Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry

Found by Ian Suddaby in the Alloa area. This example is not in my possession. George Turnbull Company,  Dykehead Fire Clay Works, Bonnybridge, Falkirk. . . .

Dykehead Fireclay Mine, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. 1920 – Dykehead Ganister and Firebrick Co., Ltd, (Formerly George Turnbull & Co.), Bonnybridge. Dykehead Mine – Situated at Bonnybridge, at the side of the North British Railway, Glasgow to Edinburgh line; it is 1/2 mile east of Greenhill Junction on the Caledonian Railway. Maps: One-inch New Ser. Ordnance and…

Campsie Clay Mine, Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire.? From the map below this mine could be named Tarfin, Campsie of Finniescroft. Balglass is also a 1/2 mile to the North. (Note – SBH – I wonder if this is one source of the fireclay used by the Glenvault Fireclay Company – later named the Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay…

31/03/1898 – Glenvault Fire Clay Mine, Dumbarton. Owner George Turnbull & Co – Accident – Casualty Adam Taylor, (44), Overman. A spark off his naked light ignited 14lbs of gunpowder illegally stored in the mine.

Balglass mine – Owned by Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay, Lime and Coal Co Ltd, 65 West Regent Street, Glasgow – went into liquidation prior to 1915 – Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay, Lime and Coal Co Ltd was floated as a public company in 1914 but collapsed in 1915 after the war started.

Canmore – Dykehead Fireclay Works. Source Falkirk Museum and Archives – George Turnbull and Company, Dykehead Brickworks, Bonnybridge. Established in 1839. Founder Miss Margaret Donald. The works never became profitable and she eventually sold them to marry and emigrated to Australia. The site was later taken over by George Turnbull & Co. The works stood…

Canmore – Woodlea. 1890 – A small drift mine was sunk and established near to Woodlea House and a small brickworks was built alongside it. 25/04/1894 – Falkirk Herald – Youthful Offenders. James Quin (9), schoolboy, residing at Milnquarter Cottages, Bonnybridge, and Alexander Warner (8), schoolboy, also residing Milnquarter Cottages, were charged with having on…

Bonnymuir Tileworks aka Bonnymuir Brick and Tile Works, Bonnybridge, Falkirk, Stirlingshire. (Note – SBH – These works may also have been known as Bonnyside Tileworks or if separate works, then bot must have been sited adjacent to each other). Bonnymuir Brick and Tile Works, Bonnybridge. Established prior to 1867. It is possible that G Turnbull…

The following unmarked bricks were found on the site of the old Bonnymuir Brickworks, Bonnybridge and as such they may well be products of the works. I have never seen a brick marked Bonnymuir. . . Below – Top brick – 9 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ x 3 1/4″ Bottom brick – 9″ x 4 1/2″…

Abronhill Fireclay Mine, Castlecary – The fireclays were leased to Robert Miller in 1883, who started to work the fireclays by drift mines on the east side of the Glenvault Valley, and south of the Caledonian Railway. At least 7 mines were driven into the fireclays in 2 levels. The upper level contained about 10…