Scotland's Brick Manufacturing Industry

Found by Michael Fallone in the Glasgow area. James Goldie & Son Brick works, Shawfield Toll, Glasgow. Note the large pebble in the clay mix. . . .

Found by Eddie McLean in the Glasgow area. Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co Ltd, Bonnybridge. alt Calder Firebrick Works, Airdrie, Lanarkshire. alt Chapelhall Works, Lanarkshire. Hepworth Ceramic Holdings plc (GR-Stein Refractories Ltd. parent co) bought the Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co. Ltd in 1972, closed Bonnybridge works in 1973 and closed Chapelhall in 1980. Therefore…

Drum Fire Clay Mine, Bonnybridge, Falkirk, Stirlingshire was possibly situated adjacent to Bonnybridge Station. 24/12/1909 – Drum Fireclay Mine, Stirling  – Bonnybridge Silica and Fireclay Co Ltd  – Alexander Cook (26), Drawer  – While engaged breaking up ganister to fill into a tub a large stone fell of the face and killed him instantly.

Bonnybridge Silica and Fireclay Company (Bonnybridge Refractories) were always trying to improve the refractory brick manufacturing process. Mr Walter Smith of Braidwood patented a process involving the carbonising of clay. This involved changing the chemical makeup of the fire clay by heating it to change the iron into magnetite which could then be removed via…

Found at the Calder Ironworks, Coatbridge by Ian Suddaby. Left in situ due to size. Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co Ltd, Bonnybridge. alt Calder Firebrick Works, Airdrie, Lanarkshire. alt Chapelhall Works, Lanarkshire. Hepworth Ceramic Holdings plc (GR-Stein Refractories Ltd. parent co) bought the Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co. Ltd in 1972, closed Bonnybridge works in…

Found by Ian Suddaby in Whitehaven, Cumbria Centurion Brickworks, Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire owned by the Scottish Brick Company. The bricks formed a demolished wall. Only a proportion of the bricks were stamped and none had both the name and the batch manufacturing date stamped on the same brick. . . . .

Found at the site of the Calder Ironworks, Coatbridge. Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co Ltd, Bonnybridge. alt Calder Firebrick Works, Airdrie, Lanarkshire. alt Chapelhall Works, Lanarkshire. Hepworth Ceramic Holdings plc (GR-Stein Refractories Ltd. parent co) bought the Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co. Ltd in 1972, closed Bonnybridge works in 1973 and closed Chapelhall in 1980….

Torwood Fireclay Mine, Larbert, Falkirk was operated by the Bonnybridge Silica and Fireclay Company from 1948 to sometime in the 1970’s when it was closed.  This fireclay had a high alumina content. Torwood Mine, Dunipace originally supplied  fireclay to Craigend Refractories at Avonbridge but the latter sold the mine to Bonnybridge Silica and Fireclay Company…

Found Manuel Works, Whitecross by Gordon Wyle. Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co Ltd, Bonnybridge. alt Calder Firebrick Works, Airdrie, Lanarkshire. alt Chapelhall Works, Lanarkshire. Hepworth Ceramic Holdings plc (GR-Stein Refractories Ltd. parent co) bought the Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co. Ltd in 1972, closed Bonnybridge works in 1973 and closed Chapelhall in 1980. Therefore between…

The Calder Fireclay Company was founded in 1880 by Robert Fleming & Co with a brickworks at Armadale. The Company was reconstructed in 1892 as the Calder Fireclay Co and passed into the control of the Paine family who erected  a brickworks 2 miles south east of Airdrie near the Carnbroe Iron Works. They also…