13/11/1840 – John O’ Groat Journal – A very interesting letter from Sydney, under date 6th June last, reached a few days ago. Its writer is a gentleman belonging to Caithness-shire, for some time settled in Sydney. As the information it contains can be relied on, we present our readers with the following extract – The following are the class of emigrants most requited by this colony, with their wages per week or per annum attached:- Stone-masons, 8s 6d (expecting 10s); brickmakers 10s, bricklayers 10s …
04/03/1841 – Perthshire Courier – Melbourne, Australia … A house you may put up in the same style in Scotland for £10 or £15, will draw from 12s to 15s per week rent. We have three newspapers published twice a week. The Colony is much in want of bricklayers and brickmakers, sawyers, house-carpenters, joiners, paling-fencers, farm servants, and shepherds. Brickmakers and sawyers can earn from £5 to £6 per week …
01/04/1882 – Dundee Advertiser – Brick burners and setters. Wanted one of each (young men) for a brickwork at Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Passage paid. Apply with a certificate of character and ability to Wm. Gilmour, Pitfour Brick and Tile Works, Glencarse, near Perth. (Note – SBH – Does anyone know if there was a direct relationship between the Pitfour Brickworks and a brickworks in South Africa?).
09/02/1888 – Glasgow Evening Citizen – To foremen of fire brickworks. Wanted a working foreman for a brickwork in China manufacturing fire bricks, drain pipes, red bricks, tiles &c. Applicants must understand perfectly the purpose of burning these and the glazing of the drain pipes &c. Only thoroughly qualified men need apply. Copies of testimonies and references to be addressed to 1967, Citizen Office.
17/03/1904 – Edinburgh Evening News – Canadian Brick Manufacturing Co. requires 40 men to sail about 9th April; wages 9s 4d to 12s 6d per day; board and lodging about 16s 8d per week; fare from Edinburgh, £8 2s, payable by men. Apply only Mackay Bros, 31 Hanover Street.
24/01/1908 – Linlithgowshire Gazette – I heard this week from one of our Scots abroad, who seems to be getting on all right, and keeping up the honour of the dear old country. I mean Mr Daniel Black, who went out to La Prairie, in the Province of Quebec, Canada, in the spring last year. Dan is engaged in a large brickfield, where twenty-two burners are employed, and an offer of 30 dols. being given as a prize by the employer to the burner who turned out the most bricks in a given time, the prize fell to the Armadale man and his neighbour. Good for Dan.
11/06/1934 – The Scotsman – Assistant manager wanted for silica brickworks in India. Applicant should have practical experience in manufacture and also a good technical training. Salary approximately £7 per week. Give full details in first letter. Address D 8 Scotsman.
Found by Michèle Côté and Marc Trudel on the beach along the Gaspé shore of Percé, Québec Canada. The ‘Gartcraig’ brick is most definitely Scottish. It was found near to a brick stamped ‘Vulcan’ which may also be Scottish as ‘Vulcan’ is a trademark of Campbell & Co, Roughcastle Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. (However, ‘Vulcan’…
Found by Joe Fletcher at “Turonville” in Tarana, NSW Australia. The property is a farm dating back to the 1850s. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
The following Scottish bricks were found by Tracie Perrie on the shore at Borden, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Below – ‘Glenboig’. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Glenboig Fireclay Works, (Old Works) Glenboig, Lanarkshire Below – ‘Gartcraig Scotland Gaskil’. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow….
Found by Theresa Wentzell on Oxner’s beach Riverport, Nova Scotia, Canada. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
Found by Ray Thorn at Grandbay, New Brunswick, Canada. Note the thumbprint to the top right. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
The following ‘Stirling’ brick was found by Tracie Perrie on the shore at Borden, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The manufacturer of this firebrick is unknown but it was found amongst Glenboig and Gartcraig bricks (and possibly Thistle bricks) – see this link. It is very likely this brick has Scottish origins albeit the brickworks it…
Many thanks to Debbie Clipperon for the following information. Debbie states – In the 1800’s our village was pretty much settled by Scottish settlers and shipbuilding and lumber were our main industries. (Gone now) but the story goes, that the sailing ships would come and go from Scotland, full of broken bricks for ballast, dumped…
Found by John Winter in an inner Brisbane Creek, Australia. Douglas Fireclay Works, Dalry, Ayrshire. . . . .
Many thanks to Steve Wraith for the following information. Steve states – My family and I went camping for the weekend, my father-in-law located a pile of bricks on the dried-up bottom of a lake in the Interior of BC called Sugar Lake., Canada. 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. . . .
