The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Tam’s righting of old wrongs
Craigie diehard Thomas Brown believes the time is right to clear up a few misunderstandings about his home village’s industrial textiles past – and, equally, to go into proverbial overdrive on the subject!
Never a man to mince his words, the weelkent Perthshire resident is in apologetic mood following a recent contribution to this column in which he suggested that the back story of the former Airleywight linen and jute plant had been systematically buried.
Tam says recent discussions with Auchtergaven history buffs have revealed a series of facts which have opened his eyes to the significance of the factory in the period roughly between 100 and 150 years ago – brave readers, brace yourselves!
He writes: “Most recently I sent an article which you kindly published, in which I referred to the mystery of a factory within the village of Bankfoot.
“Well I have the pleasure of standing corrected – it is a mystery no more, but a historical fact. Indeed there was a linen and jute factory in Bankfoot.
“A large piece of a historical jigsaw has been found and my thanks are with Mr Paul McLennan of West Stormont Historical Society and with former Bankfoot resident and historian Mike Lawrence, who has stated to me in no uncertain terms that the Airleywight linen factory was opened by John Menzies and Sons in early 1866.
“It stood on the site of what had been a former United Secession Church. When first in operation it had 20 power looms driven by a steam engine, and the premises were lit by gas lamps.
“A high wall had been built to the entrance of the factory on Prieston Road, which incidentally I recall as a boy and there was an impressive arch long before my time bearing the name of the factory.
“That was illuminated by gas lighting at night, with the factory’s production comprising the looms, a warehouse blacksmith’s shop, recreation club and a fire engine which was also utilised by the village.
“In the 1800s the business was bought by Thomas Taylor of 11 Panmure Street, Dundee, and it was renamed the Airleywight Linen and Jute Factory. Thomas Taylor Co owned the factory for over 40 years.
“They regularly hired weavers, pirn weft winders and craftsmen, offering steady employment. It is not known quite how many were employed, but numbers rose and fell depending on the business – at peak times of production 100 employees is stated.
“By 1921 production was not as busy and workers were on reduced time and the factory closed that year, and by 1922 the business was up for sale. However, no buyer was found and it all went up for auction.
“What is not mentioned, and I would suggest that with the factory – which was in operation from 1866 to 1921 – a considerable number of houses may have been built.
“It was my popular belief that the founder of the factory was Thomas Wylie of Airleywight, and that being the title of the premises – and in a previous item I stated this. Once more I am corrected, as the Wylie connection was as feu superiors, not owners.
“The factory buildings were demolished. I thought some yet stood, but no. By 1950 the site of the factory had been taken over by the builders’ firm P Graham and Sons, but a reminder of the factory was the tall, 50ft chimney, such a feature of my childhood.”
The Bankfoot dweller adds: “We called the builders simply ‘the yard’, but the memory of Graham’s lives on as there is now a housing estate called Graham Court. I am sure there still exists old photos which show the factory, and photos and prints which reveal the factory chimney.
“One fact is for sure – Bankfoot was a textile village. Such a legacy! I am indebted to Mr McLennan for putting the history of the factory right, so little has been known of the factory until now.”