Found at the old site of the Jenny Lind Brickworks, Motherwell adjacent to the old Ravenscraig Steelworks site.
Spinella was a trademark of General Refractories (GR) and manufactured at their Worksop Works. When GR and John G Stein and Co amalgamated (GR-S) it is likely that Spinella bricks continued to be manufactured at Worksop but it is possible that manufacture was switched to the GR-S Manuel Works, Linlithgow to suit demand but this would have meant production plant modification. (For research but in the meantime, I will record them on my website due to the brand connection with a Scottish manufacturer).
Spinella KM 240 x 240 60/42 – £1491.99 per tonne.
Spinella MCA E. A Mark 522.
Spinella MCA 200 X 198 X 103/96.2 MK 620 end arches.
Spinella MCA 200 X 198 X 103/82.0 MK 220 end arches.
Spinella MCA 200 X 198 X 60/53.2 MK 20K closure.
Spinella MCA 200 X 198 X 80/73.2 MK 20L closure.
Spinella MCA brand – burning zone – with 16g lipped steel sheets % cardboard spacers attached end Arch 200 x 198 x 76/55 – £ 260.50 per ton.
Below – Bricks stamped Spinella, GR’S Spinella (GR’S – General Refractories?) and Spinella DF.
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Below – A broken Spinella brick found at the Glengarmock Iron Works, Beith, Ayrshire.
Found by Ian Suddaby near Ravenscraig, Motherwell. This example is not in my possession. Ian states – It’s a shame the markings on many of these relatively modern basic bricks are so faint. At least I can just read this one. Why is the C a bit smaller? SPINELLA MC So this was made by General Refractories…
This is in the possession of John Ballantyne. It is a roll of plastic tape. John states – I think ram mix was the clay mix used to seal the tap hole of the blast furnace after the cast was completed. There was quite a bit of research/trialling done to get the mix ‘fit for…
Found by Ian Suddaby at the Manuel Works, Whitecross. This example is not in my possession. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire
Found by Ian Suddaby at the Manuel Works, Whitecross. This example is not in my possession. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire
Found by Ian Suddaby at the Manuel Brickworks, Whitecross. This example is not in my possession. The stamp is stencilled onto the brick. Unidentified manufacturer but this is very likely to have been manufactured on site by JG Stein or GR-Stein etc. . .
Found on the site of the old Manuel Brickworks, Whitecross. Ian Suddaby states – A KROMAG brick was found last weekend and I thought this was an American import to Scotland. That was based on the Kromag name being registered to an American company, E. J. Lavino & Co. and a picture of a near…
Found by Ian Suddaby in the Bonnybridge area. This example is not in my possession. Dykehead Fire Clay Works, Bonnybridge, Falkirk. The GR’s refers to General Refractories which bought over the Dykehead Works. . . Below – It is not instantly seen but the motif in the circular stamp on the brick is as per…
A substantial collection of silica fire bricks from steel-making furnaces have now been recovered from a dump site to the rear of the Dalzell Iron and Steelworks, Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. All appear to predate the Ravenscraig Steelworks by around 50 years. Cartographic evidence shows that spoil from the Dalzell Iron & Steel Works and possibly…
Many thanks to Martyn Fretwell and David Cufley for their assistance with creating this page. Many fire bricks are stamped BCM alongside the manufacturer’s name. BCM – British Commercial Monomarks. Below – 10/07/1925 – The Times – Indexing humanity. Men may soon be like motorcars. Lost property solution. Latest in classification. Modern life is to…
Found by Ian Suddaby in Bonnybridge. This example is not in my possession. Dykehead Fire Clay Works, Bonnybridge, Falkirk. GR Dykehead – probably stands for General Refractories. (Note – SBH – A similar example found is stamped GR’s. Has the – ‘s – fallen off this stamp or is this a variation on a theme?)….
