Thomas Sinton
Encyclopedia
Thomas Sinton, JP
(February 1826 – 20 August 1887) was an Irish
industrialist and magistrate
. Sinton made a significant impact upon the Irish linen
trade; not least establishing the village of Laurelvale
, County Armagh
.
Thomas Sinton was born in Tamnaghmore House, Tandragee, County Armagh
, the son of David Sinton and Sarah Green. The Sintons, like so many of Northern Ireland's linen families were Quakers, in this case of Scottish descent; although the Sintons had been settled at Tamnaghmore for several hundred years. Thomas Sinton was sent to board at Friends' School, Lisburn - a Quaker school. In 1859 he married Elizabeth Bridget Hesilridge Buckby (1835-1900), her family lived at Prospect House, Tandragee. He had eight children by his wife;
Sinton died at his home, Laurelvale House (later the home of Michael Torrens-Spence
), and was buried at Moyallon Friends' Burial Ground, Gilford. His effects were valued, in 1887, at over £100,000. Sinton was a great-uncle of the soldier and doctor John Alexander Sinton
.
Sinton built the model village
of Laurelvale
(named due to the abundance of laurel bushes in the area), also known as Laurel Vale, to house workers at his large linen
factory
- Thomas Sinton & Co., Ltd. The factory was started in the early 1850s and by the 1880s it employed around 700 workers, responsible for manufacturing very high grade heavy linen. The company was responsible for almost all of the houses built in the village, especially those for family members and factory managers.
He also owned factories in Tandragee, by the River Cusher, and at Killyleagh
, County Down
. His brother, John, owned a factory near Hillsborough, County Down
and his descendants would also acquire the Banford Bleachworks, at Tullylish
.
The Laurelvale factory closed in 1944 when it was acquired by the Ministry of Defence
and used by the Hoffman company for the manufacture of ball bearing
s for tank turrets etc. In the 1970s it was destroyed in a fire, and together with his house the area has recently been cleared for a housing development. All that remains of Laurelvale House and the factory now is an old wall, which was part of the stable block.
The Tandragee Factory was still in production, employing 200 people, until the 1996. There were then plans afoot to convert the mill, which remained the Sinton family's property, into a tourist and retail facility, with the hope of a £7-8 million investment. Planning permission was granted for this, however, the building was put up for sale by Thomas (Tim) Sinton (the subject's great-grandson) in 2003.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(February 1826 – 20 August 1887) was an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
industrialist and magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
. Sinton made a significant impact upon the Irish linen
Irish linen
Irish linen is the brand name given to linen produced in Ireland. Linen is cloth woven from, or yarn spun from the flax fibre, which was grown in Ireland for many years before advanced agricultural methods and more suitable climate led to the concentration of quality flax cultivation in northern...
trade; not least establishing the village of Laurelvale
Laurelvale
Mullavilly-Laurelvale is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It was once two settlements but they have since merged. The village is 3 miles south of Portadown and 1.5 miles northwest of Tandragee. In the 2001 Census Mullavilly-Laurelvale had a population of 1,258.-Name:The village covers...
, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
.
Thomas Sinton was born in Tamnaghmore House, Tandragee, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
, the son of David Sinton and Sarah Green. The Sintons, like so many of Northern Ireland's linen families were Quakers, in this case of Scottish descent; although the Sintons had been settled at Tamnaghmore for several hundred years. Thomas Sinton was sent to board at Friends' School, Lisburn - a Quaker school. In 1859 he married Elizabeth Bridget Hesilridge Buckby (1835-1900), her family lived at Prospect House, Tandragee. He had eight children by his wife;
- (William) Maynard SintonMaynard SintonWilliam Maynard Sinton, JP was High Sheriff of County Armagh, an Ulster Unionist County Councillor for Armagh and industrialist....
