Humphries Weaving quickly outgrew the space at Ashburton Lodge and moved to the old school at Castle Headingham, renaming the building DeVere Mill. The space and high ceilings allowed for Jacquard looms Richard had saved to be put into operation.
Humphries Weaving were able to start weaving legacy patterns for Royal Palaces, Historic Houses and the National Trust. What started as a very small operation, soon become a highly prestigious and renowned silk weaving company; designing fabrics for some of the most important interiors, in Britain and abroad.
Later, Richard’s work at Hampton Court and the Royal Palaces, restoring the State Apartments was to be recognised through the award of an MBE for his services to the textile industry.
Royal commissions were to follow and the Queen’s Silver Jubilee gave the business an opportunity to gain in reputation as the State Gold Carriage was reupholstered along with the Green State Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace for the Royal Palaces. The National Trust and other major institutions followed and when a 56 inch wide brocatelle was ordered for the Speakers Bed in the Palace of Westminster, the greatest challenge was to recreate the loom for it. The result was to re-establish the ability to recreate such complex structures once again.