| Industry | Textiles |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1898 |
| Defunct | 1963 |
| Fate | Acquired |
| Successor | Courtaulds |
| Headquarters | Manchester,UK |
Fine Spinners and Doublers was a majorcotton spinning business based inManchester, England. At its peak it was a constituent of theFT 30 index of leading companies on theLondon Stock Exchange.
Fine Spinners and Doublers, formed from a group of spinning companies specialising in fineSea Island Cottons, was registered on 31 March 1898.[1] The Fine Cotton Spinners and Doublers Association Limited had the objective of promoting the interests of cotton spinners inNorth West England.[2] It was founded through the efforts ofHerbert Dixon and Scott Lings in 1897. Businesses that joined in this enterprise at the time includedA&G Murray Ltd,Houldsworths, CE Bennett & Co, James & Wainwright Bellhouse andMcConnell & Co; but many more followed in subsequent years.[2][3]
The new association was vast compared with its competitors and its large size enabled it to secure its supplies of cotton from theSea Island and Egypt.[2]For thirty years it was the world's largest cotton-spinning concern, expanding to operate 60 mills and employ 30,000 operatives.[3]
In 1915, its vice-president, McConnel was on theRMS Lusitania when she was sunk by enemy action. He survived and wrote an account of the sinking which was published in theManchester Guardian.[4]
In 1938Lancashire Cotton Corporation replaced Fine Cotton Spinners and Doublers in theFT 30 as the latter completed a capital reduction and reorganisation programme.[5]
On 16 June 1940 production was stepped up order ofLord Beaverbrook.Sunday working anddouble shifts were introduced in a plan to quadruple production in order to manufacture defensivebarrage balloons. At peak of production 10 mills were used to output 91,000 kilograms (200,000 lb) of fine super-combed yarn a week; that is 50% of the industry total.[6] Fine super-combed yarn was needed forparachutes andcamouflage netting. It was also used for constructingpneumatic heavy lifting gear and inflatabledecoy artillery.[7]
In 1946 the name of the business was changed toFine Spinners' and Doublers' Limited.[2][8] There were 62 firms making up the Association. It owned 107spinning anddoubling mills, a pilot production plant, aweaving mill, amercerising plant a large research establishment and a 16,000 hectares (39,000 acres)cotton plantation.[9]
During the next five years there was a sustained boom in the textile industry owing to the worldwide shortage of cotton goods. Yarn production increased by 50 percent but output contracted by 28 percent; the Lancashire industry had collapsed.[8]
Fine Spinners and Doublers was acquired byCourtaulds in 1963.[10]
Notes
Bibliography
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| Breakerscutcher | Batting | |||||
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| Finishing scutcher | Lapping | Teasing | ||||
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| Carding | Carding room | |||||
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| Roving | | Fine roving | ||||
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| Mule spinning | Ring spinning | Spinning | ||||
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| Reeling |  | Doubling | |||
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| Winding | Bundling | Bleaching | ||||
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| Weaving shed |  | Winding | ||||
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| Beaming | | Cabling | ||||
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| Warping | | Gassing | ||||
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| Sizing/slashing/dressing | | Spooling | ||||
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| Cloth | Yarn (cheese) Bundle | Sewing thread | ||||
