(Note – SBH – When research information regarding the various brickworks in the Bishopbriggs area it is often difficult to determine exactly which piece of information should be associated with which particular brickworks. This is in the main caused by newspaper articles referring to the ‘brickworks at Bishopbriggs, or similar and not precisely naming the individual brickworks. With this in mind if anyone notices a piece of information that I have recorded for a particular Bishopbriggs Brickworks and thinks it is wrongly attributed then please let me know).
Summerston Brickworks, Balmore Road, Wester Balmuildy, Glasgow.
Alternative(s) Milngavie; Bishopbriggs; Brickworks.
Alternative Names – Milngavie; Bishopbriggs; Brickworks.
c.1937 – 1960s – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests that Keir and Cawder Ltd operated the works during this period.
24/07/1937 – Milngavie and Bearsden Herald – Busy brick workers. Employees of Messrs Keir and Cawder. Ltd, Bishopbriggs engaged at the firm’s Crofthead Sand Quarry, Bishopbriggs; Rusheyhill Whinstone Quarry; Summerston Brickwork, Summerston; Bishopbriggs Brickworks, Bishopbriggs, also the transport workers are being granted four days’ holidays with pay at the Fair. Key men whose services are retained during the holidays are being paid double time for the period in lieu of loss of holidays. Two hundred employees will participate in this concession. Owing to the orders on hand and the demand for bricks, employees of Cadder Brick Company, I.td., Balmuildy Road, Bishopbriggs, are not being granted holidays, but are receiving double pay for three days, this being the recognised period of holidays. About 50 workers are affected.
Below – 1938 – The site of the Summerston Brickworks as pointed out by Andrew Gemmell.
09/10/1948 – Milngavie and Bearsden Herald – Two accused of hold-up. Two men appeared in Maryhill Police Court on Monday, on a charge of having on September 24, 1948, while acting in concert with two other persons meantime unknown, in an office occupied by Keir and Cawder Ltd, Summerston Brickworks, Balmore near Milngavie, assaulted a woman and robbed her of £200 of money. The accused were remitted to the Sheriff Court for trial.
15/03/1952 – The British Clayworker – Scottish Brickworks Fire – The Summerston Brickworks of Keir and Cawder Ltd. of Glasgow were seriously damaged in a fire which occurred last month. The blaze is believed to have resulted from a spark, which fired the machine shop and then swept through the works. Output was brought to a halt as a result of the blaze. Keir and Cawder Ltd. are meeting demand by drawing on other brickworks in their group.
c.1960 – 1969 – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests that the Alexandra Transport Company operated the works during this period.
c.1969 – 1978 – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests that the Scottish Brick Corporation operated the works during this period.
09/03/1972 – Falkirk Herald – Fatality at Summerston Brickworks.
c. 1978 – Works closed. (Source Survey of Scottish Brickmarks).
Found by Eddie McLean in the Glasgow area. Scottish Brick Corporation. Note the 2 linear lugs below the ‘B’. Following the nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947, the National Coal Board (NCB) inherited a number of brickworks. Around 1969, saw the NCB selling off its brickworks with the Scottish Brick Corporation (SBC) taking over…
Found by Paul Goodwin in the Castle Douglas area. I am not in possession of this example. Scottish Brick Corporation. Following the nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947, the National Coal Board (NCB) inherited a number of brickworks. Around 1969, saw the NCB selling off its brickworks with the Scottish Brick Corporation (SBC) taking…
Found by Matt Wilson near Kirkintilloch. I am not in possession of this example. Scottish Brick Corporation. Following the nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947, the National Coal Board (NCB) inherited a number of brickworks. Around 1969, saw the NCB selling off its brickworks with the Scottish Brick Corporation (SBC) taking over most of…
Ian Suddaby states – Carrick Academy in Maybole, Ayrshire is soon to replaced with a modern community hub, school and leisure centre. The existing school was built from red brick and red sandstone in 1925 and extra accommodation was added in the 1970s. Digging work in the grounds suggests that the 1925 building was made…
This example is in the possession of the National Museum, Scotland. Note the small lug above the ‘C’. The rear has an unusual square-ended frog with a middle bar. Scottish Brick Corporation. Following nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947, the National Coal Board (NCB) inherited a number of brickworks. Around 1969, saw the NCB…
Found by Bob Banks in the Bo’ness area. Barbauchlaw Brick Works, Armadale, West Lothian. . . . .
Found by Ian Suddaby in Aberdeenshire. Centurion Brickworks, Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire owned by the Scottish Brick Company. . . . . . .
03/05/1939 – The Scotsman – Tile Factory at Cadder – 10 acres of ground have been secured on Messrs Keir and Cawder’s estate at Crofthead Farm, Cadder, Bishopbriggs by the Merrylee Tile Company, London who propose laying down plant etc for the manufacture of roofing tiles for houses. Plans of the firms proposals have been…
Cadder Brickworks, Kirkintilloch Road, Cadder, East Dumbartonshire aka Cadder Moss Brickworks. These Brickworks were initially operated as the Cadder Brickworks and run by a Company that changed its title to the Cadder Brick Company and then they were sold to Keir and Cawder who continued to run it as their Cadder Brickworks. 02/05/1928 – Kirkintilloch…
24/04/1975 – The Scotsman – Scotland’s brickmakers build Scotland’s future. Scottish members of the Scottish Brick Development Association. Cherryton Brick Company. Dewar and Finlay Ltd. Glasgow Iron and Steel. Kirkforthar Brick Co Ltd. Motherwell Brick Co. Scottish Brick Co Ltd.
