Letters: T to Z
Tamar
Made at Tamar Brickworks, Devon United Mine, Mary Tavey, Devon. I understand this brick is partly made from arsenic tailings!
Thomas, Torquay
Thomas Kinnersley & Co.
Tim Lawton writes: This is a Staffordshire Blue stable brick in excellent condition.... I believe it was made by Thomas Kinnersley & Co. Kinnersley (1783-1855) was a very influential figure within the North Staffordshire towns of Newcastle under Lyme and Kidsgrove in the early part of the 1800s. Amongst others, he operated the largest bank in Newcastle at the time, had interests in numerous mines in the area, and was responsible for developing the Clough Hall/ Birchenwood industrial complex into what became a nationally important iron, coal, coking and by-products manufactory. His son and heir to his business was also called Thomas. My knowledge of the site of this brick's manufacture is less specific I'm afraid, although it plausible to guess that it came from Clough Hall as a brickworks was certainly in operation here by 1879.
G. Thompson
This was found at Teversal Notts and had the name in both frogs. The N is also the wrong way round. Thanks to Simon Patterson
J. Thompson, Jarrow
Thoresby
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Thorncliffe
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Thurstonland
Found in Worksop by Simon Patterson. Thurstonland is a village near Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.
Tibshelf
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Tinsley Park
Photo courtesy of Graham Hague (Sheffield) collection.
Tomlinson
Photo supplied by A.K.A. Demik.
Tower
Thanks to Simon Patterson for the photos
Tucker, Loughborough
Tymms, Marple
This brick was discovered during recent works on the Bosley locks on the Macclesfield Canal. It was manufactured at the Klondike Brickworks of J & M Tymm in Rose Hill, Marple. The works was opened in the 1880's and remained in production until 1913 when the site was sold to Marple Urban District Council. Thanks to David Kitching.
Tyne
Upho
Made in the small town of Upholland, West Lancashire. Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Upton
This was a colliery in the Wakefield area. The Upton Colliery Company was formed in 1923 and the pit closed in 1966. Like so many collieries it seems to have had its own brickworks. Thanks to Derek Barker for the info.
Usworth
Utopia
Photos by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Vernon, Poynton
At the Park Pit site brickmaking recommenced in 1937 after the closure of the Poynton collieries. A private company, the Poynton Brick Co. used shale from the colliery tip to make bricks using an open topped kiln of the Scotch type. In a 1939 trade directory the works is described as run by the Vernon Brick Co., and soon after was taken over by J & A Jackson. The machinery was situated in the old colliery power house and the bricks with "Vernon Poynton" on the face could still be found in the press until the works was demolished in the early 1970s. The plant was electrified in 1956 and the kiln had a top put over it, but production ceased in 1958. Maximum output was 65,000 bricks per week. Thanks to David Kitching.
Photo by Ian C.
Victoria Works, Aldridge, Staffordshire
Photo supplied by A.K.A. Demik.
W & W Pontefract
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Wadsley Bridge
Made in Sheffield, photo by A.K.A.Demik
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Walbottle
Walker, Corbridge on Tyne
Js. Walker Teams
Made in the Team Valley near Gateshead.
Walkeringham, Notts
This was a family run yard at the side of the Chesterfield Canal, thanks to Simon Patterson for the photo.
Wall Grange
The Wall Grange brick and tile co. was
situated in the Park Lane area of Wall Grange near Longsdon, Leek,
Staffordshire. The yard was in operation from around 1890 until the
1950s. Thanks to Ken Perkins for the photos and history.
Wallsend & Hebburn Coal Co. Ltd.
Walter Scott
Walton
Warmfield
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Warnham
Spotted in Brighton by Simon Patterson, made by the Sussex and Dorking United Brick Company, Horsham.
S. Warr, Cradley
Simon Patterson photographed this one at Avoncroft Museum
Washington
Wasp Nest
This delightfully named brick was made in Chesterfield and photographed by Simon Patterson.
Waterhead Lane, Newhey
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Watson
Webster & Co, Sheffield
Found in Sheffield by Michaela
West Melton
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Westgate
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
J.G. Weir
W. H.
I have only ever seen a single example of the [WH] brick which was found in north Bradford. The bricks from Wrose Hill brick-works, Shipley are commonly marked [WHFC Co Ltd] or [WROSEHILL][SHIPLEY]; clearly [WH] would be a plausible alternative. If the initials stand for an individual then William Holdsworth is most likely. His father Squire Holdsworth (1825-1877) was a builder & contractor of Wyke. For 7 years (until 1863) Henry Birkby was his foreman. In 1869 Henry Birkby opened his own, very successful, Storr Hill brickworks at Wyke. William was Squire's eldest son, and by 1871 (at the age of 24) was associated with his father's business. He seems to have been manager (I assume for his father) of a brick-works at Haycliffe Road, Great Horton, Bradford and was sole proprietor of the whole contracting business after 1877. He was able to undertake substantial projects including: Kirkgate Market, Bradford, Wakefield Town Hall and the Nutter Orphanage, Bradford. Thanks to Derek Barker for the photo and information.
