SOUND ARCHIVE

Title: Living Linen Interview LL2_R01/74
Object Name: Sound Recording : Magnetic Tape, Reel
Maker: McKinnon, Marshall (Mr) (Primary maker)
McKinnon, Marshall (Mr) (interviewee)
Date Made: 20/09/2001
20/09/2001
Description: Sound Recording on Reel: Linen Thread Company, McCleery L'Amie. Library Transcript: Transcript. Summary: Mr McKinnon studied chemistry at QUB. In 1949 he joined the Linen Thread Co (LTC) as a research assistant. He eventually became senior research chemist under Dr Haller and Dr Callow. Dr Haller was a particularly well-known and respected textile technician. Henry Finlayson, and later Malcolm F Gordon, were the main board directors in charge of research. Although employed by the LTCC, Mr McKinnon was based at Hilden, in a purpose-built research dept. This dept served the whole of the LTC in Ireland, Scotland and beyond. Although they also worked closely with LIRA, Lambeg was concerned with more fundamental research than the very specific projects undertaken by Dr Haller and his team. Mr McKinnon took a course in bleaching and dyeing at Belfast `Tech and completed his MSc. In the early 1950s, Mr McKinnon worked on the application of linen for military use: uniforms and aeroplane wing coverings. Mr McKinnon also worked on the early development of nylon fishing nets. Barbour's also manufactured linen threads for jacquard harnesses. These threads were expected to last 40-50 years and were treated to enhance their abrasion resistance. Mr McKinnon set up a dyeing division at Dunbar McMaster in Gilford. Dunbar had an ailing spinning trade, but an excellent bleach works, water supply and effluent treatment plant. This dye works processed viscose rayon carpet fibre for the Doagh Spinning Co. They also took on a commission contract with Northern Ireland Spinners, which was owned by Tony McCleery and John L'Amie. Mr McKinnon left the LTC in 1963 and joined McCleery L'Amie (McC&L). The McCleery family were the majority shareholders at Ross' mill. McC&L's main spinning plant was in Saintfield. Mr McKinnon assisted in setting up an A to Z acrylic bulking plant at Ballygowan. The A to Z principle had been developed with LIRA and won the Queen's Award to Industry. Mr McKinnon started off as Dye-house manager and became Technical Director of the group. McCleery L'Amie Glover (MLG) was originally formed in Comber to sell space-dyeing equipment developed by Tony McCleery. Shortly afterwards, NI Carpets was established in Newtownards. In 1970 McC&L, Ross' and the Belfast Ropeworks came together. An acrylic spinning and dyeing plant was installed at Hollybank yarn bleach works. This became known as Parkgate Spinners. Ross' produced dry-spun linen and linen blend yarns. Hollybank was a wholly owned subsidiary of Ross'. Hollybank was fortunate to have been run by two very capable men: Jack McHenry and Denis Wilson. The yarn was all package bleached. Although Hollybank was a yarn processing works, they did bleach narrow fabrics and tape on special request. Hollybank continued to process yarn for outside customers including: Sintons, Andrews and Herdmans. Working conditions at Hollybank were good. Water was drawn from underground wells. The water was very hard - suitable for bleaching, but a softener was required before it could be used in dyeing. McC&L was bought over by Lamont Holdings under Sir Desmond Lorimer. Mr McKinnon continued with the firm, as a roving technologist, until his retirement in 1992. The main McC&L directors left the business. John L'Amie later rented space in the Saintfield factory from Lamont and started up Saintfield Yarns. Lamont eventually sold off its textile holdings Ross' (now minus Hollybank) secured its independence through a management buy out in the mid-1980s.
Catalogue Number: HOYFM.R2001.137
Notes: National Museums NI

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