A. R.
Photo by Martin Briscoe. A product of Tannochside Brickworks, Uddingston, Lanarkshire, in operation from 1919 to 1939.
Peggy found this one on Gillies Hill, Cambusbarron near Stirling.
A. T. C.
Found in West Kilbride, Ayrshire by Martin Briscoe. Made by Alexandra Transport Company, thanks to Eric Flack for the info. Also refer to the entry for Hurll, Glasgow.
Adam
Found on a Renfrewshire seashore by Ian Sinclair.
Adams (Robert)
Photo and research by Lairich Rig who thinks the full lettering is: Double Pressed Machine Bricks, Robert Adams, Paisley. "The estates of Robert Adams, Brick Manufacturer, Love-street, Paisley, were sequestrated on the 11th day of December, 1865, by the Sheriff of Renfrewshire ..." ["London Gazette", Friday, December 15th, 1865 - see second column.
Airdrie
Airdrie Brickworks, Petersburn, 1938 - 1978.
Ancell McIntyre & Co, Auchinlee
Photographed in Edinburgh by Andrew Rush.
Annandale
Found on the seashore in Ballantrae, Ayrshire by Christine. Annandale Brickworks, Crosshouse.
Annbank
Made at the Annbank Brick Works, Ayrshire, open 1920 - 1947. Thanks to Lairich Rig for the photo
Found on the seashore in Ballantrae, Ayrshire by Christine.
Atlas
Made in Armadale, West Lothian, read a history of the industry here
Auchinlea
Made by Auchinlea Quarries and Brickworks, Cleland, North Lanarkshire, found by Martin Briscoe in Fort William.
William Campbell writes: The company had two brickworks and a quarry in the village: (1) brickworks at the back of Cleland railway station (Windyedge) and (2) a quarry and brickworks on the A73 Carlisle Road, between Bellside in Cleland and Hareshaw village adjacent to the Old Winery buildings on the north east side. For a time during the 1950's the company had the contract for supplying brick for the construction of all new F.W. Woolworth stores in Scotland. Site (1) is now a transport depot and storage yard. Site (2) is currently being redeveloped by landfill and reclamation .
Found at the back of the Glenbarr War Memorial by Martin.
Bank
Found on the seashore in Ballantrae, Ayrshire by Christine. Bank brickworks, New Cumnock, 1938 - 1960.
Bartonshill
Photographed at Summerlee Museum.
Bathville
This one was found in a skip outside a house in the Grange district of Edinburgh. Thanks to Joseph Hodgkiss for the contribution.
Bell Hornsby & Co, Patent, Glasgow
The works operated from 1866 - 1911, Andrew Greg discovered it in an 1860's house in Strathbungo, Glasgow.
Blackston
Photographed at Summerlee Museum.
Bl Ferme
The brick was made at Blantyreferme Brick Works, near Uddingston, open 1924 - 1947. Thanks to Lairich Rig for the photo.
Boghead
Photo by Simon Patterson.
Photo by William McKelvie. Boghead Fireclay Works, Bathgate, 1889 - 1930.
Bonnybridge
Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Works, 1874 - 1971.
This firebrick was found near Brymbo in North Wales. It was presumably used in the nearby steelworks.
The first of three Scottish brick photos sent by Robert Runyard from CHILE. The bricks were found in a now closed animal processing and freezer complex in Puerto Bories in Chilean Patagonia.
Photo by Simon Patterson.
Found on a Renfrewshire seashore by Ian Sinclair.
This brick is a high density (H.D.) good strength, good load bearing fire brick which is used in high temperature applications. It was found in an allotment garden near to the Steelite International pottery works in Middleport Stoke- on- Trent by Ken Perkins. This factory was previously Dunn and Bennett & Co (1875-1980S). Ken thinks this brick came from one of the kilns that were either repaired or demolished when Steelite took over.
