Tommy McGrory: The Son of a Mill Girl, and the Soundtrack of Paisley

Paisley is a town of stories — some stitched in thread, others carried in music. And sometimes, those threads cross in the most unexpected and beautiful ways.

Musician Tommy McGrory found his mum on the back cover of Mill Memories during a visit to Discover Paisley. A powerful connection to Paisley’s thread mill past.

When local legend Tommy McGrory popped into our Discover Paisley heritage hub recently, it wasn’t to reminisce — it was to talk speakers. Specifically, about helping us with the sound setup for our new projector space. But what started as a quick chat turned into something much more powerful: a reconnection with his own family history.

As we flicked through copies of Mill Memories — our best-selling book of real-life interviews with former Paisley thread mill workers — Tommy froze. “That’s my mum,” he said, pointing to the back cover. Sure enough, there she was: captured forever in one of Paisley’s most iconic photographs.

You can see her in the far left of the front row, scarf tied tight and smiling warmly — one of many proud mill girls standing in front of the old station, with the towering brick mill rising behind them.

A proud moment in Paisley’s history — Tommy McGrory’s mum (far left, front row) captured outside the thread mills. Her story lives on through Mill Memories and a son keeping heritage alive.

It was a moment. One of those electric, emotional seconds when past and present collide in the best way. Tommy walked in to help with a technical setup — and walked out holding a book with his mother’s face on the cover.

But of course, Tommy McGrory is no stranger to preserving Paisley’s culture. As the founder of Loud 'n’ Proud, long-time champion of The Bungalow, and mentor to generations of young musicians, Tommy has spent decades keeping the town’s creative soul alive. He’s turned amps, instruments, and venues into living threads in Paisley’s modern story.

And now, through this unexpected personal connection, he’s become part of the very heritage we’re working to preserve, not just through music, but through memory.

Our indoor projector space was originally set up to help those who can’t manage the walking tours still experience the stories. But after Tommy’s visit, we’re thinking bigger. This space, with its audio setup and historic footage, will be a place where memory meets melody, where stories like Tommy’s aren’t just told, but felt.

We’re proud to be stocking Mill Memories in our heritage shop and to see it connecting so many people back to their own roots. Stories like Tommy’s prove what we always say: history isn’t behind us, it’s walking in the door every day.

So here’s to the mill girls. To the musicians. And to the families, like Tommy’s, who carry Paisley’s story forward, with pride, rhythm, and heart.

📖 Mill Memories is available in-store at 2 County Place or by messaging us directly for delivery — or order online here: https://www.paisleytours.org.uk/product-page/mill-memories-interviews-with-former-employees-of-paisley-s-thread-mill