Monkcastle Fireclay Mine, Dalry, North Ayrshire aka High Monkcastle.
Douglas Works used local fireclay mined from Langside at Galston, Smithstone at Kilwinning and Monkcastle, which was the last of these local mines to supply fireclay to the works. After Monkcastle stopped supplying the works in 1981, raw materials for production had to be brought in until the works closed in 1982
Below – 1920 – Memoirs of the Geological Survey. Special Reports on the mineral resources of Great Britain. Vol XIV – Refractory materials: Fireclay.
and
1938 – Douglas Firebrick Company Limited. Mine name – Monkcastle – fireclay; Situation – Dalry; 13 employees below ground and 5 above.
1981 – Monkcastle Mine close.
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…
Found at Manuel Works, Whitecross by Ian Suddaby. This example is not in my possession The manufacturer of this checker is unknown although the find site would suggest it was made at the Manuel Works, Whitecross’ Scotland. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor…
Found by David Kitching at Dunaskin, Ayrshire. This example is not in my possession. Douglas Fireclay Works, Dalry, Ayrshire. . . .
Found by John Winter in an inner Brisbane Creek, Australia. Douglas Fireclay Works, Dalry, Ayrshire. . . . .
Found by Jim in the Sheffield area. This example is not in my possession. I believe this is a Douglas Fireclay Works, Dalry, Ayrshire product as per this reference. I will record it as such until proven otherwise. “The VIIth International Ceramic Congress was held in Britain in 1960, and on 24th May the members…
Found by Jim in the Sheffield area. This example is not in my possession. Douglas Fireclay Works, Dalry, Ayrshire. . . .
Found by Jim in the Sheffield area. This example is not in my possession. Douglas Fireclay Works, Dalry, Ayrshire. . . .
04/10/1879 – West Lothian Courier – On Monday a somewhat alarming explosion of fire damp took place at the Star Pit, Glenboig but was fortunately unattended with serious results. Hitherto the regular fire clay workings have been entirely free from damp but some had been generated during the driving of a mine through an upthrow….
Below – Information – British Geological Survey – Indian Kyanite. Indian kyanite supplied to the Glenboig Union Fireclay Company Limited 18.2.37 Indian kyanite supplied to the Glenboig Union Fireclay Company Limited 18.2.37 Kyanite is a mineral composed of aluminium silicate. It belongs to the triclinic crystal system and generally forms elongated tabular crystals and is…
Found at the old Ravenscraig Steelworks, Motherwell. Douglas Fireclay Works, Dalry, Ayrshire. . . . .
