Lest We Forget
Monday 4th August marked the Centenary of Britain entering the First World War. Ceremonies of commemoration, remembrance and reflection have been observed across the country and throughout Europe as we remember the valiant heroes of 1914 – 1918.
Many of our mill workers at the time were called up to the forces, and our production switched from luxury fashion cloths to hard-wearing wools for army use.
We manufactured the fabrics used for the World War One British Army Greatcoat, a dense construction water-proofed to keep the troops warm and protected against the elements. Pictured right are some of the original army cloths straight from our archive book.
The archives show us the extent of the change in our production, with page after page of fabrics not only for the Greatcoat but also army shirting, trousering and blankets.
These efforts marked the beginning of a long partnership with the Ministry of Defence, with documents, sampling, and certificates of assurance continuing in the archives right through to the 1990s.
We will always remember the sacrifices made during the Great War, not only by the 143 men lost from our small Yorkshire town of Guiseley and the countless others in the trenches, but by those on the Home Front too. Lest we forget.
Pictured Below (clockwise from top left) – A selection of our army documents and samples; the Abraham Moon fabric archive book; Moon board of Directors 1913; Transport fleet 1910)
