The Jute IndustryThe Jute Industry

Jute plant stems were cut by hand, dried and then soaked for weeks to extract the 3 metre long lengths. Sacks of this jute were then imported from India, then part of the British Empire, where the plant was grown and labour was cheap and plentiful. The Dundee factories were entirely dependent on the imports from India.

Jute Warehouse, Dundee Harbour, before 1920

The jute industry received a boost from the American Civil War, 1861-1865. Cotton could not be imported from the southern states and so there was a sudden demand for other types of cloth.

Twist frames, Dundee Jute Works, after 1910

• Indian workers didn’t usually manufacture Indian workers didn’t usually manufacture the jute into cloth, only harvested it and the jute into cloth, only harvested it and sent it to Great Britain, where Dundee sent it to Great Britain, where Dundee became the centre of the manufacturing became the centre of the manufacturing industry, even to the point of being industry, even to the point of being nicknamed “Jute-opolis”. In 1913, 54% of nicknamed “Jute-opolis”. In 1913, 54% of the output was exported, mainly to the the output was exported, mainly to the USA, Argentina and Germany.The USA, Argentina and Germany.The workforce in Dundee was dominated by workforce in Dundee was dominated by women, and the city as a whole became women, and the city as a whole became highly dependent on the industry, highly dependent on the industry, particularly when wartime massively particularly when wartime massively increased demand. (Demand at one point increased demand. (Demand at one point in the war reached 6m sandbags in one in the war reached 6m sandbags in one month.)month.)

Dudhope Dudhope Jute Jute Works, Works, Dundee, Dundee, before before 19201920

Dundee was famous for three particular products - jute, jam (Kieller’s) and journalism (DC Thomson, publishers of the Sunday Post). The jute trade was based on the import of jute, its treatment, weaving into cloth or making of ropes. 25% of male and 67% of female workers in Dundee were dependent on the jute industry for their employment.

Before the jute could be processed into cloth it had to be 'heckled'. The fibres need to be drawn out into straight, tangle-free lengths.

'Heckling', Jute Works, Dundee, before 1920

The jute was then passed to the machine rooms. There, it was drawn out and 'spun'. Different thicknesses of fibre were used for different products - from clothing cloth to tent or sail cloth

Jute weaving shed in Dundee c. 1910

In general wars were good for the jute trade as the demand for its coarse cloth increased to produce tents, sails and sandbags. During World War I the mills made 1,000,000 sand bags a day! Dundee workers’ wages also rose. This boom could, however, only be temporary.

Dundee Jute Works, about 1900

Dundee businessmen had begun developing the jute mills of Calcutta and India before the war, but the government imposed a ban on manufacture of such products during the war, leading to a boom. Not surprisingly, competition from the jute mills of India and Japan increased after the 1st World War ended. The number of power looms in India and Japan rose from 120,000 in 1913 to 200,000 in1922. Japanese products also replaced British exports in the Asian markets for cotton piece goods, with the export of cotton goods from Glasgow falling in 1919 to 57% of its 1913 level.

Weaving Sheds, Dundee Jute Works, after 1900

The Dundee jute industry suffered further The Dundee jute industry suffered further because, in addition to foreign competition, because, in addition to foreign competition, the mill owners did not keep abreast of the mill owners did not keep abreast of technological advances and reverted to old –technological advances and reverted to old –fashioned working methods, problems also fashioned working methods, problems also experienced in other industries. The lack of experienced in other industries. The lack of alternative employment for jute workers who alternative employment for jute workers who lost their jobs meant that unemployment rose lost their jobs meant that unemployment rose significantly -significantly -

In 1931 unemployment in Dundee rose above In 1931 unemployment in Dundee rose above 70%.70%.