... Guilford marked 1990 with innovation, becoming the first U.S. mill to introduce microdenier specialty fabrics, which have a high-filament count that gives a silk-like feel to stretchy fabrics. Situated on Lake Winnipesaukee, Gilford is home to Governors Island, Ellacoya State Beach, Belknap Mountain State Forest, Gunstock Mountain Ski Resort, and Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook, a seasonal outdoor concert venue.The lakeside village of Glendale lies … This late 20th century development provides another interesting study not entirely unconnected with the local linen industry. manufacturing facilities to form the International Marketing Division. passed to his sisters as co-owners but by amicable arrangement, Anne and Jane became the legal owners of their father's whole property. Giants like Burlington and J. P. Stevens had margins of 2 and 1.1 percent, respectively. It is interesting to note that in each case there is a covenant that the lessee or his assigns should within one year, "erect on the said granted premises one dwelling house, 40 feet in front and well dash, rough cast and whiten the same every two years and put sash windows in the said dwelling house." Having died suddenly in 1847, while dispensing his alms, the piece of money he was about to give was still found in his hand after death. In 1837 Stewart died and Robert Thompson entered into a partnership with Dunbar to form Dunbar Dickson & Co. Thompson died in 1839, and having bought out his share, Dunbar now formed a partnership with John Walsh McMaster from Armagh. Today the children and youth of those years are grandparents and great-grandparents, and for the majority of people living today, the Second World War is now a distant memory. Sales for 1990 were $544.1 million. : NIC100483. My mother worked in this mill in the 1940s. Commercially, Messrs. Dunbar McMaster & Co. were known all over the world. It is roughly 1½ miles from Gilford to the Canal at Madden near Tandragee. I have seen about 5 pages total of the first book and highly recommend it … About 1834, Hugh Dunbar, late of Huntly Glen, near Banbridge, where he carried on a linen thread and brown linen manufacturing business, conceived the idea of erecting flax spinning mills and linen thread manufacturing on a large scale in Gilford. Guilford fabrics are used in lingerie, sportswear, loungewear, swimwear, children's sleepwear, bedsheets, mattress ticking, bedspreads, upholstery, and draperies. From its beginnings in lingerie, Guilford branched out and supplied warp knit fabric to manufacturers of sleepwear, dresses, swimsuits, and other apparel. It is interesting to read that in "Industries of Ireland" Published 1891, when referring to Gilford Mill it states, "To all these advantages, as regards water for bleaching and dyeing and motive power, must be added cheapness of "labour. At the end of the war he had acquired an extensive estate in Gilford comprising the townlands of Loughans, Drumarin, Drummillar, Mullabrack, Ballymacanallen and half of Ballynagarrick. McMaster and the Dickson Brothers became very wealthy men and it was during this period that the latter built Elmfield and Gilford Castles. In addition to the trade facilities afforded by the Newry Canal which served as the principal means of goods transport, there were the properties of the Bann water which were excellent for the whitening of the linen and, of course, the easily accessible water power. However disagreements took place and on 1st April, 1866, McMaster served notice on his partners that the partnership was dissolved from henceforth, the trade of "Dunbar, Dickson and Co" would be carried on by him in partnership with Wm. After the company regaled themselves with a plentiful supply of good things of this life, dancing commenced and was kept up to a late hour. That year, the company lost $22.6 million when it closed the Augusta, Georgia, circular-knit dyeing and finishing plant. In addition to acquisitions in the warp knit business, Hayes pushed Guilford to learn new technologies. "Commodity, the volume, our low cost, our low overhead--everything was just in place, and we were it," Guilford CEO Hayes was quoted as saying in the May 1992 issue of Business--North Carolina. The first full-time rector was James Magill, who lived at Athol. Footnote: once the largest industrial undertaking on the Upper Bann, production ceased at Dunbar McMaster's mill in the 1980s and the site currently lies semi-derelict awaiting a new use. It all clicked at the same time.". Having purchased these premises, the Purdys set about the processing of linen and by the end of the first quarter of the 18th century had extended their interests in the area. All rights reserved. By a series of assignments up to 1792, the corn mill, tuck mill and lands became the property of a leading linen merchant - George Law. Gilford Mill has survived the passage of time and the depressing economic ills of the linen industry but its past glory will not be easily forgotten. Spotten and James Douglas of New York under the style of "Wm. Though the records for the Banbridge Union Workhouse aren't complete it is known that a substantial number of people from the neighbouring townlands in the Lurgan Union died in the Lurgan Workhouse during the famine period. During the previous five years, Guilford's sales had increased 70 percent. 