Gateside Mills : the Scottish bobbin and shuttle trade in its British and international setting, 1860-1960
Within these 100 years, 1860-1960, in the east of Scotland, a highly specialised woodworking industry closely associated with flax and jute manufacturing, grew from modest beginnings to a position of some importance in the economy of this country. Eventually it declined to a point of virtual extinction leaving few traces of the unique skills and innovatory processes it once employed. The principal products of this industry, bobbins and shuttles, have been fundamental to the crafts of spinning and weaving for thousands of years but the industrialisation of the textile trade in the 19th century stimulated a demand for very large quantities of these components manufactured to engineering standards of precision. Consequently there emerged in mid-century an industry which, in the early years, served the flax and jute mills of Scotland and later, the far larger operations in India which by 1914, had achieved the world leadership in jute manufacturing. This research sought to examine the reasons for the growth and decline of this Scottish trade, its unusual methods and remarkable skills and the long-lasting connection with India it enjoyed. The investigations were centred on the Gateside Mills, a firm in Fife typical
Highland, A. G.
HD9869.W7H5 ; Textile industry--Scotland
Gateside Mills : the Scottish bobbin and shuttle trade in its British and international setting, 1860-1960. Within these 100 years, 1860-1960, in the east of Scotland, a highly specialised woodworking industry closely associated with flax and jute manufacturing, grew from modest beginnings to a position of some importance in the economy of this country. Eventually it declined to a point of virtual extinction leaving few traces of the unique skills and innovatory processes it once employed. The principal products of this industry, bobbins and shuttles, have been fundamental to the crafts of spinning and weaving for thousands of years but the industrialisation of the textile trade in the 19th century stimulated a demand for very large quantities of these components manufactured to engineering standards of precision. Consequently there emerged in mid-century an industry which, in the early years, served the flax and jute mills of Scotland and later, the far larger operations in India which by 1914, had achieved the world leadership in jute manufacturing. This research sought to examine the reasons for the growth and decline of this Scottish trade, its unusual methods and remarkable skills and the long-lasting connection with India it enjoyed. The investigations were centred on the Gateside Mills, a firm in Fife typical
scottish trade british international setting within east scotland highly specialised industry closely_associate manufacturing grow modest beginning position importance economy country eventually decline point virtual extinction leave trace unique skill innovatory process employ principal product industry fundamental craft spin weave industrialisation textile trade stimulate demand large_quantity component manufacture engineering standard precision consequently emerge mid_century industry serve mill scotland later far large operation india achieve world leadership manufacturing sought examine reason growth_decline scottish trade unusual method remarkable skill long lasting connection india enjoyed investigation centre firm fife typical