SOUND ARCHIVE

Living Linen Interview LL2_R00/26

Sound Recording : Magnetic Tape, Reel

Downey, Charles (Mr) (Primary maker)
Downey, Charles (Mr) (interviewee)

06/04/2000
06/04/2000

Sound Recording on Reel: Library Transcript: Transcript. Summary: Mr Downey was born in Bessbrook where his father worked for Richardsons as a yarn salesman. Bessbrook Spinning Company was part of Ricardsons Sons & Owden (RSO). The Richardsons owned all of the houses in the village and provided amenities such as shops and schools for the inhabitants. Cadbury's model village, Bournville, was based on Bessbrook. Mr Downey joined the firm in 1923. The manager at the time was a Mr Sam McDowell. Both spinning and weaving were carried out in Bessbrook. In 1923 there were some 2,300 workers in Bessbrook. The company produced a wide range of household linen goods: sheeting, pillow cases, huckaback towels and table linens. RSO also owned weaving factories at Craigmore and Lurgan. The fine handkerchief cambrics and sheers were woven in the Windsor factory Lurgan. Their bleach works, Glenmore, was just outside Lisburn. RSO's head office and warehouse in Donegall Square North, is currently occupied by Marks and Spencer. Bessbrook spun yarns ranging from 12s to 100s+ lea. RSO had a considerable network of overseas offices and agents. Their principal customers included the Canadian pacific Railway and The Savoy Hotel. They used the port of Newry for coal deliveries and for shipping purposes. Bessbrook was largely self sufficient and was known as a forward thinking innovative company. Mr Downey thinks that his Grandfather worked alongside Mr Bury in developing the patented Bessbrook Self Twilling Machine. In 1938 Mr Downey left Bessbrook and went to work in Castle Mills, Netherton in Yorkshire. Castle Mills produced the highest quality linens and supplied many grand houses in England. While in England Mr Downey became involved with development work for the Royal Air Force. One of his major briefs was investigating resistance to airflow. After the war Mr Downey was asked to go to Germany to head up the Control Commission's efforts to jump-start the German textile sector. Germany was in such a state of economic and industrial ruin that starvation was a real threat. It was also feared that communism could gain a foothold in such an environment. The Allies therefore wished to resuscitate the German economy. Along with a member of the Mackie family, Mr Downey toured the German textile factories and was struck by the antiquated nature of the machinery and its poor state of repair. Shortly after leaving Germany in 1949, Mr Downey met Sir Harry Mulholland of York Street Flax Spinning Co at a textile conference and was given the opportunity of returning to Ireland. Local firms, such as York St, were beginning to realise that difficult times lay ahead and that a greater emphasis on R&D could give them an edge. Mr Downey worked closely with Dr Turner of LIRA. He, nevertheless, found that the firm was reluctant to move away from pure linen or to diversify into other fabrics, yarns and blends. York St was a vertically integrated firm, producing a variety of linens: damasks, sheeting, suitings and handkerchief linens. York St spun in York Road Mill, wove at Brookfield factory and had their bleach and dye works at Muckamorre. Mr Downey's development department was based at Brookfield factory. Mr Downey pioneered work with blends at York St in an effort to solve the problem of creasing and also worked with rayon. When he left York St in the mid 1950s, the company was beginning to feel the effects of the wider contraction of the industry. York St itself closed in 1960.

HOYFM.R2000.63

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