, JP (High SheriffHigh SheriffA high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
and Unionist County Councillor for County Armagh - lived at Ballyards Castle), - David Arthur Sinton (of Stramore House, Gilford)
- Dorothy Hesilridge Sinton,
- Elizabeth Sinton,
- Thomas Greville Sinton (High Sheriff, lived at Laurelvale House),
- Alfred Henry Hesilridge Sinton (of Hill House, Laurelvale)
- Frederick Buckby Sinton (of Banford House, TullylishTullylishTullylish is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It sits on the River Bann, along the main road between the towns of Banbridge and Portadown. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 105 people...
, GilfordGilfordGilford is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. The village sits on the River Bann between the towns of Banbridge, Tandragee and Portadown. It covers the townlands of Loughans, Ballymacanallen and Drumaran. It had a population of 1,573 people in the 2001 Census...
) - Jemima Sarah Isabella Sinton
Sinton died at his home, Laurelvale House (later the home of Michael Torrens-Spence
Michael Torrens-Spence
Captain Frederick Michael Alexander Torrens-Spence DSO, DSC, AFC was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm pilot in the Second World War...
), and was buried at Moyallon Friends' Burial Ground, Gilford. His effects were valued, in 1887, at over £100,000. Sinton was a great-uncle of the soldier and doctor John Alexander Sinton
John Alexander Sinton
Brigadier John Alexander Sinton, VC, OBE, FRS, DL was a British medical doctor, malariologist and soldier, being a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early...
.
Linen Factory
Model village
A model village is a type of mostly self-contained community, in most cases built from the late eighteenth century onwards by industrialists to house their workers...
of Laurelvale
Laurelvale
Mullavilly-Laurelvale is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It was once two settlements but they have since merged. The village is 3 miles south of Portadown and 1.5 miles northwest of Tandragee. In the 2001 Census Mullavilly-Laurelvale had a population of 1,258.-Name:The village covers...
(named due to the abundance of laurel bushes in the area), also known as Laurel Vale, to house workers at his large linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
- Thomas Sinton & Co., Ltd. The factory was started in the early 1850s and by the 1880s it employed around 700 workers, responsible for manufacturing very high grade heavy linen. The company was responsible for almost all of the houses built in the village, especially those for family members and factory managers.
He also owned factories in Tandragee, by the River Cusher, and at Killyleagh
Killyleagh
Killyleagh is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the A22 road from Downpatrick, on the western side of Strangford Lough. It had a population of 2,483 people in the 2001 Census. It is best known for its 12th century Killyleagh Castle...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
. His brother, John, owned a factory near Hillsborough, County Down
Hillsborough, County Down
Hillsborough is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, situated from the city of Belfast. It is within the Lisburn City Council area....
and his descendants would also acquire the Banford Bleachworks, at Tullylish
Tullylish
Tullylish is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It sits on the River Bann, along the main road between the towns of Banbridge and Portadown. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 105 people...
.
The Laurelvale factory closed in 1944 when it was acquired by the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
and used by the Hoffman company for the manufacture of ball bearing
Ball bearing
A ball bearing is a type of rolling-element bearing that uses balls to maintain the separation between the bearing races.The purpose of a ball bearing is to reduce rotational friction and support radial and axial loads. It achieves this by using at least two races to contain the balls and transmit...
s for tank turrets etc. In the 1970s it was destroyed in a fire, and together with his house the area has recently been cleared for a housing development. All that remains of Laurelvale House and the factory now is an old wall, which was part of the stable block.
The Tandragee Factory was still in production, employing 200 people, until the 1996. There were then plans afoot to convert the mill, which remained the Sinton family's property, into a tourist and retail facility, with the hope of a £7-8 million investment. Planning permission was granted for this, however, the building was put up for sale by Thomas (Tim) Sinton (the subject's great-grandson) in 2003.
See also
- From banbridge.com, discussing the great linen houses, includes Banford and Stramore
- Thomas Sinton, of Laurelvale
- Slater's Directory
- Armagh Landowners
- The linen houses of the Lagan valley: the story of their families, By Kathleen Rankin