Bessbrook is named from Elizabeth or Bess Nicholson, wife of Joseph Nicholson whose family had carried on a
linen business in the district from 1806 until 1845. The 'brook' is a stream which runs through the outskirts of the village. Bessbrook was founded by
John Grubb Richardson in 1845 as a '
model village' along with the Richardson Spinning industry, with spacious streets and squares surrounding a large linen mill owned by the
Quaker Richardson family. In the 18th and 19th centuries the linen industry was a significant contributor to the wealth of Quaker families in Ulster. The founder of Bessbrook, John G. Richardson, was a Quaker and was likely aware of other quakers such as the Malcomson Family who set up
Portlaw in
County Waterford. This awareness had some influence on Richardson's own schemes in Bessbrook. By the mid-1840s, when Bessbrook was set up as a model village it was not uncommon for Ulster workers to have housing built for them by factory owners, and Bessbrook was no different. John G. Richardson built housing for his workers and had a policy to bring poor people in, these people were often beggars and unqualified people, to work for him as he felt it would encourage these employees to improve themselves and raise themselves up to a higher standard. Each house had three to five rooms. There was a school in Bessbrook, the pupils of which seemed to be clean, intelligent and eager to learn. This school was funded by the parents who gave one penny to send their child there and by Bessbrook Spinning Co. who gave £100 to supplement government funding. There was a dispensary in the town and the workers subscribed to a medical club which was supplemented by donations from Bessbrook Spinning Co. which supported a doctor. There was a Temperance Hotel which acted as a social centre where English and Irish Newspapers could be bought, draughts and chess could be played, and people could indulge in smoking. The town boasted a Co-Operative store, a refreshment hall for travelling workers, a farm supplying milk, as well as allotments. The end of the Troubles, following the signing of the
Good Friday Agreement in 1998, has led to some recovery for the village. Traffic restrictions have been relaxed and the visible security presence has been reduced. On 25 June 2007 the British Army withdrew their military presence from Bessbrook and closed all of their facilities, marking an end to
Operation Banner in the
South Armagh region. It was confirmed that the local police station would be disposed of by 2009, one of 26 stations that the
Police Service of Northern Ireland announced would be closing due to cost efficiency measures. It later closed permanently in 2012 and the site was put up for sale in 2013. == Places of interest ==