Robert Noble (company)

Last updated

Robert Noble was a weaving and textiles business based in the Scottish borders town of Peebles. The origins of the company can be traced back to 1666 [1] when it was formed in Galashiels under the name of David Ballantyne. It was at one time listed amongst the oldest surviving UK businesses.

Contents

During the next two hundred years the company grew, developed and over time was merged with other businesses including George Roberts & Co. of Selkirk, Walter Thorburn of Hawick and Henry Ballantyne of Walkerburn. [2] In 1884 it moved to a new purpose built mill at March Street in Peebles; the home of Robert Noble until late 2015. [3] [4]

During the twentieth century Ballantyne's formed part of the Dawson International business. However, during the latter part of the twentieth century the UK textiles industry went through various re-structuring and Robert Noble was sold off as a separate business.

The Robert Noble business had lost significant sales in early 2000s when Ministry of Defence contracts for Scottish Regiments were sent outside the UK. [5]

In 2015, after trying to sell the company privately, the management publicly put the site up for sale. Unable to find buyers for the site, Robert Noble was sold to Magee's in Ireland and Replin was sold to AW Hainsworth based in Yorkshire. [1] After the Scottish Government rejected Moorbrook Ltd’s proposals for redevelopment of the site, it agreed to Peebles Community Trust’s request to register a Community Right to Buy (CRtB), which would allow the community first option, under certain conditions, to negotiate purchase of the land should the owners place it on the open market. [6] [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawick</span> A town in the Borders of Scotland

Hawick is a town in the Scottish Borders council area and historic county of Roxburghshire in the east Southern Uplands of Scotland. It is 10 miles (16.1 km) south-west of Jedburgh and 8.9 miles (14.3 km) south-south-east of Selkirk. It is one of the furthest towns from the sea in Scotland, in the heart of Teviotdale, and is the biggest town in Roxburghshire. The town is at the confluence of the Slitrig Water with the River Teviot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paisley, Renfrewshire</span> Town in the west central Lowlands of Scotland

Paisley is a large town situated in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Located north of the Gleniffer Braes, the town borders the city of Glasgow to the east, and straddles the banks of the White Cart Water, a tributary of the River Clyde.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peebles</span> Town in Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK

Peebles is a town in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was historically a royal burgh and the county town of Peeblesshire. According to the 2011 census, the population was 8,376 and the estimated population in June 2018 was 9,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selkirk, Scottish Borders</span> Town in Scotland, UK

Selkirk is a town and historic royal burgh in the Scottish Borders council district of southeastern Scotland. It lies on the Ettrick Water, a tributary of the River Tweed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galashiels</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Galashiels is a town in the Scottish Borders with a population of around 12,600. Its name is often colloquially shortened to "Gala". The town is a major commercial centre for the Borders region with extensive history in the textile industry. Galashiels is the location of Heriot-Watt University's School of Textiles and Design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishopton, Renfrewshire</span> Village in Renfrewshire, Scotland

Bishopton (/bɪʃəptən/) is a village in Renfrewshire, Scotland. It is located around 2 miles (3 km) west of Erskine.

Almonte is a former mill town in Lanark County, in the eastern portion of Ontario, Canada. Formerly a separate municipality, Almonte is a ward of the town of Mississippi Mills, which was created on January 1, 1998, by the merging of Almonte with Ramsay and Pakenham townships. Almonte is 46 kilometres (29 mi) south-west of downtown Ottawa. Its population as recorded in the 2016 Canadian Census was 5,039.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tillicoultry</span> Town in Clackmannanshire, Scotland

Tillicoultry is a town in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. Tillicoultry is usually referred to as Tilly by the locals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Peebles & Co. Ltd.</span> Defunct engineering company

Bruce Peebles & Co. Ltd. was an Edinburgh industrial electrical engineering company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelso, Scottish Borders</span> Market town in the Scottish borders

Kelso is a market town in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Roxburghshire, it lies where the rivers Tweed and Teviot have their confluence. The town has a population of 5,639 according to the 2011 census and based on the 2010 definition of the locality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menstrie</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Menstrie is a village in the county of Clackmannanshire in Scotland. It is about five miles east-northeast of Stirling and is one of a string of towns that, because of their location at the foothill base of the Ochil Hills, are collectively referred to as the Hillfoots Villages or simply The Hillfoots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Granton, Edinburgh</span> Edinburgh suburb

Granton is a district in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland. Granton forms part of Edinburgh's waterfront along the Firth of Forth and is, historically, an industrial area having a large harbour. Granton is part of Edinburgh's large scale waterfront regeneration programme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walkerburn</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Walkerburn is a small village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, on the A72 about 8 miles (13 km) from Peebles and 10 miles (16 km) from Galashiels.

Courtaulds was a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of fabric, clothing, artificial fibres, and chemicals. It was established in 1794 and became the world's leading man-made fibre production company before being broken up in 1990 into Courtaulds plc and Courtaulds Textiles Ltd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fountainbridge</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Fountainbridge is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland, a short distance west of the city centre, adjoining Tollcross with East Fountainbridge and West Port to the east, Polwarth to the west and south, Dalry and Haymarket to the north and Gorgie and North Merchiston to the west. The main streets through the area are Fountainbridge and Dundee Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosewell, Midlothian</span> Village in Midlothian, Scotland

Rosewell is a former mining village in Midlothian, Scotland, east of Roslin and south-west of Bonnyrigg. The village is in the civil parish of Lasswade and was previously a separate ecclesiastical parish, but has its own Community Council, namely Rosewell and District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flinders Lane</span> Street in Melbourne

Flinders Lane is a minor street and thoroughfare in the Melbourne central business district of Victoria, Australia. The laneway runs east–west from Spring Street to Spencer Street in-between Flinders and Collins streets. Originally laid out as part of the Hoddle Grid in 1837, the laneway was once the centre of Melbourne's rag trade and is still home to boutique designers and high-end retailers including Chanel, now perched alongside numerous upscale hotels like the W Hotel Melbourne and Adelphi Hotel, loft apartments, cafes and bars.

Events from the year 1965 in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Kirna</span> Architectural structure in Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK

The Kirna, known locally as Kirna House, is a Category A listed villa in Walkerburn, Peeblesshire, Scotland. It is one of four villas in Walkerburn designed by Frederick Thomas Pilkington between 1867 and 1869 for the Ballantyne family. It is listed as a fine example of a Pilkington mansion retaining original external features, a fine interior, and for its importance as a Ballantyne property.

References

  1. 1 2 Hounslea, Tessa (7 September 2015). "Moorbrook Textiles finds buyers for Robert Noble and Replin Fabrics". Drapers. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  2. "George Roberts and Co., Woollen Manufacturer, Selkirk". Archives Hub. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  3. "Robert Noble: Timeline". Robert Noble. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  4. "Job losses as Robert Noble mill in Peebles to close". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  5. "Blackpool: From the courts 27-06-17". www.scotsman.com.
  6. "Scottish Government planners reject bid to build 69 houses on old Peebles mill site". The Southern Reporter. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  7. "Project: March Street Mills Redevelopment". Peebles Community Trust. Retrieved 31 January 2021.

Historic images of March Street Mills

Recent references about Robert Noble

History of Ballantyne's businesses

Peebles history