I get my kicks out of bricks!

Email contact

For the time being I have disabled the comments field that was previously available on each page of my website. If you wish to comment regarding a particular page, or to send me a photograph or information on a brick you may have found or indeed to contact me for any reason, then please do so directly via my personal email address at brickmarks@gmail.co.uk

The humble brick and its place in Scottish history

The humble brick is much underrated, underappreciated, undervalued and overlooked. 'Brick' is a generic term and with regards this project it stands for any clay related products manufactured at a Brick and Tile Works - bricks, drainage tiles, sewage pipes, animal feed troughs etc etc etc.

Stand up and be proud - I LOVE MY BRICK!

Father Jack knows the truth of it - Click here.

The search for Scottish bricks

*************************************This is a Scotland wide community based project and I am looking for anyone no matter where they live in Scotland, or the world for that matter, to get in touch if they feel they can assist in anyway whatsoever.*************************************

This site is primarily to record and detail the Scottish brick manufacturing industry.

The aim is to try and identify all the Scottish brickmakers back through the generations and to preserve a physical example of their bricks. The physical examples, will in the main, only relate to those makers that marked their bricks in a way that they can be readily identified.

This is a facet of Scottish history that has been previously overlooked with regards to its recording, but nevertheless it is a very important one. The humble brick is virtually unique in that it knits together countless aspects of Scottish history - industrial, agricultural, social, military etc. Unless these bricks are located and preserved, they will soon be lost forever.

Please look at the list of Scottish bricks so far rescued.
Click here.

If you have one in your back garden that I do not have listed as being in my possession, then please feel free to get in touch if you would like to donate it to the cause.

You may of course wish to keep your brick, in which case I would be very grateful if you could forward a close up photograph of the brick so I can add its image to the Scottish brickmark list. There are many brickmarks and variations on a theme still to be found...back gardens will be hiding many of them!

I am also looking for areas to search for bricks - so if you know of a section of coast or river bank, demolition site etc where Scottish bricks can be found then please get in touch.

If I recover bricks from a shoreline where they have been deposited to prevent land erosion then I will replace them at the time - I always carry spares in the car for such a purpose.

Scottish brick found overseas – see menu link for full list

Random Scottish bricks from the collection

  • P1 Glenboig

    This example is in the possession of CulturalNL Museums & Heritage. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks…

  • A2

    Found Bonnyside, Bonnybridge. Unidentified refractory special A2. Find location would suggest Scottish origins and a potential James…

  • Glenboig 60

    Found at Glenboig Fireclay Works by Bill Cranston Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include:…

  • Glenboig A1 8Z387

    Found at Castlecary Fireclay & Lime Works,Castlecary. A large slab. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative…

  • Arniston 1868

    Found in 19th century Greenhouse base, Crialing, Jedburgh Arniston Coal, Lime & Brick Works, Gorebridge, Midlothian. ….

Scottish brick history – see menu link for full list

Scottish brick history – see menu link for full list

Drainage pipes and tiles – see menu link for full list

  • Cleghorn
    — 22/04/2018

    Found at the Cleghorn site. Cleghorn Brickworks, Cleghorn, Lanarkshire. This looks like a section of broken roof…

  • Buick & Sons Hilton Alloa
    — 19/12/2017

    Found at  the Hilton Fire Clay Works. Buicks, Hilton Fireclay Works, Alloa. . . . . .

  • J & R Howie Plann Kilmarnock
    — 16/12/2017

    Found at Ardrossan, Ayrshire. Plann Fireclay Works, Crosshouse, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Broken section of salt glazed sewer or…

  • Unmarked wall coping
    — 16/12/2017

    Found in West Wemyss, Fife. Salt glazed. Unidentified maker. Find location would suggest Scottish origins but….. ….

  • U Bend drainage pipe junction
    — 28/11/2017

    Found at the Heathfield Fireclay Works. Although not marked as such there is little doubt this is…

  • 12 x 6 saddle eye
    — 28/11/2017

    Found at the Heathfield Fireclay Works. Although not marked as such there is little doubt this is…

  • 4 x 12 saddle branch
    — 28/11/2017

    Found at the Heathfield Fireclay Works. Although not marked as such there is little doubt this is…

  • Unmarked gully trap
    — 28/11/2017

    Found at the Heathfield Fireclay Works. Although not marked as such there is little doubt this is…

  • Unmarked pipe junction
    — 25/11/2017

    Found at the Heathfield Fireclay Works. Although not marked as such there is little doubt this is…

  • Unmarked saddle branch
    — 25/11/2017

    Found at the Heathfield Fireclay Works. Although not marked as such there is little doubt this is…

Help Help! – Scottish bricks, information and areas to search are all requested.

