Portlaw, county Waterford, 1825-76

About this book

"David Malcomson, a member of the Society of Friends and a Clonmel based flour miller established a cotton spinning mill on what was essentially a greenfield site at Portlaw, County Waterford in 1825. Weaving and finishing processes were later developed as the industry became fully integrated under the later management of David Malcomson's sons, Joseph and William. The business reached an employment peak of 1,648 in 1856 and survived until 1876 when the Malcomson commercial empire became bankrupt." "This book concentrates on three aspects of the Portlaw developments. The initial development and 1860s redesign of the purpose built industrial village of Portlaw is examined. The sophisticated social structure developed to cater for workers needs and welfare is analysed. The performance of the Portlaw cotton industry is also investigated focusing on the manufacturing processes, the variations in the labour force and its structure, market opportunities as well as the adjustments required to overcome the problems created by the American Civil War. The study makes a significant contribution to our understanding of aspects of the economic and urban history of nineteenth-century Ireland."--Jacket.