"Old Bricks - history at your feet"

B. B.

Found in Coalbrookedale, the Staffordshire Knot is stamped between the letters.

B. B. B.

Found in Darley Bridge, Derbyshire by Simon Patterson.  Frank Lawson thinks this was almost certainly from the Bull Bridge Brick Co near Ambergate in Derbyshire, all the B B B bricks he has found have been in Derbyshire.

B.C. (Bradford Colliery, Manchester)

This brick was produced at Bradford Colliery brickworks, Manchester. House bricks with this mark are not uncommon in the Manchester area. The brick kiln was built at the colliery site in the 1870s after the deeper workings had revealed seams of fireclay, which could be used in the making of fire bricks for lining furnaces. The brickworks was still operational in 1896, at which time it was owned by Edward Williams. However, the only employees were three underground workers still extracting clay and two surface workers, reflecting a decline in the local firebrick-manufacturing industry. I'm uncertain when production at the brickworks actually ceased, although it was probably during the early years of the twentieth century. After that date, the kiln remained derelict until demolition in the 1940s to allow for an expansion of the colliery. [Image, Derek Barker & information, Ian Miller].

B. B. C. Bulwell

Photo by Alan Murray-Rust, who writes:  This is from the Bulwell Brick Company, in Nottingham, about which I have been able to find nothing except that it had ceased operation by the 1940s.

Photo by Martyn Fretwell, found in Hucknall.

Thanks to Darren Haywood.

B. B. & T. Co Lim

Bradford Brick & Tile Co Limited: Great Horton, Wapping Road, Leeds Road, and Whetley Lane, Manningham.

Found by Simon Patterson in West Yorks.  Made by the Bradford Brick & Tile Company Limited.  The company was founded by a group of Halifax businessmen in the 1870s. Its brick works were initially at Wapping Road, Whetley Lane, and Great Horton (Beldon Road). BB&T Co later opened operations in Seymour Street, Leeds Road, which became its HQ. The other works were presumably closed at around that time. Waste bricks from this company are extremely common in the Bradford area.   Thanks to Derek Barker for the info.

B. C.

Found in Suffolk by Simon Patterson

B & B, Waingroves

Believed to have been made by Brown and Bayliss in Waingroves, near Ripley, Derbyshire.  Found by Keith.

B.G & S, Worksop

Thanks to Simon Patterson for the photo

Babbington

Photo by Simon Patterson.  Made at Babbington Colliery, Cinderhill , Nottingham.  Colliery history here.

Found in Teversal, Notts by Martyn Fretwell

Backworth

These are all products of the Hotspur brickworks in Backworth near Newcastle.  The works was opened near Backworth Colliery in 1877 by H Foster & Co. initially making firebricks.  Housebricks were made during the 1930's but this ceased in 1945 when firebricks were again concentrated on.  In 1955 General Refractories Ltd took over the works and continued to produce bricks until 1967 when the works was finally closed.  Thanks to Maurice Atherton for the photos and history of the works.

Baggeridge

Martyn Fretwell writes: Sedgley, Dudley, 1944 to present. I think it's not modern, as it was found with other old bricks, possibly from the 60's.  Found in a garden in Hucknall.

Bakewell

A Bakewell brick, made in Derbyshire.  Photo by Darren Haywood

Bailey

Photo supplied by A.K.A. Demik.

Balby

Balby is a district of Doncaster, South Yorkshire.  This brick has an unusual style of
name stamping, which may have been applied by hand.

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Baldwin

Made at the H. J. Baldwin Brickworks in Bunny, Nottinghamshire, thanks to Alan Murray-Rust for the photo and Geoff Hollis for the information.

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Thanks to Alan Murray-Rust for the photo.

Found in Mansfield by Martyn Fretwell.

Balm, Denholme

S Balm & Sons, Denholme, West Yorkshire. Denholme lies on the Keighley - Halifax Road. 
Date of operation c1875. Image PRBCO.

Barker, Ingleton

Brickworks operated c1895 - 1905 and listed as James Barker, Ingleton Fireclay Works in Kelly 1897 and Robinson 1904. 'Barker also built brick kilns in Great Milner Field above Dolands and produced bricks with BARKER / INGLETON inscribed in the frog'.  Source: Bentley, Bond & Gill, Ingleton Coalfield, 2005, Northern Mine Research Society. Ingleton, North Yorkshire. Image PRBCO.