If anyone has found a Scottish brick, any where in the world, then please get in touch. If it is abroad I would love to post a small article on my site with regards the overseas find location and any background information you may have
.
If you have found it in Scotland then please drop me an email with the brickmark details and I will check to see if we are aware of its existence. If we are not then I will add it to this National database of Scottish brickmarks. All donations of a currently unknown Scottish brickmark will of course be gratefully received. I will arrange pick-up.
.
Please also send me details of where you think I should look for Scottish bricks, old brickwork sites, foundry sites, river and shore dumps, fly-tipping areas etc etc ...all will be considered for a future visit.

Scottish brick collection is now rehoused!

For more photographs please Click here.

Scottish bricks overseas

This wonderful brick is somewhat of a rarity and this example appears to be the only recorded survivor so far and unbelievably it was found in Russia. If anyone has another example hiding behind the garden shed, propping up a broken bed leg or acting as a paper weight then I would love you to get in touch. Click here.

Information requested – Kilchattan Brickworks, Kilchattan, Bute

Information of any description is requested with regards the Kilchattan Brickworks, Kilchattan, Bute. I believe the brickworks may be on the grounds of Mount Stuart House and I am keen to ascertain if any marked bricks have ever been found by anyone on the island or further afield. I am currently researching these works for a forthcoming article on my site. Please click on the following link to see the article with the information gleaned so far. Click here.

Information requested – Bargany Brick Works, Ayrshire

Information of any description is requested with regards the Bargany Brick Works, Killochan Pit, Bargany Estate, Dailly, Ayrshire. In particular I would be interested in knowing if anyone can direct me to where I can find a marked brick or tile from the works. I have been unable to find the brick works detailed on any map so far but it is believed the works formed part of the Killochan Coal Pit on the Bargany Estate. Please click on the following link to see the article with the information gleaned so far. Click here.

Information requested – Terregles brick and tile works, Dumfries

Information of any description is requested with regards the Terregles brick and tile works, Terregles near Dumfries. In particular I would be interested in knowing if anyone has a marked brick or tile from the works.

From an entry on Scotlandplaces and an old OS map, the works weer certainly in operation between 1848 and 1850 when they were owned by M.C Maxwell Esq of Terregles.

I am currently researching these works but information is scant.

Please click on the following link to see the article with the information gleaned so far.

Click here.

Information requested – Blackpots Brick and Tile works, Banff

Information is requested on the Blackpots Brick and Tile works, Whitehills, Banff.

I have a roof tile marked Blackpots but as yet a similarly marked brick evades me. Any information on to the whereabouts of such a brick will be gratefully received. Finding such a brick would be a fantastic boost to my Scottish brick collection.

I would also love to hear from anyone that has information on the Blackpots works. Did your relatives work there. Do you have any photographs or headed note paper bearing the Blackpots name?

Click here.

Drongan brick sought

If anyone knows the whereabouts of a Drongan marked brick, I would love to hear from them.

I believe they were manufactured at the Drongan Castle Colliery, Drongan, Ayrshire.

Please get in touch if you can assist with an example for this Scottish brick collection

Click here.

Brick of interest.

I believe these Greenhill bricks were manufactured at the Greenhill Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge.

The works appear to have started c. 1860 when Alexander and John Scott owned the farm and brickworks at Clayknowes, Bonnybridge.

The bricks were all found in the vicinity of the Greenhill Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge, Scotland. Letters are missing, reversed, upside down and angled. The one thing to note is that the letters are in the correct order as such albeith some are missing. They are all fire bricks. The 'Greenhills' bottom left appear to be a later verson and the 'G' appears out of character from the other letters but at least it says Greenhill! There are other stamps available from the same works with either a smaller font or later machine stamped versions but the names are complete on those.