4 pieces 4-4 extra stout unbleached millspun linen. . The fine quality threads spun for certain lace and embroidery may be inferred from the fact that a length of thirty-six thousand yards weighed only one pound. During his years in Gilford, George Law extended his business interests by building a new beetling mill to the south of the present Gilford Castle. Thank you for posting these pictures. Brown damask linen made up for North and South American markets. The company converted its Augusta, Georgia, printing plant into a state-of-the-art, circular-knit finishing facility. In 1767, before the colonists decided to seek independence from England, Daniel Dillon built a small tub mill in North Carolina on Beaver Creek, and went into business grinding grain for the early settlers. The proprietors, it seems, have just finished a large building for the manufacture of thread and this was appropriately fitted out and beautifully ornamented for the occasion. The company also began a market launch into sports and fashionwear made with cotton Lycra spandex. This can be attributed, in part to the attraction of the new mill in America. A large reservoir near the works was erected for fire extinguishing and was connected with hydrants and hose in every part of the mills, so that a conflagration that occurred in 1869 when £40,000 worth of property was destroyed, was not likely to happen again. Two years later, Guilford bought out the British company, which was renamed Guilford Europe. By the mid-1980s, Guilford was one of Greensboro's major employers. The dye house was awash with debris and oil as two 10,000 gallon fuel tanks were breached and their contents spilled into the river and throughout the mill; machinery was … Profits for the group fell 41 percent that year. Because the fabric was double the standard width, Guilford needed new machinery to dye it. That stock in trade at the last half-yearly estimate was upwards of £500,000. © 1968 - 2019 Craigavon Historical Society. Imports and exports were facilitated by the vast enterprise, for those times, of cutting the Newry Canal which was opened in 1737 and finally completed to Lough Neagh in 1741 at an estimated cost of £896,000. He was survived by his wife, Florence, a daughter of Major General Saxton of England and it was to her homeland she returned after her husband's death. Hayes is credited with building the company from a small knitter of synthetics into the world's largest and most efficient producer of warp knit fabric. gorgeous building, shame it isn't put to better use than wreck and ruin McMaster carried it to the House of Commons which finally reaffirmed the decision of the Lord Chancellor. Tem. The company also set up a partnership with Suminoe Textile Co of Japan, a leading supplier of textiles to the automotive industry. Thus begins the first recorded history of milling in Gilford. It was decided that John Walsh McMaster was absolutely entitled to the goodwill and trademarks of the partnership. This was a fulling mill as Guildford was an important location in the wool trade. In a letter from an emigrant to his uncle, Mr. James Beck (mentioned in the report of the soiree), dated September 24th, 1848, from Dinsmore, Shilley Co., Cincinnati, he states: "With great pleasure I received your letter dated 14th June, I received it the 10th July. Each week vest, pants, and shirts, which were all labelled with names, were sent to the Pioneer Corps at Gilford Mill Yard, where they were washed and returned. The document also states that prior to 1691, the mills had been leased to a Hugh Ridley "Clothier" and John Thompson "Glover.". "The mentality was warp knit," he said. He used every exertion in his power to promote the comfort of the large assembly. Gilford (surname) Gilford Motors, British bus assembler of the 1920s and 1930s; See also. McCreight lands on the opposite side of the river to the proposed mill. "The Northern Whig" Tuesday 14th, 1849, reports that "Dunbar, McMaster and Co." exhibited the following: "Dunbar, Dickson & Co." had the following on exhibition: Today the firm still remains in business. In 1835-1836 there opened a new era in the industrial history of the locality. Gilling twines were exported to the Adriatic and Mediterranean countries, twine for salmon-fishing to British Columbia, carpet threads, book binders' thread, extra strong threads for leather and thick cloths, and fine threads for the sewing machinist and lace-maker were exported to United States, South and Central America, Brazil, Australia and the rest of the British Colonies.". He left 12 children. I'll never forget it. This stood in a prominent position in the Square, but with the development of the road and widening of the streets, it was removed only to be re-erected without its lanterns and now stands rather inconspicuously in the corner of the lawn in front of the library. The mill produces all natural corn meals and grits along with a wide range of mixes. That year, Guilford's sales were $528.8 million and income was $15.9 million, and the company had slipped to the last slot on the Fortune 500 list. Great credit is due to Mr. McMaster - one of his partners of the establishment. Hayes became the chairman and CEO one year later, and the company listed its stock on the American Stock Exchange. No doubt to meet the demands of those who decided to leave and find "better conditions" elsewhere. The magnitude of the task in supplying houses to accommodate the ever increasing population in Gilford can be seen from the following table. Apparel fabrics constituted 62 percent of the company's sales, and home furnishings were 14 percent. In 1711, the Log Chapel of Ease, now called Christ Church Guilford, was founded to the north of Guilford on a piece of land surveyed as "New Year's Gift" by Charles Carroll of Carrollton. Another story from that particular road, Stramore road Gilford, is from a work mate who seen an old women in very period dress walking down the road at 3-4 am one morning he was working late was returning home the person with him in his car also seen this, they both thought it strange due to her clothes, age and the time of morning she was out. Besides he owned land in Donacloney and Dromore and it was here in his Gill Hall Estate that the family seal was placed. However, it has survived the recession in the linen trade and in doing so will be in an advantageous position to benefit if the industry should expand, as predicted. Money was to be made in abundance and those engaged in the industry became very wealthy. Altogether 180 houses were built in close proximity to the mill such were the numbers that came from the Keady district of Co. Armagh that Hill Street was known locally as "Keady Row." Improvements in process technology and modifications of equipment were also high priorities. Gilford