There is a lot of information about Bonnybridge brickmaking on this site
Bourtreehill, Kilmarnock
Found on the seashore in Ballantrae, Ayrshire by Christine. Bourtree Fireclay Works, Dreghorn, 1875 - 1970s
Bourtreehill, Irvine
Donna would be interested in some more information on the above, found near Irvine, Ayrshire. It is a very heavy one.
Broadlie
Found by Martin Briscoe in Gourock. The history of this Ayrshire works can be viewed here
J. Brodie, Sanquhar
Sanquhar is 26 miles north west
of Dumfries in southern Scotland and
was once an important coal mining
town.
Broomhill
Thanks to Andrew Gardner for the photo.
Broomhouse
Martin Briscoe found this one in Inverlochy, a "village" of Fort William built for workers at the aluminium smelter. Broomhouse Brickworks, 1921 - 1940.
Spotted on a demolition site in Fort William by Martin Briscoe.
Brora
Brora in Sutherland was quite a busy industrial area years ago. Apart from the brickworks there was also a colliery, the furthest north in Britain. The brickworks closed in the 1970's, further details here. Photo by Derek Gill.
Brownhill
Made in Wishaw, Lanarkshire and found in a probable WWII gun position in Fort William, photo by Martin Briscoe.
Brown & son, Paisley
The full lettering is: Patent, R. Brown & son Ltd, Paisley and it was found on a Renfrewshire seashore by Ian Sinclair.
Brown & McMillan, Motherwell
Found in Moffat, Dumfrieshire by Peter Robinson.
Buccleuch
Spotted by Dave Orr in Glamis. Buccleuch Terra Cotta works, Sanquhar, 1889 - 1950s.
Cadder
Thanks to Lairich Rig for the contribution. Eric Flack writes: The CADDER works was at the Balmuilday Road near Bishopbriggs, 1938 - 1969.
Callendar
Martin Briscoe photographed this one in Fort William. The works was near Falkirk and a history may be read here
Campbellfield
The full lettering reads: Patent, Wm. Wilson, Campbellfield, Glasgow. The history of the Campbellfield pottery works can be read here. The original address of the Campbellfield Pottery was 706 Gallowgate. About 1889, it moved to Flemington Street in Springburn. Thanks to Lairich Rig for the photo and info.
Cannerton
Martin Briscoe photographed this one in Corpach. Made in Denny near Falkirk.
Found in Torwood near Falkirk by Peggy Edwards.
Caradale
Made in Carluke, Lanarkshire by Caradale Brick Ltd.
Cardowan
Cardowan Works, Garnkirk, 1861 - 1911.
Cherryton
From Gillies Hill, Cambusbarron, Scotland from a structure in the Murrayshall Quarry, thanks to Peggy Edwards for the photo. Cherriton Brickworks, Tullygarth, 1935 - 1950's
Cleghorn
Cleghorn Brickworks, Glasgow, 1897 - 1930s
Cobinshaw
Found by William McKelvie in Cobbinshaw, West Lothian. The brick could have been made here.
Coltness - also see Stepends
Made by the Coltness Iron Company in Cleland, North Lanarkshire
Martin Briscoe found this one on the foreshore at Fort William, the spelling leaves something to be desired!
Found in Worksop by Simon Patterson
Found by Bill McKelvie in an old lead mining and smelting works in Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire.
Coltness Stepends, photographed at Summerlee Museum.
Craigend
Made at Craigend Brickworks, Blackbraes, Falkirk. Photos by Martin Briscoe
Craigrigg
Craigrigg brickworks was located in Westfield, Armadale, West Lothian and was in production from the late 1930's to the 1950's. The West Lothian Archaeology Group have a very interesting illustrated feature on brickmaking in Armadale. Thanks to Joseph Hodgkiss for the photo and information.
