Found at Weir Castlecary works, Castlecary.
Note the lovely thumbprint to top right.
Unidentified maker.
Find location would suggest Scottish origins but….. in the absence of any further information I will suggest this was manufactured on site.
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There are very few references to a place called Glencroy in Scotland – there is this -” Glencroy – (Vale of ) a wild and romantic tract near the NE extremity of Loch Loung (Long) in Argyleshire. The 2 ranges of mountains, which overhang this valley, approach each other, and between these the traveller is immured. Their stupendous height and the roaring of numerous cataracts that pour over their broken surface, produce an awful effect” (see page headed GLI) – but this location does not shout clay or brick.
However there is a village of Croy which is approx 4.5 miles from the find location at Castlecary and it is highly likely that this brickmark is named after this village and surrounding area.
Below – 1896 OS Map of Croy near Cumbernauld. There is also a colliery here known as Nethercroy Colliery.
Found by Ian Suddaby at Bonnyside, Bonnybridge. This example is not in my possession. James Dougall & Sons Ltd, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire Alternative brickworks include: Bonnyside Brickworks, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. Below – A similar stamp with a thumbprint to the top right. Found by Ian Suddaby in the Ravenscraig, Motherwell area.
Found by Ian Suddaby in the Ravenscraig, Motherwell area. This example is not in my possession. The manufacturer of this fire brick is unknown. The find location would suggest Scottish origins but … Ian states – Another pile of sieved bricks at the Dalzell/Colville Steelworks dumping ground in Motherwell and another very interesting find. This firebrick is…
Found by Ian Suddaby in the Ravenscraig, Motherwell area. This example is not in my possession. Note the thumbprint to the top right. Lilliehill Fireclay Works, Townhill, Dunfermline, Fife – Robert Lindsay, brick manufacturer. . .
Found by Fakhru Redha on the Riau Islands, Indonesia. Castlecary Fireclay & Lime Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire or the Glenboig Union Fireclay Company which took over the Castlecary company and works in 1936 (Via General Refractories, Sheffield) and continued the ‘GEM’ and ‘Castlecary’ brand names. . . .
Found by Ray Thorn at Grandbay, New Brunswick, Canada. Note the thumbprint to the top right. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
This brick is in the possession of Chris Tramacchi. It was found in Nerrdrie, Queensland, Australia. Note the thumbprint to the top right. Cumbernauld Fireclay Works, Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire. . . .
Found by Jamie McMillan in Georgian Bay, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. Jamie states – I found one of your old bricks in Georgian Bay, Owen Sound, Ontario on land that belonged to Empire Stove Works and Russel Brothers shipbuilding company, odds are it’s not important but that brick is on my mantle now. Those factories…
Found on the site of the old Manuel Works, Whitecross. The manufacturer of this brick is unknown but it is highly likely it was made at the Manuel Works. Note the fingerprints. 18 or 81? The bricks found so far weigh between 3.1 and 3.5kg . . . . . Below – The same brick…
Found in Townsville, Queensland Australia by Michelle Jonker. This example is not in my possession. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Glenboig Fireclay Works, (Old Works) Glenboig, Lanarkshire Note the possible thumbprint to the top right.
The following Scottish bricks were found in Townsville, Queensland, Australia by Michelle Jonker. Michelle states – We live in Townsville, Australia. We recently bought a Queenslander house, that is from the 1920s. A lot of the houses here were brought from Charters Towers after the gold rush ended. Below – ‘Glenboig 30’ with possible thumbprint…
