Heritage of Harris Tweed
10th September
It is always a pleasure to receive visitors with family links to our industry’s heritage.
Recently, James Newall took a tour of the Harris Tweed® story room and thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the history surrounding the Clò Mòr.
The Newall family entered into the Harris Tweed industry when an associate company of S.A. Newall and Sons Ltd bought the Patent Slip mill in 1918, and they were one of the first mills to move from hand spun to mill spun yarn.
The company remained in business until the 1970’s, when it merged with the Stornoway Mill.
Newall’s knew the importance of advertising to a global audience, and you’ll see here two wonderful examples from our archives of their promotional work from 1935 and 1960.
With regards James’ own story, he was born in Edinburgh and is the son of Roddy and grandson of Fred Newall. His father and his uncle Donald were (as far as James is aware) the last Newall’s to have worked in the family business.
James is pictured having a go on the double-width loom, with Lorna Macaulay (HTA CEO) and Donnie ‘Oscar’ Macleod watching on. Donnie is well-known through his time as an accountant in Stornoway and is a long-time friend and associate of the Newall family.