Barlboro

Barlborough is a village near Chesterfield in Derbyshire.  The Barlboro brick was made at Hazel Colliery and brickyard formerly Cottam No.2 or Cottam new pit. The colliery and brickyard was reopened in 1909 by a consortium of local business men and closed for coal production in 1914 but produced bricks until 1917 as Barlborough Brick Co. Ltd. Photo and information by Simon Patterson.

Barlow

Derek Barker writes:  It appears that there were four 19th century Northamptonshire brick-makers called Barlow. Two brothers, Frederick & Charles Barlow, owned a brick field in Burton Latimer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Frederick Barlow also owned a brickworks at Rothwell to say nothing of steam joinery works, lime-kilns at Rushton and a monumental masons workshop and branch office in Horsemarket, Kettering. His brother, Charles Barlow, evidently became involved with Burton Latimer's business and civic development. He seems to have owned and exploited iron stone in the area and also to have owned several shops.

The brothers probably made the illustrated brick but there were also Edward Barlow, brick & tile maker of Stamford Road, Kettering and another Charles Barlow, brick-maker of Scaldwell. He is present in the censuses for Scaldwell from 1861-1891 as a brick & tile maker, and must have been born in 1834. Thanks are due to Angela for the image; we should both welcome more information.

Barnsley Metallic

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Photo by Simon Patterson

Barrass

Barrow Furness

Made in Barrow in Furness and found in Moffat, Dumfrieshire by Peter Robinson.

Battersea

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Baxenden Accrington

Found on the seashore in Crosby, Merseyside.

Beardsley & Son

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection, from a works in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.  Martyn Fretwell adds:  Beardsley & Son produced bricks in Cotmanhay, Derbyshire, in 1887.

Beardsley & Pounder

Spotted in Riddings, Derbyshire by Martyn Fretwell.

Bearpark

A Bearpark, Co. Durham brick spotted at the site of Eden Colliery by Andrew Gardner.

Belper

Spotted in Riddings, Derbyshire by Martyn Fretwell.

Belvoir

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Bennett

Bennetts seem to have had two brickworks sites, one on Uttoxeter Road in Derby and one at Spondon,  photos by Ian Castledine.  The backs of Bennett bricks are shown below:

Thanks to Ian C for the photo.

Photo supplied by A.K.A. Demik.

Bennett, Holmes & Kay

Photo supplied by A.K.A. Demik.

Bentinck

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Berry Hill

Berry Hill Brickworks, Kingsley, Stoke-on-Trent, photo by Simon Patterson.

Bingley Sanitary Tube & Lime Co.

The kiln site is at Eldwick, 2 km north of Bingley, West Yorkshire on Walsh Lane.  The old works chimney is still visible for miles.  All brick-making activity was confined to a period of about 50 years.  In 1870 coal and lime merchant William Barron bought site land to establish a private brick making business.  In 1889 the public company of Bingley Sanitary Tube and Lime Co. Ltd. was formed at the same premises.  Bricks marked [BST&L Co] are common in the Bingley area and have been found in the Dales.  In 1892 £442 was spent on machinery and plant and the company made a gross profit of £1766.  The 1893 O.S. map shows the brickworks complex as the B.S.T & Lime Works.  The 1921 O.S. map shows the works together with a tramway and a 1922 Trade Directory lists B.S.T & L Co for the last time.  Thanks to Derek Barker for the photo and information.

Robin Lush spotted this one at Ingrow in the Worth Valley, Yorkshire.

Birchenwood

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Birkby

Birkby Firebrick works and colliery.  In 1901 was worked by Messrs Steele and Beveridge, 
employing 40 heads.  4km ENE of Maryport, Cumbria. Site operated 
1862 to early 20th century - Angus Glasgow. Image PRBCO. 

Birkbys, Wyke

Birkby, Henry & Sons Ltd: Storr Hill Brickworks, Wyke

Wyke is a district of Bradford, photo by Simon Patterson.  The works was opened in 1869 and closed in 1982.  There are photos of the works in operation here

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Henry Birkby, was born in Worthinghead, Wyke around 1830. He was the foreman of Squire Holdsworth, contractor of Wyke, for 7 years until 1863. In 1869-70 he opened the Storr Hill, Wyke brickworks for which he is famous. He is said to have lost a hand in a brick-making machine accident. He took an active part in public life and was returned as councillor for Wyke in 1899. When he retired from business his sons continued brick making. Birkby's was the last traditional working brick-works in Bradford. The company used several brick-marks, all of which are variations on the company name and location.  Thanks to Derek Barker for the information.

