Industry | Textiles |
---|---|
Founded | 1885 |
Founders | John Bell Bryson and Thomas Henry Spence |
Headquarters | , Northern Ireland |
Spence Bryson is a Northern Irish textile company which manufactures and distributes linen and linen products.
Spence Bryson was founded as Spence, Bryson & Co. Ltd in 1885 by John Bell Bryson and Thomas Henry Spence in Portadown, County Armagh. [1] John Bell Bryson (c.1859-1923) was born in County Down, [2] and apprenticed in the linen trade to Robert Glass of Portadown, while Thomas Henry Spence (c.1854-1937) was born in County Armagh, [3] and was apprenticed to Hamilton Robb in Portadown. [4]
By the 1950s, Spence Bryson was the largest of the 11 weaving companies based in the Portadown area and was based on Meadow Lane. [5] The company was bought by Ulster Weavers Ltd in 1990. [6]
The company is known for its manufacture of a range of linen fabrics, from light linen to suit fabric, [6] and for its self-sufficiency, sourcing local wood for their looms and locally cast iron. [5] In the 20th century, the sales division was organised into 3 sections: embroidery cloth, handkerchiefs, and suiting. [1] In the 1950s, Spence Bryson worked with fashion designer Sybil Connolly to develop her signature pleated linen from handkerchief linen. [7]
Ulster is one of the four traditional or historic Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland ; the remaining three are in the Republic of Ireland.
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant.
County Armagh is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 1,327 km2 (512 sq mi) and has a population of 194,394 as of the 2021 census. County Armagh is known as the "Orchard County" because of its many apple orchards. The county is part of the historic province of Ulster.
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, near the southern shore of Lough Neagh. Lurgan is about 18 miles (29 km) south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway and the Belfast–Dublin railway line. It had a population of about 28,634 at the 2021 UK census and is within the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district. For some purposes, Lurgan is treated as part of the "Craigavon Urban Area" along with neighbouring Craigavon and Portadown.
Portadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 24 mi (39 km) southwest of Belfast. It is in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area and had a population of about 22,000 at the 2011 Census. For some purposes, Portadown is treated as part of the "Craigavon Urban Area", alongside Craigavon and Lurgan.
Gilford is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. The village sits on the River Bann between the towns of Banbridge, Tandragee and Portadown. It covers the townlands of Loughans, Ballymacanallen and Drumaran. It had a population of 1,933 people in the 2011 Census. Gilford is within the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district.
Donaghcloney or Donacloney is a village, townland and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Lagan between Lurgan and Dromore. In the 2011 census it had a population of 1701. It is colloquially referred to as "The 'Cloney" by locals.
Laurelvale is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is beside the smaller village of Mullavilly and the two are sometimes referred to as Laurelvale-Mullavilly or Mullavilly-Laurelvale. The village is three miles south of Portadown and 1.5 miles northwest of Tandragee. It had a population of 1,288 people in the 2011 Census.
Markethill is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is beside Gosford Forest Park. It had a population of 1,647 people in the 2011 Census.
Richhill is a large village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies between Armagh and Portadown. It had a population of 2,738 people in the 2021 Census.
Killeshandra or Killashandra, is a village in County Cavan, Ireland. It is 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Cavan Town in the centre of County Cavan's lakeland and geopark region and the Erne catchment environment of rivers, lakes, wetlands and woodland. Together with the Lough Oughter Special Protected Area (SPA), it has been recognised by the EU programme for wildlife Natura 2000 since 2010. Killeshandra is noted by Fáilte Ireland as an "Angling Centre of Excellence", and as a hub for the Cavan Walking Festival which takes place in May each year. There are several looped walking and cycling trails in Killykeen Forest Park. The town is also home to Killeshandra Gaelic Football Club, known locally as the Killeshandra Leaguers. Rockfield Lake, which is popular with anglers, is a few kilometres southwest of the town.
Sybil Connolly was an Irish fashion designer known for creating fashion from Irish textiles, including finely pleated linen, wools such as Báinín, Limerick and Carrickmacross lace, and later for her work with brands such as Tiffany & Co. Her fashion label's clients included Jacqueline Kennedy.
Major David Graham Shillington PC(NI) was an Ulster Unionist politician.
Donegal tweed is a woven tweed manufactured in County Donegal, Ireland. Originally all handwoven, it is now mostly machine woven and has been since the introduction of mechanised looms in the 1950s-1960s. Donegal has for centuries been producing tweed from local materials in the making of caps, suits and vests. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, The Royal Linen Manufacturers of Ulster distributed approximately six thousand flax spinning wheels and sixty looms for weaving to various Donegal homesteads. These machines helped establish the homespun tweed industry in nineteenth-century Donegal. Although Donegal tweed has been manufactured for centuries it took on its modern form in the 1880s, largely due to the pioneering work of English philanthropist Alice Rowland Hart.
The Right Honourable Thomas Shillington PC (NI) was an Irish factory owner and politician.
Gubnagree is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Corlough and barony of Tullyhaw.
Bocade Glebe is a townland in the civil parish of Kildallan, barony of Tullyhunco, County Cavan, Ireland.
Pleated linen is a form of processing linen which results in a fabric which is heavily pleated and does not crease like normal linen fabric.