September 2016 – “The highlands lime kiln – a rare survivor”
The Aldmere lime kiln is situated beside the Highlands District offices, off Millstream Road, District of Highlands, Vancouver Island, B. C.
Gartcraig Bricks at the Aldermere Lime Kiln. Around the site of the Highlands lime kiln, and among the rubble, can be found yellow firebricks. Probably from the collapsed chimney of the kiln, they can be identified, and add further information about the kiln and its possible dates of use.
Below – A broken brick with the partial embossed name “GARTCRAIG” from the Aldermere (Highlands) limekiln. Photographed September 1, 2016
In Canada, ‘Gartcraig’ bricks have been found in Quebec, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. In British Columbia, they have been found in Creston; and at Burton (Upper Arrow Lakes), as well as in the Highlands.
In 1906, the Robert Ward Co. imported a large quantity of ‘Gartcraig’ firebricks and Fireclay from Scotland to the Victoria market. He sold this shipment over a period of
around six months.
It is likely that the ‘Gartcraig’ bricks at the Aldermere (Highlands) limekiln came from this shipment. Although the Gartcraig Fireclay Company existed from 1876 to c1927, the only mention in the Colonist of anyone importing these bricks from Scotland dates from 1906. It is likely that the kiln was refurbished at that time, given the local availability of the bricks, though the kiln appears to have been abandoned before WW I.
Although it is possible that the bricks had been imported at the time of the construction of the Highlands kiln(s) in 1886 – as the bricks were being manufactured in Scotland as
early as 1876 – it is more likely they date from c1906.
The following bricks were found in Suriname, South America by Marnix (John) Visser. Marnix states – I have found several bricks on an old Scottish plantation in Suriname South America with the name Waterloo and located in Nickerie at the border with Guyana. James Balfour was the plantation owner. . . Below – Hurlford –…
Found by Hector Miguez in the area of Mendoza, Argentina. Prestongrange Brick, Tile and Fireclay Works, Prestonpans, East Lothian. . . . .
Found by Michèle Côté and Marc Trudel on the beach along the Gaspé shore of Percé, Québec Canada. The ‘Gartcraig’ brick is most definitely Scottish. It was found near to a brick stamped ‘Vulcan’ which may also be Scottish as ‘Vulcan’ is a trademark of Campbell & Co, Roughcastle Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. (However, ‘Vulcan’…
Many thanks to Bruce MacDonald for the following photographs which were taken at The Sunbury Plantation House, St Philip Parish Barbados. All the bricks present were fire bricks and included English manufacturers such as Ruffors of Stourbridge, Cowen of Newcastle and Duddell of Fenton. 90% of the bricks present appear to have been stamped ‘Glenboig’….
Many thanks to Charlie Terry for the following photographs and information. Charlie states – My great-grandfather worked at the Beaconsfield and Lefroy gold mines in Tasmania. He was an assayer. Some of the bricks are still in their original boxes and have been stored in a shed for decades. Below – An example of one…
This brick is in the possession of John Hicks, West Monroe, Louisiana, USA. John is uncertain where the Docken brick was found in the USA as he picked it up at a brick swap meeting. James Dougall & Sons Ltd, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. Alternative brickworks include: Bonnyside Brickworks, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. .
Found by Joe Fletcher at “Turonville” in Tarana, NSW Australia. The property is a farm dating back to the 1850s. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
The following Scottish bricks were found by Tracie Perrie on the shore at Borden, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Below – ‘Glenboig’. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Glenboig Fireclay Works, (Old Works) Glenboig, Lanarkshire Below – ‘Gartcraig Scotland Gaskil’. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow….
Found by Dr Ali Asghar Hemmati in an old building previously belonging to the Iranian oil company located in Haftgel City in the province of Khuzestan, Iran. James Dougall & Sons Ltd, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire Alternative brickworks include: Bonnyside Brickworks, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. . .
Found by Jeffrey Valli on the railroad tracks in Truro, Massachusetts, USA. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
