Home / History / 1945-1973
Upon Duncan’s return in November 1945, he set about expanding the business. The existing premises in Market Street were becoming too small and antiquated to cope with the amount of business and Duncan believed that the way forward was to build a manufacturing plant. In August 1957, Barbour moved to the Simonside Trading Estate on the outskirts of South Shields and after 63 years of being a retailer, Barbour became manufacturers and marketeers.
Duncan sadly never got to see the manufacturing plant, as having overseen all the plans for the factory, he collapsed and died on 15 June, age 48.
Malcolm again took over the reins with Nancy and her son, John age 19. It was a difficult time for the company but sales continued to grow. In 1964, Malcolm Barbour died age 83 and Nancy Barbour took over the role of Chairman with John as Joint Managing Director.
Then tragically in June 1968, while on holiday, John suffered a brain haemorrhage and died, leaving behind his young widow, Margaret and their 2 year old daughter Helen.
It was left to Margaret, a teacher by profession and who up until this point had had no real involvement in Barbour, to pick up the reins and take control of the company’s future.
She was immediately made a member of the Board of Directors, inheriting her husband’s share of the company and immersed herself in understanding all areas of the business, getting to know Barbour customers first hand and talking to dealers about how they viewed the company and its way of doing business.
Margaret and her management team introduced new manufacturing and operational systems and throughout the 1970’s, efficiency and productivity increased and sales were buoyant. In 1972, Margaret Barbour was appointed Company Chairman and in 1973 the company took the decision to discontinue all direct selling. The famous catalogues would continue but would now be used to support the product range, dealers and sales agents with the focus on countrywear.