Wharncliffe, Silkstone
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Wheeldon Mill
This works was near Chesterfield and was in operation by 1896, thanks to Simon Patterson for the photo.
Whitaker, Darwen
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Whitaker, Leeds
1
Found in a garden in Leeds, photo by Steve Kind. Michael Hammett writes: This is from B. Whitaker & Sons Ltd, Elland Road Brickworks, Leeds. They used Lower Coal measure Clay (below Beeston coal). Operation dates unknown but still going to 1943.
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Whinney Hill Plastic, Accrington
Photo by Simon Patterson
Whitehaven
Found on the foreshore at Workington, Cumbria.
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Whitfield, Gloucester
Thanks to Duncan for this one
Whitwick Colliery
Whitwick Colliery is in Coalville,
Leicestershire. The brick was found near Rhyl station
so its a case of the railway being
used to import bricks from far afield.
Spotted in Wigston, Leicester by Alex Betteney.
Found in Worksop by Simon Patterson.
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson
collection.
Wilkinson, Burslem and Longport
Samuel and Jim Wilkinson had brickworks in Burslem and Longport. The brick below has a curious tale: Samuel had a son named Frank Bernard, because he wanted to draw attention to the excellence of the bricks they made and to also get his son a mention he decided the bricks trade name should be Bern-Ard. When Jim got to hear of this he was totally against the idea. All the moulds were destroyed and the name Bern-Ard passed into history. The example below is a rare survivor of a family dispute.
Bern-ard
Found in Longton, Stoke on Trent by Ken Perkins.
Wilkinson, Elland
Photo by Darrell Prest.
Photo by Simon Patterson, taken in Hebden Bridge.
Wilson Bros. Sandal
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Winco
Made by the Wincobank Brick Co. in Sheffield, photo by A.K.A.Demik
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Windhill Brick, Wakefield
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Winlaton, Blaydon on Tyne
Withnell Brick & Terracota 1912 Ltd.
Now a landfill site, situated near Chorley in Lancashire
Found by John Davies in his garden near Preston.
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Wombwell
Wombwell is near Barnsley, Yorkshire, photo by Simon Patterson
Thanks to Stuart for the above photos
P & S Wood, West Bromwich
Found in South Wales by Lawrence, The brick itself is "thin", being 2" thick, with a dark red centre and grey/black exterior, suggesting it has been double fired, presumably as an engineering brick. Michael Hammett has added some information on this brick: Identification was provided in the form of an advertisement found in the London Suburbs Post Office Directory for 1884. It is for "Best Staffordshire Blue Bricks" by P & S Wood of West Bromwich and shows the Star of David symbol, with the W in the centre, as their trade mark. Being advertised in London, it is reasonable to assume that the products could have been supplied by rail to most parts of the country.
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Woodkirk
Woodside
Photo courtesy of Graham Hague (Sheffield) collection. A history of the works may be read here, (scroll down to pages 8 and 9.)
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Woodsome
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
J. Woodward Swadlincote
Photo supplied by A.K.A. Demik.
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Woolley, Bramley
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Woolliscroft, Chesterton
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Wortley
Ingham, William & Sons: Wortley Fireclay Works
Found in a garden in Leeds, photo by Steve Kind
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
The reverse side of a Wortley brick. Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
A Leeds based company, but one whose products are also commonly seen in the Bradford area. The company was founded by William Ingham in 1825 and later included his sons: Robert, Henry and Frederic. The firm extracted the triad of coal, ironstone and fireclay from its property at Wortley. The fireclay site alone covered 7 acres and employed 400-500 people. The company manufactured most imaginable fireclay products but these included 'firebricks, blast and other furnace lumps'. After 1889 they formed part of Leeds Fireclay Co. Thanks to Derek Barker for the information.
T. Wragg & sons, Swadlincote
This is a salt glazed brick found at the site of Teversal railway station and may have been part of a toilet wall, also the name was pressed into both frogs. Thanks to Simon Patterson.
Wrights, Sileby
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Wrose Hill
A brickworks at Wrose Hill, Windhill, Shipley, West Yorks was established in the mid-19th century where the Halifax Hard Bed coal rested on a bed of fireclay 5ft thick. As well as common bricks the works made specialist bricks, chimney pots and sanitary pipes. A Mr J.W. Woodhead owned the works in 1870 and at that time was advertising for the construction of a Hoffmann patent kiln. We know from map evidence that it was constructed. Wrose Hill bricks are common in Shipley and north Bradford. The works can also be seen on the OS maps of 1895, 1908 & 1934. In the years 1901-1927 the company owning the works known as Wrose Hill Fire Clay. A 1945 list of mines suggests that Wrose Hill was closed in July 1944. Thanks to Derek Barker for the photos and information.
W.S.
W.S. bricks were made in Accrington, Lancashire. Thanks to Simon Patterson for the photo.
W. S Ironi
These two bricks, which are subtly different, are believed to have been made in the Sheffield area. Thanks to Simon Patterson and Graham Hague for the photos.
Photos by A.K.A. Demik. Numbers up to 7 - 7 have been located in the Sheffield area.
Wylam
Yates, Horwich
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
Yorkshire, Castleford.
Yorkshire, Edlington
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection.
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