Dalmellington Iron Company
The original Dunaskin brickworks was situated in Dunaskin Glen at Waterside, Ayrshire. The brickworks was built in the 1850's by the Dalmellington Iron Company to serve the ironworks at Waterside. The Dalmellington Iron Company was founded in 1848 by Henry Houldsworth, a Glasgow cotton mill owner. The company owned the ironworks at Waterside and operated a number of mines in the surrounding area. The brickworks manufactured firebricks for lining the furnace and for building the ancillary buildings, such as the workshop range, needed to service the ironworks. The brickworks in Dunaskin Glen closed in 1928 and was resited on the ground where the furnaces used to stand. The bricks were stamped DICO, standing for Dalmellington Iron Company. The ironworks closed in 1921 but the company continued to operate their mines until 1930 when bankruptcy caused the company to fold. In 1931 the brickworks was taken over by William Baird and a new company formed, Baird and Dalmellington Ltd. The Brickworks featured a Staffordshire transverse arch kiln that had 14 connected chambers which were heated to 1,100-1,200°C by an under-floor heating system. The draught from the chimney drew heat through each chamber and up to 16,000 bricks were fired for two weeks in each chamber. In 1947 the brickworks came under the ownership of the Scottish Brick Company after nationalisation of the industry. The brickworks closed in 1976. A stained glass window, dating from the 1850s,that hung in the registered offices of the Dalmellington Iron Company is now in the visitor centre at Dunaskin. Information taken from the scran database.
The Dalmellington Ironworks is now a museum, their website may be viewed here
Dalquharran
Found on the seashore in Ballantrae, Ayrshire by Christine.
Dalry
Carsehead Brickworks, 1851 - 1977.
Martin Briscoe found this one on the beach at Portencross, Ayrshire
Found on the seashore in Ballantrae, Ayrshire by Christine.
Darngavil
Martin Briscoe photographed these three in Fort William
Found by Martin near Kilvickeon Old Churchyard on the Isle of Mull
Dewar
Found on the seashore at Prestonpans, East Lothian.
Found on a different seashore, this time by Ian Sinclair in Renfrewshire.
Joseph Hodgkiss found these two examples near Killin, Stirlingshire.
Dixon A
Spotted by Peter Robinson near Moffat, Dumfriesshire.
Dougal, Winchburgh
Winchburgh Brickworks, West Lothian, 1873 - 1970s
Found at the site of RAF Oban at Kerrara by Martin Briscoe, made in West Lothian
Found on waste ground in Edinburgh by Joseph Hodgkiss
Dougall
Photo by Martin Briscoe, Messrs J Dougall & Sons, (Bonnyside Fireclay Works), Bonnyside Brickworks, High Bonnybridge 1896 - 1967.
Found by Wm. A Allan in the wreck of a tugboat used for hauling logs on the French River in Ontario, Canada. The tugboats were also known as alligators.
Douglas X
Thanks to Andrew Gardner for the photo. Simon Ratty writes: This is probably made by the Douglas Firebrick Co Ltd of Dalry Ayrshire which was operational by 1917 and believed to have closed in September 1945. The works apparently used clay from the nearby Monkcastle Fireclay Mine. From what I can can gather there's a number of remains surviving on the site and the Royal Commission on Ancient Historic Monuments of Scotland does have a series of photos. A number of these were found during excavation work at Ystalyfera Iron Works in South Wales.
Doura
Another found by Martin Briscoe on the beach at Portencross, Ayrshire.
Dykehead
Photographed at Summerlee Museum. Dykehead Firebrick Works, Bonnybridge, closed in 1960's.
Edinburgh
Probably made by the Edinburgh Collieries Company
Etna: see Giscol
Faskine
Found at a recycling centre in Edinburgh. Thanks to Joseph Hodgkiss for the contribution. Faskine Brickworks, Coatbridge, 1899 - 1911.
Fauldhead - see N.C.B. Fauldhead
Finlay, Hamilton
Spotted by Martin Briscoe at a World War II radar station at Borve Castle, Benbecula. Hamilton Brickworks, 1936 - 1950.
Flemington
Another found by Martin Briscoe on the foreshore at Fort William. Gateside Brickworks, Cambuslang, 1899 - 1947.
Forth
Made at Roughcastle Firebrick Works, Bonnybridge. Found by Robert Runyard at the old freezer plant in Puerto Bories in southern Chile.