My own thoughts are that this was a brick works on its last legs prior to being taken over by the Clayknowes brickworks. As such the moulds appear to have been falling to bits especially the stamp in the bottom. They probably could not afford a mould maker or joiner so the moulder probably had to repair the stamp every morning and try to get the letters to stay in place. Perhaps they were split and could not take a nail to secure them. He appears to know how Greenhill is spelt as no letters are out of order. Basically I think the moulds were in such a bad state that the moulder was happy if he managed to rig the stamp to say resemble anything that looked like Greenhill.

Click here.

Featured Scottish Bricks

“John McKnight & Son PLAN Kilmarnock” brick brick sought

I am seeking an example of a "John McKnight & Son PLAN Kilmarnock" brick.

Anyone with any information on these brickworks or indeed with knowledge where I may pick an intact brick up for the collection, can contact me via the contact form on this site or direct by email to brickmarks@gmail.com

Any information on these works would be greatly appreciated.

Click here.

Auchinlee and Crail bricks sought

I would love to hear from anyone who may have a spare Auchinlee brick from near Motherwell or a spare Crail brick from Crail in Fife.

Both examples are currently AWOL from this Scottish National brick collection. Any information on these bricks will be gratefully received.

Please note this is Auchinlee spelt with a LEE and not Auchinlea spelt with an LEA

and

Most Wanted !

There are many many bricks still to trace and rescue. I am looking for all brickmarks and variations that I do not currently possess however the following 2 are being highlighted as 'most wanted' a 'Pinkie, Musselbro' brick from East Lothian and a 'Peter Weir Patent Glasgow' brick from the Glasgow area. If you find any brickmark I do not have then I will do my utmost to uplift personally or arrange postal delivery. Many thanks for your assistance and efforts to save a little piece of Scottish history.

Brick memorabilia sought

Apart from bricks themselves I am keen to save and collate all relevant and associated memorabilia connected with the Scottish brick making industry. If you are cleaning up, down sizing etc and come across any leaflets, books, catalogues, adverts, old issues of the British Clayworkers Magazine etc, on the subject of bricks then please consider me as an alternative home for them - please do not throw them out. I will consider taking anything relevant. These items will be preserved and hopefully one day become part of a National brick related database.

Brick related memorabilia

Sanquhar & Kirkconnel Collieries headed notepaper detailing a reply to an enquiry dated 13/10/1922 to Wm Forsyth Esq, Town Clerk, Sanquhar for 8 panel paving bricks at 130/- per 1000 and signed J Gordon. Click here.

Unidentified Bricks

Scottish brickmaker adverts – See title bar for link.

Missing in action !

GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR - GLADSMUIR

Aberdeen request

Aberdonian assistance sought!

Any information as to where to find any bricks manufactured in the Aberdeen area would be gratefully appreciated. I have several bricks marked 'Seaton' and 'Torry' but there will be many more out there, even if they are variations on a theme e'g Seaton 5, Seaton 20

Click here.

In particular I would love to hear from anyone that has a brick or drainage tile marked Clayhills, Aberdeen.

Unidentified bricks

Please click on the link below and see if you can assist with any of the queries or unidentified bricks - research takes a long time so any help in this area would be gratefully accepted.

Thank you

Click here.

Mytery of the Month – brick stamped ^ IH ^

Does anyone have any ideas as to what the symbols on this brick mean. It was found in Paisley Scotland. Very much a conundrum – Upward pointing arrow, then a stylised I and H and then another upward pointing arrow – of course this could read the other way too if they are downward pointing arrows – H and I. Any ideas. Click here.

Appreciation

Can I take this opportunity to thank everyone who contacts me with information as to where I might find bricks lying around or indeed those that actually find and put aside a few examples for me to uplift later.

This assistance is greatly appreciated and undoubtedly helps me in trying to rescue as many Scottish bricks as possible. Thank ye kindly.

Click here.

Donate

Scottish Brick History is entirely self-funded. If you are in a position to help keep this database available for educational and research purposes then please consider leaving a donation towards the costs of the website, research and searching and travel costs. Your assistance is very much appreciated.

Searching tips

Please use the search field at right hand top of page. Any 'coloured' text will usually take you to another link. Hover your 'mouse' over the text and click! If you are reading a specific post , please take a look at the end of the text to see if it is 'tagged' - if it is then click on the tag text and this will take you to all the related items.

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