Templeton Carpet Factory Disaster

At about 5 15pm that evening unusually high winds caused a large section of the new western extension to collapse into the adjoining weaving shed.

Templeton carpet factory disaster.

A beautiful building especially seen from the glasgow green side. The ensuing carpet firm of james templeton son was established in bridgeton in 1839. Work began in 1888 and was completed in 1892 after a major interruption caused by a terrible accident possibly caused by inadequate scaffolding and tying in of the new building with the existing one behind it. Found in the stoddard templeton corporate archive the items pictured above all relate to the templeton disaster which occured on 1 november 1889.

Disaster on the green. The story of the disaster was carved in the stone at the bottom of templeton gate during refurbishment in 2005 there were other extensions from 1920 1930 then in the 1960s but although not so ornate they were carried out in as similar a way as possible. The original factory was on king street now called redan street but burned down in 1856. Strong winds were blamed for the accident which happened on november 1 1889.

The flamboyant glazed brick vitreous enamel tiles red brick and terracotta of the facade evokes the rich oriental influenced patterns of the carpets the factory produced. Last month the mitchell library hosted a lecture disaster on the green by local history researcher bill black. One hundred and thirty years ago 29 young women lost their lives and 32 more were injured in the templeton s carpet factory disaster the east end s worst peacetime tragedy. The templeton disaster of 1889 templeton carpet factory in 1889 29 young women lost their lives when a wall blew down in a gale at templeton carpet factory on glasgow green.

During construction of a new extension to templeton co s carpet factory at greenhead glasgow unusually high winds caused a section of the facade to collapse onto the adjoining weaving shed. A photograph showing the western section of james templeton co s carpet factory in william street subsequently renamed templeton street in bridgeton after the disaster of 1 november 1889. In 1857 a new factory was built on william street later renamed templeton street.