Probably Combers most
recognisable Industrial building.
In 1783 John Andrews (John
the Great) won £10,000 in the Irish State Lottery and it came
at a particularly good time as trade was bad. With part of the
money he bought the townland of Carnesure.
The firm of John Andrews
& Co., flax spinners, was established by John Andrews of Comber
(1782-1864) in 1863, building on an existing family business that
had been in place since the late 18th century. Having already
worked with his father in the firm, James Andrews & Sons from
1812, John Andrews, embarked upon the re-organisation of the
company in the 1860s with the construction of a new mill,
re-establishing the company under his own name with his sons,
James, John and Thomas as partners. Thomas Andrews (1843-1916) took
over the direction of the new company on the death of his father in
1864. Under his leadership, the family business continued to
flourish, benefiting from the growing strength and specialisation
of the linen industry in Ulster at this time (linen was a major
driving force in the economic development of the region). The
company was then enlarged in 1907. Thomas Andrews was succeeded as
Chairman by his son, John Miller Andrews (1871-1956) in 1916, and
with his increasing political commitments (J.M. Andrews eventually
went on to serve as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from
1940-43), he was himself replaced in 1927 by his son, John Ormrod,
as Managing Director of John Andrews & Co. Ltd. The company
continued operations as a flax-spinning mill until 1997, when
falling demand finally brought about its closure. See Also: "Nine
generations: a history of the Andrews family, millers of Comber, "
edited by John Burls from the manuscript of Sydney Andrews
(1958)
After the Rebellion, linen
was scarce and the price rose from 19 pence per yard to 3/1 per
yard. Like many other linen drapers, John Andrews and his son
James, who was in partnership, bought large stocks. Unfortunately
within the year the price fell and many linen drapers, who had
accumulated stock at the high price, had failed to sell in time.
Money was scarce and. James Andrews was hoping for another large
win in the lottery. He wanted to borrow £1,000 to tide them
over. At the same time, Thomas, the eldest son, who was in business
for himself in Belfast, required £7,000 to save himself from
bankruptcy. He wrote from London asking his father for help.
Eventually John Andrews, mainly by means of a mortgage on the
townland of Carnesure and loans from various local people, managed
to raise the money. It was 22 years before the mortgage on
Carnesure was cleared. Thomas never repaid the money, but in his
father’s will, it was seen that there must have been some
arrangement that this £7,000 was his share of the property.
He was left £500
and the remainder went to
James.