John Boyd Textiles
of Castle Cary, Somerset
Established in Castle Cary in 1837, and continuing to weave a variety of horsehair fabrics of the highest quality. It is one of only two such producers in Europe.
The best quality tail hair from live horses is used for the weft, while cotton, silk or other yarn is used for the warp, using looms and techniques developed by the company in 1870.
The use of horse hair gives the woven fabrics a number of special qualities, including excellent durability and an attractive appearance. Unlike normal weaving with mechanical looms, horsehair cannot be spun to produce long lengths of weft yarn to be used in flying shuttles. In fact single horse hairs are of relatively large diameter, and are very strong, and do not need to be spun, but a major problem is that they can only be used as single hairs. In other words, each weft thread comprises a single hair, whereas in normal weaving the weft is a long continuous length of yarn which is passed back and forth across the width of the cloth.
Traditionally this drawback precluded mechanized weaving with horsehair wefts, and it was done manually by a weaver, with a child serving each hair to the weaver. With the loss of this child labour following the introduction of the Education Act, John Boyd and his assistants developed a remarkable type of automatic loom in 1870, which Boyd patented in 1872. The same type of loom is still in use at the mill today. Despite the automated process, weaving with horsehair is a very specialised and relatively slow process, and a considerable amount of skill is required by the weavers, and by all the staff engaged in the other processes of preparation, dyeing, warping, cutting the cloth, pressing, machine setting and maintenance, etc.
For more information, see John Boyd Textiles website
Boyd's had moved into the current Higher Flax Mill site in 1956, and c.1977 they amalgamated with another Castle Cary horsehair fabric company, T. S. Donne. The business became John Boyd Textiles Limited in 1984.[1].
The site retains original mill buildings, mainly built of attractive Ham stone. They are not all part of the John Boyd factory.
Unfortunately the mill's massive waterwheel, steam engine and boilers are long gone. However, evidence of the water-driven equipment can still be seen in the form of wall boxes (for the bearings of lineshafts driven from the waterwheel's gears) in the north end wall of the mill's largest building.
The steam engine was photographed by George Watkins in 1951, when it was still maintained in immaculate condition. The single cylinder 120 HP engine was built by in the 1870s. The cylinder was 30" bore and 4 ft stroke. Originally it drove lineshafts via gear teeth on the rim of the flywheel. Latterly the engine drove a generator.[2]. G Watkins names the maker as B. Hick and Sons, but the firm had become Hick, Hargreaves and Co in the 1840s.
People
1890 Death Notice: 'DEATH OF MR. JOHN BOYD. A large number of our readers will hear with extreme regret of the death of Mr. John Boyd, which took place yesterday (Thursday) morning at four o'clock. The deceased gentleman, who was 75 years of age, had for many years been a large employer of labour, carrying on an extensive business in the manufacture of horse-hair seating. About eight years ago the business, of which was then the sole proprietor, was taken over by a company, and considerably extended, Mr. Boyd retaining the position of the head of the firm. The deceased gentleman was very popular, not only as kind-hearted employer of labour, but as a philanthropic townsman, who identified himself with every movement for the welfare of the inhabitants. Among other charitable acts, he gave a row of ten cottages, with gardens, for almshouses, as a Jubilee gift to the town. He was a Liberal in politics, and the Liberal Club was named "The Boyd Institute " in his honour. Mr. Boyd was not considered to be seriously ill until within few a days of his death. He survived his wife a few weeks only.'[3]
1938 'PRESIDENT OF TRADE ASSOCIATION
Honour has been done to a well-known Castle Cary firm and to a member of a very old and respected local family by the appointment of Mr. W. W. Macmillan as President of the Hair Manufacturers’ Association for the ensuing year. Mr. Macmillan has been secretary and manager of Messrs. John Boyd & Co., Ltd., Castle Cary, horse hair merchants and manufacturers, since 1911, when he succeeded his father, the late Mr. William Macmillan, and he has been associated with the company for 47 years.
Founded over a century ago by John Boyd, who came from Scotland in the reign of William IV., the firm is the only one in the country to carry through every branch of the hair manufacture industry, and there are few places in England to which Castle Cary horse hair cloth, horse hair for brushes, and for filling mattresses, and other manufactures of the firm are not sent.
STARTED IN 1837.
Starting the business at South Cary in 1837, John Boyd conducted it until 1882, when he decided to form it into a company, of which the late Mr. William Macmillan was the first secretary. The centenary of the firm was celebrated by a dinner attended by the directors, shareholders. and employees in March, 1937. Mr. Macmillan has been Vice-President of the Hair Manufacturers' Association for the past year.'[4]. Note: Douglas Macmillan (1884-1969), founder of the Macmillan Cancer Support charity, was born on 10 August 1884, in Castle Cary, the seventh of eight children of William Macmillan (1844-1911) and his wife Emily (1843-1937). A commemorative plaque on a house at the entrance of the old John Boyd factory on Upper High Street (see last photo) records that Douglas Macmillan lived there[5]
1948 Long service!
'Married 70 Years
Somerset Couple's Record
Mr. and Mrs. John Coleman, of Ancastle, Castle Cary, will celebrate the 70th anniversary of their wedding next Monday. Both are 91 years of age. Mrs. Coleman was Miss Susan Sweet, of Woodcock-street. They were married at the Parish Church on June 14th, 1878, by the Rev. Alford, curate to Canon Mead. Mr. Coleman was employed by Messrs. John Boyd & Co., Ltd., for 80 years. He has been a keen follower of Castle Cary Rugby Club and still listens to broadcasts of county and international matches. Mr. and Mrs. Coleman have had five children, of whom two sons and one daughter are living.'[6]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ [1] Victoria County History - Horsehair Industry of Castle Cary
- ↑ 'Stationary Steam Engines of Great Britain' Vol 7, by George Watkins, Landmark Publishing, Plate 58
- ↑ Western Gazette - Friday 10 January 1890
- ↑ Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser - Saturday 18 June 1938
- ↑ [2] Wikipedia
- ↑ Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser - Saturday 12 June 1948