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The owner of a Haverhill-based design agency has been amazed to discover she is the latest in a line of six generations of her family to work at the Gurteen’s Chauntry Mills in the town.

Selina Austin and Rebecca Bacon have relocated The Design Office, which offers marketing-led design and consultancy services, from Steeple Bumpstead to Chauntry Mills, renovating part of the old menswear clothing factory into office space.

But Selina has discovered that she, and her brother Damian who works alongside The Design Office, are the latest in a long line of family members on both their mother’s and father’s side to work there.

Selina’s mother, father, grandmothers, great-grandmother and great-grandfather, great-great-grandmother and great-great-great grandmother all worked at Chauntry Mills going back to the 1800s.

Selina said: “It is amazing to find that we have had six generations of our family work in this beautiful building. I always knew that our family had strong connections to Chauntry Mills but to have this rich history where The Design Office is now based is really fantastic.

“I remember coming here as a child to visit my Dad at his office when he was the designer for Gurteens and I remember the smell of the cloth as you walked in here.

"I have always said that I would love to work from this special building. It has wonderful high ceilings and a sense of space and history. We have settled into our new offices very quickly."

Director Christopher Gurteen said it was fascinating to discover Selina’s family connections to Chauntry Mills.

He said: “Because we don’t manufacture in Haverhill now, we have space available in this wonderful building and have converted part of it into offices. It is fascinating to see the old photos from Selina’s family who worked here, and six generations is not far behind the number of generations of Gurteens who have worked here.”

Selina’s grandmother Gladys Mallows, now 91, was just 14 when she started working at Chauntry Mills. She said: “I have fond memories of working here, I worked full time as a machine shop supervisor until I retired.

"It is marvellous that my granddaughter has her own business and is based at Chauntry Mills - of course women didn’t run businesses in those days. I really admire her.”