The following Scottish bricks are in a collection held by Craig Powell. Craig lives in Merredin, Western Australia.
Below – A Nettle stamped brick. This is a product of John G Stein. This brick was found in the Swan River smack in the middle of Perth. An area that was reclaimed riverside land that had been backfilled with building rubble many years ago. They have survived well in the saltwater as the red bricks had mostly eroded away.
Below – A Gartcraig stamped brick. Note the thumbprint to the bottom left. This is a product of the Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow.
Craig states: – We found a big pile of Gartcraig’s at our old pumping station but I’ve also found them at all the pumping station sites, Marvel Loch’s old state gold battery site, Yellowdine townsite, Bullfinch gold mine town, Golden Valley, Butcher Bird, Southern Cross numerous mine sites and repurposed on many farms neighbouring these areas. I believe they were the first bricks used in our pump boilers and once out Clackline brickworks began production they were the brick of choice when relined. The WA Museum has some info as well from shipwrecks that had Gartcraig’s for ballast.
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Below – Bricks stamped J & M Craig Ltd, Scotland, Kilmarnock. These were manufactured by J & M Craig, Perceton Fire Clay Works Kilmarnock. They had various works in the Kilmarnock area.
Craig states:- These were found at Chandler Kitty litter mine just up the road from my home, it’s a mineral clay mine where they harvest the materials from the surface of salt lakes and kiln dry it.
Below – Bricks stamped Scotia and Stein. The Stein brick was manufactured by John Gilchrist Stein at the Milquarter Works, Bonnybridge. Scotia is believed to be a Scottish product but the manufacturer is uncertain. These bricks were found at the Butcher Bird Mine.
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Below – A brick stamped Gartcraig Scotland. This is a product of the Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. This brick was found near to Marvel Loch Gold Mine in Western Australia.
Below – A brick stamped Starworks Glenboig. Manufactured by Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire.
Craig states:- My mate found it up the road from my place in a pile of brick chimney rubble so it’s mostly likely recycled from elsewhere in that chimney.
The following bricks were found in Suriname, South America by Marnix (John) Visser. Marnix states – I have found several bricks on an old Scottish plantation in Suriname South America with the name Waterloo and located in Nickerie at the border with Guyana. James Balfour was the plantation owner. . . Below – Hurlford –…
Found by Hector Miguez in the area of Mendoza, Argentina. Prestongrange Brick, Tile and Fireclay Works, Prestonpans, East Lothian. . . . .
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 Ian Suddaby near Ravenscraig, Motherwell. This example is not in my possession. Ian states – It’s a shame the markings on many of these relatively modern basic bricks are so faint. At least I can just read this one. Why is the C a bit smaller? SPINELLA MC So this was made by General Refractories…
Found by Ian Suddaby near Ravenscraig, Motherwell. 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 in Perth. 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 in Perth. Perhaps the stamp is meant to read ‘Perth’ ? 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.
Many thanks to Bruce MacDonald for the following photographs which were taken at The Sunbury Plantation House, St Philip Parish Barbados. All the bricks present were fire bricks and included English manufacturers such as Ruffors of Stourbridge, Cowen of Newcastle and Duddell of Fenton. 90% of the bricks present appear to have been stamped ‘Glenboig’….
Found by Ian Suddaby at the Manuel Works, Whitecross. This example is not in my possession. The example below is a hanger brick. 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 Manuel Works, Whitecross. This example is not in my possession. ST – Possibly stands for ‘Stein’. Note the reversed ‘S’. The example below is a hanger brick and although the manufacturer is not stamped, the find location is highly suggestive that this is a Stein product. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay…