Frankfield
Found on a Renfrewshire seashore by Ian Sinclair. Eric Flack writes: "FRANKFIELD" bricks were made in Carntyne in Glasgow. I Used to watch them coming out the kilns. I think the works closed in the 1970s. They made traditional Scottish bricks from colliery waste: black shale.
Frew
Found on a Renfrewshire seashore by Ian Sinclair.
Garnkirk
Found in Puerto Bories, Southern Chile by Robert Runyard.
Garrowhill
Photographed at Hirum Walkers Distillery, Dumbarton by Ian Sinclair. Garrowhill works, Glasgow, ca 1928 - ca 1945.
Gartcosh
Thanks to the Gartcosh Local History Group for these contributions. Gartcosh is about two miles from where the Glenboig and Heathfield brickworks were sited. There were also brickworks called Gartcosh Fire Clay Works nearby, open from 1863-1950.
Gartcraig
A district of Glasgow. Found on a Renfrewshire seashore by Ian Sinclair. Works open 1876 - 1918.
Photographed at Summerlee Museum.
Gartshore
Photographed at Hirum Walkers Distillery, Dumbarton by Ian Sinclair. Gartshore Brickworks, Kilsyth, 1934 - 1981.
Gibb & Sons, Auchinlee
Made in Motherwell, 1893 - 1915.
Gilchrist & Goldie
Gilchrist & Goldie, Crow Road, 18 Glasgow 7?. Made at the Woodend Brickworks and found by Lairich Rig in Renton. Works open 1863 - 1883.
Old Langside Road, 18 Glasgow 82. Photographed at Summerlee Museum.
Gilmour, Kilmarnock
Found on the seashore in Crosby, Merseyside. Bonnyton Fireclay Works, 1876 - 1899.
GISCOL
David Kitching writes: Giscol (registered as a company in 1888) was the trading name of the Glasgow Iron & Steel Company Limited an iron and steel producer with foundries and iron works situated in West Central Scotland. Today the name is used by Caradale Traditional Brick Ltd after a management buyout of the company in 1997. Today the company has two brickworks - the Etna works at Armadale, West Lothian and the Mayfield works at Carluke, Lanarkshire. Caradale is unique in the traditional brick making sector in that it uses shale clays. They're more difficult to work but they make a harder, more durable brick suitable for the extremes of British weather. Some photos of the works are here.
The Etna works was at Bathville near Armadale in West Lothian. It was one of the largest common-brick works in Scotland, making stiff-clay bricks from blaes (hardened clay or shale). There were four Hoffman continuous kilns here, two of c1897, with rounded ends and central chimneys. The two oldest kilns were out of use by the mid 1980s and have since been demolished. Information taken from the scran database.
The two below were found on waste ground in Edinburgh by Joseph Hodgkiss
The above was found in a probable WWII gun position in Fort William, photo by Martin Briscoe.
Glamis
Photo by Dave Orr who writes: The brickworks were to the north of the present village. They also produced tiles and some examples can be seen in the Glamis Folk Museum in the village
Glenboig
There is an excellent film of this works in operation here
Found in an 1880's house in Manchester by John T Pitman
Both found on a Renfrewshire seashore by Ian Sinclair. The bottom one reads Starworks Glenboig. Robert Murray adds: The Glenboig Union Fireclay Co. had two brickworks in the village, the 'Old Works' and 'The Star Works'. The former closed in 1964 and the latter circa. 1974.
Martyn Fretwell writes: The J.D. stands for the brickworks owner, James Dunnachie. I found this one at the Long Shop Museum, Leiston, Suffolk, Where Richard Garrett made steam engines and agricultural machinery for 200 years. I was reading the info boards and I read one of his brothers made bricks. So I asked the owner, if there were any bricks with his name on in the museum. He said no, but he showed me around the back to look at a pile of bricks and we found this one.
Greenhill Omoa
Found near Connel Ferry station by Martin Briscoe, made at Greenhill Colliery, Cleland near Motherwell, 1873 - 1914.
Found on waste ground in Edinburgh by Joseph Hogkiss.
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