Last year we reported on the planned demolition of Bideford’s first collar factory on the site of the old Littlejohns Coal Yard. Sadly, that historic building has been demolished, but a recent donation of 14 different styles of collars to Bideford and Community Archive provides another opportunity to reflect on an industry that contributed so much to the local economy. 

The first collar factory in North Devon was opened by George Vincent and partner in Bideford in 1871. Their larger Westcombe premises were opened in 1873, followed by an Appledore factory in 1876. Other factories were Abbott and McBryde and Orr. The largest physical legacy of the industry is the factory along Ropewalk in Bideford built by F. Cooper and Son, opened in 1899, shortly after the closure of the old rope works. 

In March 1895, the Western Morning News described the Appledore factory as ‘of enormous benefit to the town, about 200 hands being employed right through the winter.’ Employing mainly women, the factories made a useful contribution to local living standards. The 1901 census lists 111 people associated with collar making in Bideford. There were also out workers, women working in their own homes finishing collars that were collected later for payment. Often the children of the family helped with this work, however payment was not over generous.

There were many different shapes of collar to complement different styles of men’s clothing. Stand up collars fitted up around the neck and did not lie flat on the shoulders. Turnover collars stood around the neck and then folded or rolled over. Flat collars lay on the shoulders. They could accommodate long, bow or no ties, cravats and scarves. Collars were detachable to allow for easier laundering and starching.  A shirt could be worn for several days and the look altered by choosing a different collar. It could be refreshed by changing the collar – in the days before washing machines this was a very useful design feature. Changes in fashion meant collar making declined after World War One, even so the last factory at Westcombe closed only in 1934.

The mention of collar factories still helps recall memories and stories about families and factory life. The Archive is keen to hear and collect these stories, so please contact them via their website. 

If you would like to know more, we recommend the late Peter Christie’s excellent 2019 book on Bideford’s collar industry.