Dufferin Chronicles

Industry in Dufferin

Industry has evolved over many centuries and in the early days branched in two directions – (1) the manufacture of food products and (2) the spinning and weaving of textiles for clothing as human beings took up residence in the cooler areas of the world. Grinding grain between two stones, then the little hand turned stones and later the evolution of the wind and water turned millstones brings us down to methods of the industrial revolution when other power factors were introduced. Several windmills were situated in the Dufferin area, the best known of which is probably the structure (now a dwelling) near Killinchy village and built on the site of an old rath or fort. Two windmills stood on Ringdufferin estate and one of these still remains. Windmills were applied principally to grain grinding although in places the power was ingeniously applied to other crafts.

It was water power which supplied the energy at first in the mills for the various processes in the manufacture of textile threads and cloth but this was a long time in superseding home industry, the power for which was man power and this phase lasted long after the introduction of steam power. No exact date is available as to the commencement of cotton spinning in Shrigley but there is an indication that it started between 1776 and 1786. Killyleagh is mentioned but this could have referred to twin town Shrigley, for we read of the large cotton mill being developed there. Some years later it was described as the largest in Ulster, supporting 425 power looms. Steam power had been introduced in Belfast, Lisburn and Bangor by 1811 but Killyleagh was amongst those driven by water power.

The large cotton mill in Shrigley was built in 1824 by John Martin (1797-1876) who was the son of a Belfast merchant and ship owner. It was 132 ft.long, 46ft.wide and six storeys high. Power was provided by a 35 HP steam engine and an iron water wheel 46ft.in diameter and 10ft.wide. In 1837 there were 4750 throstle spindles, 7250 mule spindles and 340 power looms in operation giving employment to 165 male and 209 female operatives. Most of the cloth manufactured found its way to the Manchester markets. The cotton mill was burned in 1845 but rebuilt and a part thereof still stands. Cotton manufacture ceased and linen took its place and so remained until 1930 when the recession of that period brought this and many other mills in Northern Ireland and elsewhere to an untimely end. The building remained closed until 1939 when families from Europe fleeing Nazi persecution introduced a tanning industry which brought much needed employment to Shrigley. Ancillary industries connected with the leather trade developed locally and for a time created more work for the people of the area. The tanning process still continues and is in a thriving state.

One of the original managers in Shrigley mill was John Carr, a well known name in the area until comparatively recently. He converted a grain store in Killyleagh in 1852 to the spinning of flax yarns and after his death in 1865 the business passed over to Belfast interests and became known as Killyleagh Flax Spinning Co. Ltd. The business remains in a sound state of prosperity and although originally flax spinning, the advent of man made fibres has made diversification inevitable. During the 1939-45 war a new Flax Scutching Mill was added and whilst flax was being grown in Northern Ireland it was the most up to date in the Province.

Other small industries such as flax scotching, boat building, and fishing were carried on in the district though agriculture has always been the largest. However the history of this business will be dealt with in a later issue. It is interesting to learn that the Martin family came to County Down from a village in East Cheshire named Pott Shrigley – hence the change in name of the hamlet which was previously known as Milltown or Tullyveery. On the creation of the mill, work was undertaken to construct dwelling houses for the work force and a village was built. The walls were built with blue stone (whinstone) giving a very picturesque appearance to the village. Rivers were diverted under each house so that the effluent from the toilets was swept away and was taken to a retention area in the Park. In its day Shrigley was a truly model village and every care was taken to ensure the welfare of the workers. The name Shrigley comes from “Shriggel” or Shriggeley” meaning a wood frequented by shrikes, a species of bird not known in these parts. When the villagers used to say, and some still do, that they live in SHR-IGG-ELEY perhaps this dialectic pronunciation is not so far away from the original as some would imagine.

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