1957 – Cyril Lord Carpet Factory, Donaghadee, Co. Down

A factory built for textile entrepreneur Cyril Lord, known as “The Carpet King”. Lord’s diversification into carpet manufacture was prompted by a major technological innovation – the introduction into the UK of “tufted” carpets from spun yarn rather than manufacture by traditional weaving techniques. It revolutionised carpet manufacture and opened the mass market for lower income households. Lord sold directly to the public via his own stores.

Being a new and purpose-built factory, it differed from most UK textile mills which were old and often ill-suited to technical innovation and organisational change. Built and equipped to Lord’s specifications, the new factory formed the basis of his carpet business over the next ten years, during which period it was, for a time, the largest of its kind in Europe and the fourth largest in the world. The factory was extended three times between 1960 and 1966, each time with Government support, and the Ministry of Commerce also provided further assistance to Lord to enable him to operate factories at Carnmoney from 1959 and Rathgael from 1966. At one stage Lord was providing around 1,500 much-needed jobs in Northern Ireland. Eventually the assistance he received totalled some £7 million.

It was not to last, as his competitors caught up, the company ran into financial difficulties. In 1968, Lord’s three factories in Northern Ireland and his Lancashire mills were bought by Viyella International. Viyella did not buy either the shops or the direct selling operation. The carpet company was renamed Donaghadee Carpets. Later as Carpets International, it went into receivership again in 2004.

Lord also had a modern house and guesthouse on the Warren Road, also by McAlister, Mather & Partners, built around 1958, and demolished circa 2000. The factory was demolished by 2006.