Village near Banbridge was once at the heart of Ireland’s linen production. Guilford formed a partnership with Hunter-Douglas, a major player in the home fashions industry, to produce the Silhouette line of vertical blinds and pleated shades. In 1886, the firm became a limited company and Mr. Hugh Dunbar McMaster conveyed the whole of his property, lands, mills, etc. Guildford (disambiguation) Gildford, Montana; This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Gilford. Houses were built around the crossing place or `ford' and on Castle Hill which was the main road leading from Lurgan to cross the river and proceed to Loughbrickland. HM Revenue & Customs charity ref. He had a list of 400 poor people whom he served weekly at his own house with financial assistance. The company planned to invest $100 million in new machinery and equipment and set a goal to become a global contender in the automotive market, building on its sales to Toyota, Nissan, and Honda in addition to General Motors and Ford Motor Co. 1992 also saw Guilford's continued development of its wide-width circular knits business. Unfortunately nothing now remains of this early development. 'Dunbar, McMaster and Co.' and 'Dunbar, Dickson & Co.' were extremely valuable and that the goods stamped with the said trade marks commanded a much readier sale and higher price in all markets than other goods of the same description. Gilford Castle, Gilford, Co. Down, Northern Ireland. The company acquired two competitors in 1985--TRT Corp., of Augusta, Georgia (a fabric printing operation), and Lumberton Dyeing & Finishing Co. of North Carolina. By his will, he left all his land, etc., to the eldest son, with Dunbarton, House (after life interest to his widow), and various other legacies. The company's first permanent knitting plant was built four years later in Greensboro, and in 1961, Guilford started its first dyeing and finishing plant, which Hornaday hoped would enable Guilford to charge more for its material. From valuation fieldbooks many of these "two up, two down," type houses accommodated two families. Before the Rebellion of 1641, Captain Magill whose name appears in the list of officers of the Cromwellian Army obtained half the townland of Ballynagarrick from Art Og Maginnis for the princely sum of £150. In 1981 Guilford organized a joint venture in the United Kingdom with Carrington-Viyella plc. In making warp knits, running 100,000 yards of seconds was of little consequence--it was prohibitively expensive with circular knits. In the 19th century, Gilford grew and its population swelled when a linen mill was built. Mr. and the Misses Dunbar likewise honoured the soiree with their presence and appeared highly delighted especially Mr. Dunbar who, at all times, takes great interest in the welfare of his workers and spares no expense in making them comfortable. Finally, we can read about how these great companies came about with Company Histories.. The new company was called Guilford-Kapwood Ltd., and Bryan Lodder, a Briton, was appointed to oversee it. I got to see it last summer when i visited Northern Ireland. At occasional intervals lemonade was served with cakes and fruit. There was also a fulling mill here when Guildford was an important wool town. In 1988 the company combined Guilford/U.K. In 1984 the company earned $24.3 million on sales of $456.9 million--a 5 percent margin that was the envy of the industry. Guilford quickly introduced innovative dyeing and finishing techniques that included laminating, napping, embossing, and coating. In the 1650s Cromwellian land confiscation and subsequent plantation era, following the Irish Rebellion of 1641, Captain John Magill acquired land in the Tullylish area and founded Gilford, the name of the village being derived from "Magill’s ford". Gilford Mill was one of the largest linen mills in Ireland, employing more than 2,000 people in the 1880s. Gilford is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States.The population was 7,126 at the 2010 census. Guilford's automotive business unit also showed recovery, with worldwide growth in automotive and van interiors and residential upholstery. The dyeing houses were located at the rear of the present library. Gilford is within the Banbridge (district) area. In the case of the Church of Ireland, Mr. John McMaster was a large subscriber to the actual cost of the building and the parsonage on the Stramore Road was erected at his own expense. Eventually the property was purchased by his nephew, Hugh. The firm began to trade under Dunbar McMaster and Co. for flax spinning and linen thread and Dunbar Dickson and Co. for brown linen. Privacy Policy. In 1701 a water-powered pump was installed by the mills to provide the town with piped water. . Guilford began producing circular knit fabric in 1989, using prototype equipment. By the end of the decade, a number of factors had converged to cut into Guilford's profits. "It all came together because at that time we had the most advanced line of warp-knit products in the world and had replaced a lot of woven fabrics at lower selling prices, but at better margins to us. In 1843, Dunbar McMaster a mill owner, gave land for three churches to be built, one in each corner of a field; a Presbyterian, a Church of Ireland & a Catholic, on condition that there never be a graveyard in Gilford. Charity Commission for Northern Ireland ref. The great linen boom took place during these years which, in fact coincided with the American Civil War (1861-65). Gilford Mill was to have been a retail outlet before the company decided Banbridge had a better infrastructure for the development. Sites for the Roman Catholic and Presbyterian Churches were presented by individual members of the firm. At the beginning of this partnership, the mills at Gilford were substantial enough to permit the commencement of the business but for some time longer until 1843, part of the business, that of the manufacture of brown linen continued to be carried out at the Huntly Glen, Banbridge. 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