1839-1919

Contributed by Brian Orr, One Name Studies Researcher

It was against the background of a demand from the middle classes for the "elegancies of life" that a niche market for a carpet cleaning service was found and exploited by Alexander Orr Sr. of Edinburgh.

We tend to think of carpets merely as floor covering but in the 18th century it was commonly a thick woollen fabric used to cover tables and beds. The manufacture of hand-made carpets as floor coverings was brought from France and it was not until the 19th century that power looms were introduced.

During the 19th century, homes were carpeted with free-lying squares and when soiled were lifted and beaten with flails . Alexander Orr Sr. was a cabinet maker and upholsterer who had premises in Pitt Street, Edinburgh. He started a carpet -cleaning business and developed industrial machinery for the purpose which he patented in 1887.

Very simply, Alexander improved the construction and way the machine beat and cleaned carpets, and the way the dust was collected. He produced his machines in three sizes, 15ft, 17ft, and 20ft long using Oregon pine for the casing.

Upon Alexander's death, the rights passed to his son, Thomas (1864 - 1929), who had trained as an engineer and who continued production in Fettes Row, Edinburgh. These industrial machines were used by carpet cleaners, laundries, house furnishers and the like with well over a hundred in use throughout the UK and abroad.

The carpet cleaning side of the business was managed by another son, George Marshall Orr (1879 - 1939), who took over the manufacturing side in 1929. George continued manufacturing carpet-beating machines and spent a deal of time travelling at home and abroad supervising assembly and installation.

During this period a modern dust extraction unit was added. Another son, Richard (- 1986 ) had an interest in the business and set up his own carpet-cleaning shop in Liberton, Edinburgh which closed down in 1986.

But back in 1923, Alexander Sr.'s son, George, now trading under his own name, moved from Fettes Row firstly to Drum Brae Road, Corstorphine and then to larger, more modern premises on the Glasgow Road, Corstorphine where he ran the business until his death in 1939.

All types of rugs, carpets and tapestries were received for cleaning while repairs and alterations were carried out on traditional and oriental carpets. These services were carried out for the public and trade customers as well as for Insurance companies.

A furnishing department offered an innovative "Home Selection Service" where pattern books were delivered directly to homes "for leisurely selection". From 1939 until 1959, George's family continued to run the business before it passed to his son, Alexander C. Orr.

More than half way into the 20th century the Orr Carpet Beating Machine was of sufficient significance to be included in the "Design Review" published by the Council of Industrial Design, for the 1951 Festival of Britain.

Change was, however, catching up with the market place as general standards of living improved and the introduction of fitted carpets with in situ cleaning, resulted in less lifting of carpets for cleaning. Sadly, the call for the machines became less and the last two were produced in the 1960's - a reconditioned machine for England and a final new machine with metal framework (another innovation) to South Africa. Regular orders were still executed for spares but continuation was not viable and the firm of George Orr (Machine Makers and Carpet Cleaners) ceased trading on June 21, 1968.

The invention may not rank in the public mind alongside those of some other famous Scots - Sir Alexander Fleming (penicillin), Alexander Graham Bell (the telephone), John Logie Baird (television), and John Boyd Dunlop (car tires), to mention just a few - but it did bring to many a better quality of day-to-day life for the best part of 100 years. For that we give our grateful thanks.

by Brian Orr, One Name Studies Researcher

I am indebted to Alexander Sr.'s grandson, Alexander C. Orr, of Scone, Perthshire for providing information on his ancestor and the business.