Firth Carpets History
It all started in 1860 when Thomas Freeman Firth and his brother-in-law J.W.Willans formed a partnership called Firth Willans & Company of Heckmondwike, building a successful carpet mill.
In 1867 they bought several buildings in Bailiff Bridge called Clifton Mills and built a huge multi-story office block, Clifton House, which still stands today.
Willans left the partnership in 1875 and the new name became T.F.Firth & Company. The Company went from strength to strength specialising in commercial carpets for Trains, Ships, Cars and Hotels along with ‘one off’ items for the richest people in the world. They also opened a factory, and built a village to house the workers and aptly called it Firthcliffe, in Cornwall, New York State, America, in 1888 which closed down in the early 1960’s.
The Company passed from father to son until 1921 reaching its peak just after the Second World War.
Despite continual innovation and investment, including several changes of ownership, Firth closed in 2002.
In 2009 the Firth brand was revived by Michael Rooney, a former director of the Company, determined to recreate the quality and traditions of the original organisation.
