Axminster Carpets facts for kids

Axminster Carpets Ltd is a famous English company. It makes carpets in Axminster, Devon. They are especially known for their special carpets called Axminster carpets.

How it All Started

A long time ago, in 1755, a man named Thomas Whitty lived in Devon. He was a weaver, which means he made cloth. One day, he visited a market in London. There, he saw a huge, beautiful Turkish carpet. He was very impressed by it!

When Thomas Whitty went back home to Axminster, he wanted to make carpets just as good. He used his weaving skills to figure out how. After many months of hard work, he finished his first carpet on a summer day in 1755.

Whitty's carpets looked a lot like flat tapestries. They became very popular with rich families. These families wanted Axminster carpets for their big country houses and city homes. This was between 1755 and 1835.

The company made carpets for many famous places. These included the music room at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. They also made carpets for grand homes like Chatsworth House and Warwick Castle. Even King George III and Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz bought Axminster carpets. They even visited the factory!

In 1800, the company made a huge carpet for Mahmud II, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. This carpet was about 74 feet long and 52 feet wide! It is known as the most famous Axminster Carpet ever. It showed a bright sun, the moon, and many stars. It cost £1000, which was a lot of money back then. Thirty men from a local church carried it out of the factory. It was first placed in the Topkapi Palace. Later, it moved to another palace and belonged to Esma Sultan, the daughter of Sultan Mustapha III.

A Difficult Time

In 1828, a terrible fire destroyed the weaving machines, called looms. This was a big problem for the company. In 1835, the owner, Samuel Rampson Whitty, who was the founder's grandson, went bankrupt. This means he lost all his money and couldn't pay his debts.

Another company, Blackmores of Wilton, Wiltshire, bought the remaining carpets and looms. They started making hand-knotted carpets too. They still called these carpets "Axminsters."

Years later, in July 2012, a group called Axminster Heritage Ltd bought the old factory building. This was the original place where Thomas Whitty started the company. The building is now a Grade II listed building, which means it's important and protected. Today, it is the town's heritage centre. It has a museum and a place for tourists to get information.

Starting Again

Hamlyns's Mill in Buckfastleigh. Harry Dutfield bought this mill after World War II to get enough woollen yarn for carpets.

In 1929, a carpet maker named Harry Dutfield started a new company. He was from Scotland but lived in Kidderminster. He started the company with his old school friend, Stephen Quayle. But during the Great Depression, the company had problems with workers' unions.

In 1935, Harry Dutfield was going to the London Motor Show to buy a new car. On the train, he met a vicar from the West Country. The vicar told him that no carpets had been made in Axminster since the fire in 1828.

When Harry Dutfield got home, he had an idea. He decided to move his company to Axminster and restart Axminster Carpets Ltd. He convinced the Southern Railway to make their station at Axminster bigger. Then, in 1937, he leased land from them to build a new factory.

When World War II began, Dutfield changed the factory. Instead of carpets, they made stirrup pumps and later parts for airplanes. Harry Dutfield himself was an officer in the Home Guard.

After the war, there was a shortage of materials. Harry Dutfield loved fishing. He bought a woollen mill in Buckfast, near Buckfastleigh. This mill also came with salmon fishing rights on the River Dart. This helped Dutfield make carpets the old way, doing everything "from fleece to floor." This means they handled the whole process, from getting the wool to making the finished carpet.

Later, Harry Dutfield let his son, Simon, take over the company's daily work. Harry then spent more time on his fishing hobby. He received an MBE award for helping British exports. Harry Dutfield passed away on May 21, 1999, at his home in Axminster.

Axminster Carpets Today

The factory outlet for Axminster Carpets Ltd in Axminster, Devon.

Today, Axminster Carpets is special because it's the only company that does everything itself. They buy the wool, wash it, prepare it, spin it into yarn, and dye it. Only then do they weave the carpet.

In 2005, to celebrate 250 years of carpet weaving in Axminster, they made a special rug. The company's weavers carried it through the town. Then, the Bishop of Exeter blessed it, and it was given to the Earl of Devon. This special carpet is now in Clarence House, which was the home of King Charles III at the time. Also, in 2012, Axminster Carpets received a Royal Warrant. This means they are official suppliers to the Royal Household.

Modern Axminster-type machines can weave high-quality carpets with many different colors and patterns. These machines are used all over the world. Axminster carpets are very strong and last a long time. Because of this, they are often used in country homes, fancy hotels, airplanes, and train carriages. Even every Wetherspoon pub has a special carpet made by Axminster.

On February 19, 2020, the company announced it was in financial trouble. However, in March 2020, a group of investors, including the former owners, bought the company. This saved it from closing down.