1950 – Courtaulds Factory, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim

In the 1950s, Courtaulds was a major industrial player in Northern Ireland, with a large factory in Carrickfergus and additional Daintyfyt factories in Markethill, Irvinestown, Limavady, and Cookstown.

The factory in Carrickfergus opened in 1950 brought major growth to the town in terms of jobs and economic prosperity. One of several large industries, including ICI and Michelin, that came to the town around this time. Much extended over the years, the factory had its own internal railway system and locomotives which joined the Larne line at the Mount. The tall chimney that became one of the most recognisable features in the locality, remaining long after the demise of textile production at the site. Rising production costs led to the company’s gradual relocation to South-East Asia and China, and the factory closed in 1981.

The designers, Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners was a British firm of consulting civil engineers, founded in 1922 by Sir Alexander Gibb.