Christy has been established since 1850, when Henry Christy visited the Palace of
the Sultan in Constantinople. He brought back with him a sample of a hand made,
loop pile fabric which was new to the western world. His brother, Richard Christy
analysed how to mechanically reproduce the loop pile, and patented a machine to
produce terry towelling on a large scale.
' The Opening of the Great Exhibition '
by Henry Selous (1803-90)
The first Christy towels were shown in the Great Exhibition of 1851 at Crystal Palace,
where a set was presented to Queen Victoria. She liked them so much she immediately
ordered more. The ’Royal Turkish Towels’ had arrived.
