Cambrai Cottages, Cambrai Street (Crumlin Road to Shankhill Road) is listed in the Directory of Belfast and Province of Ulster (1865-1866) with several addresses.
An article headed 'American war will make the fortunes of the Belfast people' from the News Letter, August 16, 1864 indicates that Johnston and Carlisle had started a linen mill in 1850. It is clear that the "Cambrai streets" take their name from this linen connection. Cambrai is a city in Picardy, France, where Cambric, a particularly fine form of linen, was originally made.