Old Photograph Isla Bank Mills Keith Scotland

Old photograph of Isla Bank Mills on Station Road in Keith, a small town in Moray, Scotland. The Mills were established in 1805 for the production of tweed. When George Kynoch purchased the Isla Bank Mills similar mills in Scotland were closing down. As better breeds of sheep were introduced into the area, finer unprocessed wool became available. The Cheviot, with bright illustrious fleece, and the Black face ewe were crossed with Border Leicester. Tweeds were the first powerful export from the Mills. The better quality of wool from local sheep enabled Kynoch to concentrate on labour. Expertise in sorting, willeying, blending, fettling, scouring and drying, carding, combing, spinning, doubling, warping, headling, sleying and warp twisting, weaving, and overlooking emerged. In the latter 19th century the Mill added the finishing techniques of scouring and milling, drying burling, raising the nap and shearing, boiling and brushing, mending or darning, and pressing and packing.




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