David Malcolmson and Sons
of Portlaw, Co. Waterford, Ireland
The Irish Waterways Heritage website - The (Portlaw) Clodiagh webpage contains a great deal of interesting information, including photos of the unusual houses built by Malcolmson for the company's workers - a very early example of a 'model village'. These houses have lightweight curved wooden roofs, originally covered with tarred calico cloth.
The Waterford County Museum website provides much information on the Malcolmson family history and on the cotton mill at Portlaw[1]
Press Reports
1825 'Mr. David Malcolmson, of Clonmel, is about to erect a Cotton Mill at Portlaw, on a site particularly advantageous. A capital of 10,000l, we are informed, will be expended on this undertaking.'[2]
1858 'The papers report the death of Joseph Malcomsom, the head of the Quaker firm of that name, whose well-known cotton-mill at Mayfield, Portlaw, County Waterford, gives most extensive employment. The Messrs. Malcomson have a large fleet of steamers with which they carry on an extensive trade with foreign ports.'[3]
1876 'THE LARGE FAILURE IN IRELAND. The reported failure of Messrs. Malcolmson, of Portlaw, county Waterford, and the connected firms in Belfast, of William Malcolmson and Co., the Milfort Weaving Company, and the Milewater Spinning Company, has been confirmed. The house was engaged largely in shipping and the manufactory trade in Ireland. The liabilities of the firm are very large, being estimated at over £1,000,000 ; the unsecured liabilities are comparatively small, and will not exceed £100,000. This firm has several establishments, under different styles, and all are affected the suspension, viz., Malcolmson Brothers, Portlaw ; William Malcolmson and Co., Milfort Weaving Co., Milewater Spinning Co., Belfast; and a cotton spinning mill, at Patricroft, near Manchester. Messrs. Malcolmson are perhaps the largest cotton manufacturers in the kingdom, employing, in their several concerns, from 3,000 to 4,000 hands. '[4]