Blackburn

Photographed on the seashore at Crosby, Merseyside.

Black Hill Brick, Entwistle, near Bolton

Michael Sorfleet rescued this one from the Bury Corporation Transport Department bus depot when it was being demolished.

Found on the seashore in Crosby, Merseyside.

Blackwell

Blaydon & Eltringham

Found in a Gateshead garden by Albe Barratt.

Bolton

Bolton Brick Co., Settle Street Brickworks, Great Lever, Bolton, Greater Manchester - Angus Glasgow. Image PRBCO. 

Found on the beach in Crosby, Merseyside.

Bolton on Dearne

Photos by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Bonds Main

Thanks to Darren Haywood for the photo.  Made at Bonds Main Colliery, a colliery village in the parish of Temple Normanton, Derbyshire.

Boot, Sutton

Made at Sutton in Ashfield, photo by Simon Patterson

Thanks to Darren Haywood for the photo.

Borough, Nelson

The Borough Brick Company, Railway Street, Nelson, Lancashire. Listed in Kelly 1918 / 1924. 
The site finally closed in the 1950s and was owned by the Proctor family for several 
generations in the 20th century. Makers of bricks marked NELSON PLASTIC. Image PRBCO.

Boulton

A Staffordshire Blue brick, photo by Darren Haywood.  The blue colour means they are made from clay deposits known as Etruria Marl.

Bowling Iron, Bradford

Listed as operating at Rook Lane, Bradford 1900 and Rook Lane and Bowling Back Lane, 
Bradford, 1904 / 1912/ 1917. Image PRBCO.

Bowman, Ripley

Photo by Martyn Fretwell.

J & C Boyle

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.  Boyles operated a works at Burmantofts, Leeds, later taken over by Leeds Fireclay.  Found at Tankersley near Barnsley.

Bovey

Made in Bovey Tracey, near Newton Abbot in Devon

Bradford Corporation

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

This company was based at the Victoria Works, Rook Lane, off Tong Street, Bradford. The Rook Lane works seemed to have developed as a result of the brick making efforts of William Taylor and his widow Martha (1874-75) which breached a deed of covenant he had with the Bowling Iron Company. He had set up brick-making in opposition to the Bowling Iron works own kilns on land he had leased from the company. BIC eventually took over the brick making activities themselves to produce the [BOWLING IRON WORKS] bricks (1901-1922). Brick production survived longer than the actual iron making. The Rook Lane works had evolved into the Bradford Corporation brick-works on the same site by 1927.  Thanks to Derek Barker for the information.

Bramley

Bramley Brick Co., Swinnow lane, Bramley, Leeds. Site operated as Bramley Brick Co., 
c1898 - c1930 - then WOOLLEY/ BRAMLEY to c1970. Image PRBCO.

Brampton

From Chesterfield in Derbyshire, thanks to Simon Patterson for the photos

Brandon

Bridges

photo courtesy of Graham Hague (Sheffield) collection.

Bridgnorth

Found at Kinlet Colliery Engine House, Highley, Shropshire.  Photo by Michael Raybould.

Briggs

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

JS Briggs were brick-makers at Crossley Hall, Fairweather Green, Bradford previously the site of collieries. The third generation of the family consisted of several brick-makers of whom the most noteworthy was Arthur Briggs (1885-1980). Arthur kept the Briggs, Fairweather Green brick works going into the second half of the 20^th century, and died a millionaire.  Thanks to Derek Barker for the information.

Briggs Shipley

By 1869 there was a coal mine on Shipley High Moor, West Yorks operated by Briggs & Co.  The same family owned the Fairweather Green brickworks.  There were several generations who were active in Thornton, Clayton, Allerton and Shipley.  John Schofield Briggs was a coal merchant of Thornton.  His son was Joseph Briggs (1851-1912) who married Arabella Fairbank, thus uniting two Bradford coal mining and brick-making families.  John Schofield Briggs and Joseph Briggs seem to have been partners in several enterprises.  In 1860 they leased land from the Earl of Rosse at Shipley Moor and Sandy Lane Bottom for coal extraction.  Colliery brickworks are common in West Yorkshire although I cannot identify the exact site of this brick's production, unless they were made at Fairweather Green but marked 'Shipley'.  These bricks are still occasionally found today in the Shipley area and also in at least one derelict site near the University of Bradford.  Thanks to Derek Barker for the photo and information.

