Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry

Found by Eddie McLean in the Glasgow area. Heathfield Fireclay Works, Garnkirk. Note the thumbprint to the top right. . . .

Found by Ian Suddaby on the shore at Prestongrange. This example is not in my possession. The manufacturer is unknown but it is very likely to be a product of the Prestongrange Works. It is also believed that ‘Lion’ may represent the customer and indeed this customer may be the Lion Foundry in Kirkintilloch near…

Found by Claudio Ernesto Rios. Claudio states – The bricks were found in the City of Zárate, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In a fridge (almost totally destroyed today) the fridge’s name was Smithfield Refrigerator of English capital, built in 1903, so I would believe those bricks were manufactured in the last decade of the 19th century….

Many thanks to Robert Clark for the following photographs and information regarding Scottish bricks found in the Ottawa area of Canada. Below – Govan – This is very likely to be Scottish and manufactured at a works in Govan, Glasgow. The exact works are unknown as there are several possibilities including Mallsmire Fire Brick Works,…

Found by Ian Suddaby in the Dumbarton area. This example is not in my possession. Heathfield Fireclay Works, Garnkirk. . . .

Found by Harley Plowman an old 1800s hotel site in New Zealand. Cardowan Fire Clay Works, Stepps, Glasgow. Note the thumbprint. Note the upside-down ‘W’. . .

Found by Ian Suddaby at Bonnyside, Bonnybridge. This example is not in my possession. James Dougall & Sons Ltd, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire Alternative brickworks include: Bonnyside Brickworks, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. Below – A similar stamp with a thumbprint to the top right. Found by Ian Suddaby in the Ravenscraig, Motherwell area.

Found by Ian Suddaby in the Ravenscraig, Motherwell area. This example is not in my possession. The manufacturer of this fire brick is unknown. The find location would suggest Scottish origins but … Ian states – Another pile of sieved bricks at the Dalzell/Colville Steelworks dumping ground in Motherwell and another very interesting find. This firebrick is…

Found by Ian Suddaby in the Ravenscraig, Motherwell area. This example is not in my possession. Note the thumbprint to the top right. Lilliehill Fireclay Works, Townhill, Dunfermline, Fife – Robert Lindsay, brick manufacturer. . .  

Found by Ray Thorn at Grandbay, New Brunswick, Canada. Note the thumbprint to the top right. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .