The success of the wool trade in Witney can largely be attributed to the clean, fast-flowing water from the local River Windrush and the large areas of hill pastures ideal for sheep breeding and grazing in the nearby Cotswolds.
The Witney Blanket
In a website article entitled “What helped Witney’s Wool and Blanket Trade to Grow ” Clare Sumner explains that like many other trades the wool trade had its ups and downs over the years but by the 15th century Witney had established a growing reputation for cloth production and by the 17th century began to specialise in blanket making. With the formation of the Witney Blanket Weavers’ Company in 1711 all local blanket makers were required to join the company and were fined if their blankets were not up to standard. Sumner says that “the idea of a Witney 'brand' recognised for its quality had begun to be established”.
The Witney Blanket Industry Embraces Industrialisation
In the 19th century large mills began to replace smaller family-run mills and so blanket manufacturing in Witney was able to compete in the new industrialised age. In a website article entitled “Witney and the Industrial Revolution” Jamie Everitt explains that the Witney blanket industry had a reputation for producing high-quality goods and this enabled them to build up contracts outside England especially in North America through the Hudson’s Bay Company. The good roads between Witney and the major ports such as London, Bristol and Southampton had always been very advantageous for the Witney wool traders but the arrival of the railway in the 19th century created the opportunity for cheaper and improved transport links.
Early’s of Witney
Everitt notes that the blanket industry in Witney was confined to quite a small geographical area and the small number of factory owners were either related or on friendly terms with each other. This encouraged a good working relationship which often led them to sharing bigger orders. One of the biggest and most famous blanket factories in Witney, owned and run by the Early family, managed to get a large order from the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1805 which they shared amongst the other manufacturers in Witney.
Witney Point Blankets
Witney produced a wide range of blankets in a variety of sizes, weights, colours and patterns. Sumner notes that the traditional, plain weave blankets were the mainstay of all the Witney companies until the 1960s but Witney was also famous for other types of blanket, such as “point” blankets. The first order for “pointed blankets” came from the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1779. The name derives from the short lines known as “points” which were woven into a corner of each blanket. The number of points denoted the size and value of the blanket. Point blankets often had a “Witney Point Blanket” label to identify them and Sumner notes that “Early’s also adopted a trademark of a Native American wearing a headdress which they used on their points for much of the 20th century”.
The End of an Era
After surviving many upheavals and changes throughout its history including the industrial revolution and the introduction of steam and electricity, the era of the Witney blanket finally came up against its biggest rival in the 1970s– the duvet. The last mill closed in 2002 but the legacy of Witney’s blanket industry is not forgotten and Witney blankets are still available in some shops.
