Business History Explorer Supported by the Business Archives Council

Linen Thread Co Ltd

Other Business Names:

  • Finlayson Bousfield & Co Ltd
  • Knox, W & J, Ltd
  • Barbour, William, & Sons Ltd
  • Marshall Thread Co
  • Barbour Flax Spinning Co
  • Crawford Brothers Ltd
  • Hayes, F W, & Co Ltd
  • Stewart, Robert, & Sons Ltd
  • American Net & Twine Co
  • Boston Thread & Twine Co

Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:

  • Glasgow, City of Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, Scotland

Sectors:

  • Textile production Thread production, esp for sewing

Notes:

Traced origins to 1898 when established to facilitate the merger of leading businesses in linen thread industry in UK and USA to become the world leading business of its kind, viz: Finlayson Bousfield & Co Ltd of Johnstone and North Grafton, USA; W & J Knox Ltd of Killbirnie; William Barbour & Sons Ltd of Hilden, Northern Ireland; Marshall Thread Co of New Jersey, USA; Barbour Flax Spinning Co, Paterson, New Jersey, USA; and Barbour Brothers of New York, USA. Soon after the business merged with Ainsworth & Sons Ltd, Cleator Moor, Cumbria; Dunbar McMaster & Co Ltd, New York; Crawford Brothers Ltd, Beith, Ayrshire; F W Hayes & Co Ltd, Banbridge, Northern Ireland; Robert Stewart & Sons Ltd, Lisburn; American Net & Twine Co; Boston Thread & Twine Co. Expanded in 1920s and 30s into France, Italy, Australia, Argentina, etc. By 1950s business involved primarily in thread manufacture but also associated areas such an manufacture of footwear laces, netting, braiding and twine and also linen yarn, textile machinery, precision parts for aircraft and motor vehicles, etc. Latterly an industrial conglomerate known as Lindustries Ltd

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