Brighouse

Photo by Darrell Prest

Photos by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

These bricks were produced by a company called Brighouse Brick, Tile & Stone Co. Ltd., Gooder Lane, Rastrick. I believe that it was this company that built Brick Terrace, Tile Terrace, and Brick & Tile Terrace, Rastrick for its employees. The quarry face behind the terraces is still clearly visible. In the late 19^th century its addresses are given as Rastrick, Brighouse & Hillhouse Rd, Huddersfield.  Thanks to Derek Barker for the information.

Brightside

Made in Sheffield, thanks to Simon Patterson.

photo courtesy of Graham Hague (Sheffield) collection.

Brimington

Thanks to Simon Patterson for the photo

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Bristol Fire Clay Co.

Photographed in Sharpness, Gloucestershire.

Britannia

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

This one was found a long way from home!  It was in the ruins of a now closed animal processing and freezer complex in Puerto Bories in Chilean Patagonia.  Many thanks to Robert Runyard.

Broadmoor, Cinderford

Still in business today in the Forest of Dean.

Bromsgrove

Simon Patterson photographed this one at Avoncroft Museum

Brookes

A Huddersfield brick, photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.

Edward Brooke & Sons owned the Fieldhouse fire-clay works at Fartown, Huddersfield in the 1870s-80s.  Thanks to Derek Barker for the information.

Brookhouse

The Brookhouse Brick Co., Littledale, Caton, Lancaster operated from the early 1920s to the late 1960s - Winstanley, M. Rural Industries of the Lune Valley, 2000. Image PRBCO.

R. Brown

photo courtesy of Graham Hague (Sheffield) collection.

Browne & Co, Bridgwater

Found by John Biggs in Glastonbury. Browne and Company had brick yards in Bridgwater and the surrounding area

Bull Bridge

Photo supplied by A.K.A. Demik.

Bull Hill Fire Clay Works, Darwin

Thanks to Simon Newby for the photo.

Bulwell

Thanks to Darren Haywood for the photo.

Found near Papplewick pumping station in Notts. by Alan Murray-Rust.

Found in Hucknall by Martyn Fretwell

Burmantofts, Leeds

A member of the Leeds Fireclay Company. Image PRBCO.

Burnley B & L

The Burnley Brick & Lime Company Ltd., Reedley Hallows, Burnley ( Kelly 1901 ) and 
Hesandford works, Burnley & Altham ( Kelly 1918 ). Image PRBCO.

Burton Broseley

Found at Preston Montford, Shrewsbury.  Broseley is near Ironbridge.  Burton, John and Edward, brickmakers, Ladywood. (From Harrison, Harrop & Co. Trade Directory, 1861).  Photo and info by Christopher Dixon

Burwell

Found in Suffolk by Simon Patterson who adds that the company was owned by Fisons Ltd. in Ipswich.  Peter Harrison states this was made by the Burwell Brick Co. at Burwell near Newmarket.

Bute

Made by the Bute Brickworks, High Spen, Tyne & Wear.  This example was used in the construction of the colliery buildings at Chopwell Colliery.  Thanks to George Simpson for the photo.

Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.  The name is that of the local landowner The Marquis of Bute. 

Butterley Company

The Butterley Company were based in Ripley, Derbyshire and began life as Benjamin Outram & Co in 1790.  They owned several brickworks and the brickworks side of the business eventually became part of Hanson PLC.

Thanks to Colin Butler and Martyn Fretwell for the above photos.

Thanks to Darren Haywood for the photo.

thanks to Simon Patterson for the above photos

Found in Ironville, Derbyshire by Martyn Fretwell.

Thanks to Colin Butler and Martyn Fretwell, they believe that this brick was made at what later became N.C.B. Kirkby.

Thanks to Ian C for the above photos

BW Blades

This one was photographed on a canal bank near Dudley.  B W Blades was actually the name of the brickyard's founder, a Mr. Brownlow William Blades. He was operating a works in West Bromwich by the 1870's through to at least 1900.  Thanks to Tim Lawton for the extra information.

Byron

Byron bricks were made at Byron Brick works near Carr Vale Derbyshire. 
Thanks to Simon Patterson for the photos.

T. W. Bytham

The lettering reads: Adamantine. T Bytham W. Registered.  Found by Frank Lawson in Little Bytham, Lincolnshire and is from the works of Towers & Williamson who operated in Little Bytham until the early 20th century and specialised in Allenite Clinker bricks.