Wemyss 2 ft
— 08/11/2020Photographed by Ian Suddaby on the shore near East Wemyss, Fife. This was left in situ as it was cemented to a large block of bricks. Wemyss Brick Co. Various works in the Aberhill, Denbeath and Methil areas of Fife. . . .
Lochgelly Brick and Tile Works, Lochgelly, Fife
Below – 17/09/1846 – Fife Herald – Lochgelly Brick and Tile Works to let. Henry Watson owner.
Below – 02/11/1848 – Fife Herald – Lochgelly – 400,000 bricks for sale and 25 horses etc.
1853 – 1855 – ScotlandsPlaces – A pretty extensive brickwork consisting of kilns, store engine-house, drying shed and a brickfield for clay-pits. Proprietor Earl of Minto. Lessee Lochgelly Iron and Coal Company.
Below – 1854 – Lochgelly Brickworks.
1867 – Lochgelly Iron Co – Brick and Tile Makers, Andrew Landale, Manager.
1869 – John Connel, Manager. Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co
02/11/1871 – Fife Herald – As we have stated in our previous paper on this subject, there are four furnaces, built of the best fire-brick, in connection with the Lochgelly ironstone pits, but only two of them are at present in blast, 82 men are employed, and there are two blast engines of 80 and 90 horse-power, the quantity of pig iron cast daily being from 36 to 42 tons. For the past three years, a locomotive has been engaged for the speedy conveyance of the iron ore and pig iron. An oil work has been established here since 1865, and six men and two boys find employment in the manufacture of crude oil. There are also a brickwork (with an engine of 8 horse-power), and a saw-mill adjoining the ironworks.
04/02/1893 – St Andrews Citizen – Births. At the brickwork, Lochgelly on the 25th ult, the wife of David Dewar, of a daughter.
Below – 1896 – Lochgelly Brickworks, Fife. Since the 1854 map, the brickworks have moved from South of the railway to North of it.
23/11/1923 – Dundee Evening Telegraph – Robert Lindsay, brickwork Manager, Lochgelly gives evidence regarding a serious assault.
Below – 15/12/1923 – The Fife Free Press – Issues with the supply of bricks from Lochgelly Brickworks due to the works being closed for an indefinite period. Wemyss and Lochside were also unable to help due to the orders they have in hand.
01/09/1939 – Edinburgh Evening News – Colliery Electricians (2 assistants) required, experienced in the maintenance of a.c high and low tension underground plant. Apply Manager, Lochgelly Iron and Coal Company Limited, Minto Colliery Cardenden, Fife. ( Named after the landowner – Lord Minto, Lochgelly and other areas, Fife).
Below – 1944 – 1967 – Lochgelly Brickworks.
1947 – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests that the National Coal Board took over the brickworks at this time from the Lochgelly Iron and Steel Company.
Below – 17/01/1953 – Fife Free Press – Brick shortages at Lochgelly Brickworks.
15/03/1953 – The British Clayworker – Lochgelly Asks National Coal Board for More Bricks – Lochgelly Town Council last month heard of discussion between its housing officer and the National Coal Board on the subject of extra brick supplies for local housing.
Supplies were stated to be inadequate for the staff of seven bricklayers. Approximately 250,000 bricks would be required to complete the scheme, and 30,000 were needed every week to keep the men employed.
The buildings’ convener Bailie Campbell, said he had met the NCB Housing Manager, Mr Boyd, and he has told him he would take the matter up with the Pit Consultative Committee as the Council was indirectly responsible for housing NCB tenants.
Mr Boyd had given the assurance that every effort would be made to supply from 17,000 to 20,000 bricks per week, but he had been quite frank in stating that he did not think it possible to step this up to 30,000. Other firms had been getting bricks every week for years before the Council came on the scene, and they could not let them down.
31/10/1953 – Fife Free Press – Shoddy brick complaint at Lochgelly.
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Minto Colliery – History – One of the most famous collieries in the history of Lochgelly mining was the Minto, on the road to Cardenden.
It is featured in the Times of 30th January in the latest chapter in the history of Lochgelly mining given to us by mining history guru Chris Sparling.
The Minto shafts and its bings were located in the fields close to Brigghills Farm, at the foot of the Eliza Brae, off the main Lochgelly-Bowhill road and close to the River Ore and the railway line.
Known locally also as ‘Brigghills Pit’ it began sinking in 1901. The Lochgelly Iron & Coal Company’s old Eliza Pit was utilised as an emergency shaft.
In 1904, within a newspaper report on the Fife coalfield, the Minto pits were referred to as the “United Pits”, and, in 1941, an article on an underground fire described them as the ‘Round’ and ‘Square’ pits.
Lord Minto had an important Fife connection through his estate of Lochgelly, which embraced the whole of the Lochgelly coalfield, yielding around 1914, in mineral royalties alone, £20,000 a year.
The Lochgelly estate came to the Elliot family early in the 17th century through the marriage of Sir Gilbert Elliot with the heiress, Agnes Murray Kinninmonth, of that ilk, and of Melgund, in Forfarshire, an estate still retained by the family.
Below – An undated photograph of brickworkers seated outside a kiln. Location is thought to be the Logelly Brickworks. Photo forwarded by Drew Mitchell.
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