Trading Places/CR.E.A.T.E. Programme

Links, Find out more online

Do you know of a helpful resource for the History of Linen? Please contact us.

Artists on the project

Julie Forrester built a website for her collaborating school, Holyfamily. Please view the site here: Holyfamily.

The Linen Industry

The flax crop is pulled, not cut, as were it to be cut, not only would it be injured but valuable fibre would also be lost...
Hand pulling is therefore essential for by far. the larger proportion of the total flax crop, and is a tedious, expensive operation.
from Irish Linen, A Lecture by W. H. WEBB, F.T.I.

This article is at http://www.ulsterlinen.com/2.htm, a website for a commercial linen import company in New York, USA. This article is undated, but appears to be from mid 20th century, by an official in a linen industry association

Working on Linen

The working conditions in the mills were poor. For all types of linen spinning and weaving the atmosphere needed to be hot and humid. In the wet spinning rooms, where most of the children worked, the floors were always wet and the workers were barefoot to stop themselves slipping.
from Ghost Watch at IrelandsEye.com an Irish culture 'zine, based in Belfast

This fanciful web-piece 'Ghost Watch' at http://www.irelandseye.com/ghost/ uses reports of ghost-sightings in a haunted Belfast linen mill and offers an opportunity to possibly capture a glimpse of a ghost through a live web-cam. This piece delves into the history of linen, and the life (and death) of a young linen worker, Helena Blunden who lived from 1896-1912, while using new technologies in a unique way.

The Historical Context

The heart of the industry was the 'linen triangle', extending from Dungannon east to Lisburn and south to Armagh; then as output increased, Newry was drawn in. Within this area and later beyond it, drapers sought out suitable sites for their bleach yards along the rivers.
from BBC's Northern Ireland Timeline

The BBC offers a brief summary of linen's prominence in Northern Ireland's history in their timeline: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/timelines/ni/ . Linen is also mentioned in their timeline under the Williamite Wars of 1686 - 1742

This project was recognized as a Net Days Europe project.