Cardowan brick found in New Zealand
— 16/01/2024Found by Harley Plowman an old 1800s hotel site in New Zealand. Cardowan Fire Clay Works, Stepps, Glasgow. Note the thumbprint. Note the upside-down ‘W’. . .
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 stamped LADLES and it’s another name that hasn’t been seen before. I don’t know who made it but the specked fabric is typical of Glenboig area bricks and the style/font of LADLES could well be early Glenboig, Gartcosh, Young, Hurll or Heathfield. All have been found on this site. The melted out ?Magnetite lumps might look lovely but they’re ruined the brick and it should never have left the brickworks. That’s even more true if it was intended to be part of a ladle in steelmaking as a tight fit is vital for bricks lining a ladle. Nice thumbprint bottom left too, even though it’s removed much of the L.
Found by Harley Plowman an old 1800s hotel site in New Zealand. Cardowan Fire Clay Works, Stepps, Glasgow. Note the thumbprint. Note the upside-down ‘W’. . .
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. Note the thumbprint to the top right. Lilliehill Fireclay Works, Townhill, Dunfermline, Fife – Robert Lindsay, brick manufacturer. . .
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 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 old Manuel Works, Whitecross. This example is not in my possession. The manufacturer is unknown but it is highly likely to have been made at the Manuel Works. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire….
Found by Christopher Alton on the site of the old Manuel Brickworks, Whitecross. 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 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…