    |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
MacAusland's
Woollen Mills is one of the Island's
oldest businesses.
The mill started as a sawmill
and gristmill back in 1870. The
business was founded by Fred MacAusland,
who had to convince the locals
he wasn’t crazy for starting
up a mill and wanting to weave
blankets. The business now is
the only mill in Atlantic Canada
still producing traditional blankets
of 100% virgin wool.
The original operation included
a carding machine to convert raw
fleece to batts which the mill
sold by the roll for handspinning.
The MacAuslands realized the woollen
products were their best seller
and in 1932 the mill produced
its first blanket, now the staple
of the operation.
Fred MacAuslands sons, Eddie and
Reg, inherited the business. They
handed it down to their sons,
Harry and Allan. Harry’s
son, Dale, and Allan still run
the mill today, making it a fourth
generation family business.
There haven’t been a lot
of changes over the decades. The
mill suffered a major fire in
1949, with only one piece of equipment
surviving, an extractor made of
cast iron and a copper basket.
Another major change was one in
1973, where the entire mill converted
to electric motors to run the
machines. The mill had, until
then, operated by water turbines
and diesel.
That isn’t to say, though,
with the fire and introduction
of electricity, that the mill
is operated by new machinery.
A machine to wash the wool was
purchased in the last few years
to replace the conventional "oversized"
washing machine they had been
using. Built in 1949, the machine
works better than the washing
machines they had to continually
replace.
The mill still
uses old fashioned machinery to
produce a top quality product
woven with old fashioned charm.
| The
only mill in Atlantic
Canada still producing
traditional blankets
of 100% virgin wool. |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
Bloomfield, Prince
Edward Island, Canada, C0B 1E0
Telephone: (902) 859-3005
Fax: (902) 859-1628
site created by:
|
 |
|
|
