Summary: York Street Linen Mill
Key dates:
On the eve of the First World War, Belfast was the biggest linen producing centre in the world with a workforce rising steadily from a figure of 56,000 in 1871. Working conditions in these mills were poor. For both spinning and weaving the atmosphere had to be hot and humid and the mill workers often developed lung diseases. After working long hours, mill workers stepped outside into the cool evening air with their bodies and clothes still damp.
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