Typical of the development of a carpet manufactory is this account from 1919 of the firm of Tompkins & Adams:
Adams was an employee for 15 years, and for 35 years a partner. Tompkins was with Lea & Simcox as a boy of 13 on a handloom in a warehouse now occupied by Messrs. Hyles in Mill Street. Tompkins & Adams started with less than 20 hands, and in 1914 employed 1,600. They had looms on Arch Hill and The Sling, but the great flood made them give up the Sling works, and by 1918 all their works were on Mount Pleasant, occupying eight acres.
They commence with a few hands making Chenille Axminister's in a building formerly occupied by Lea & Simcox on Mount Pleasant. As Brinton gave up making Chenille Axminister's, they purchased the whole of Briton's Chenille Axminster plant and erected wide looms in buildings on Arch Hill. In 1878, Tomkins went to U.S.A and acquired patent rights to power loom manufacturing of Axminster carpets (by steam power). These became known as Royal Axminister's.