low prices, overseas producers could not, however, rival the quality of goods produced in firms such as Fergusons. Although the workforce contracted in later years it became increasingly difficult to secure experienced weavers. This unavoidably affected the quality of the work. Nevertheless these new hands soon picked up the necessary skills and remained loyal to the firm. Mr Paul retired as Factory Manager due to ill health in 1987.

HOYFM.R2000.52

National Museums NI