Joseph Rawcliffe came from Yorkshire to Barrow in Furness to manage a brickworks for builder William Gradwell. In 1857 he opened his own brickworks and also operated as a builder, specialising in public houses. The business closed when he died in the 1890s. Photo and info by Kevin Alexander.
The Rayleigh Brick Co. Downhall Road, Rayleigh is listed in Kellys 1929 to 1938 editions with Lamb & Son recorded as proprietors. History of the works at this Link. http://www.rochforddistricthistory.org.uk/page/lambs_brickfields_rayleigh Photos & Info by Martyn Fretwell.
The Rayner family appears to have been involved in brickmaking in Gestingthorpe since at least 1863 when John Rayner is listed as a brickmaker in White's Essex Directory. Subsequent Essex Directory listings of Rayner brickmakers are as follows: -
1874 - 1894, Mrs Elizabeth Rayner, Gestingthorpe
1904. William Rayner & Co., Castle Hedingham, Halstead
1914, John Frederick Rayner, Gestingthorpe, Castle Hedingham
As the initials are missing from this brick it is difficult to determine which one of the Rayners might have produced it but its early age might suggest that it was either John or Elizabeth. Photos and info by Frank Lawson.
The history of this brickworks, the forerunner to the London Brick
Co. in this area, is as follows;
1847 There was a local brick maker near Newton Longville.
1890 Thomas Read & Son acquired the works, later to be joined by
Richard Andrews, so Read & Andrews formed.
1919 Joined by builders merchants W. T. Lamb & Sons.
1921/2 Became the Bletchley Brick Co.
1925 Started to produce 'flettons'.
1929 Purchased by London Brick Co. & Forders.
1933 New works were constructed on the opposite side of the
Newton Longville to Bletchley road.
1936 Name changed to London Brick Company.
1943 Taken over by the Ministry of Supply to store ammunition in the
kilns, an ordnance depot was established.
1984 Became part of the Hanson Trust.
1991 November. Works closed. Photo and info by Nigel Furniss.
The Redbank Brick Company is recorded in Kelly's for 1895 and was on Atherstone Road along with two other brickworks - Measham Terra Cotta & Coronet. The company may have taken its name from nearby Red Bank Farm. In 1955 the company produced bricks and pipes. 1983 saw the company expand to produce tiles, chimney pots and terracotta. Now owned by Hanson this works closed in 2009 to be replaced by an ultra modern automated brickworks on adjoining land. The business is now owned and operated by Forterra.
Aerial photo from 1933 with Redbank in foreground with
Coronet works on other side of railway line. Info by Martyn
Fretwell.
Photo by Martyn Fretwell.
Photo by Frank Lawson.
Both found in North East Derbyshire. Hanson have opened a '50 million brick factory at Measham in Leicestershire built on the landfill and stock site of the old Red Bank brick works. This new factory has the capacity to produce 100m bricks a year with just 28 people. Thanks to Simon Patterson for the photo and information.
Photo taken by Jo Roesen at Broadway station Worcs, read their blog here.
Photo by Steven Pinder.
Photo by Stephen Haynes.
Red Hill Bank brickworks was established in the 1890s alongside another brickworks, the Rocester Works adjacent to Rocester Station. By 1922 the two establishments appear to have amalgamated into one works which was still in business in the mid 1950s. The site is now occupied by the JCB factory. Photos by Frank Lawson, info by David Kitching.
Crowle is near Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire. Photo by Frank Lawson.
In 1894 Drakehouse Colliery, Beighton was owned by Edmund Reddish & Co. and it is likely that they also owned a brickworks on or near the colliery site as I have seen references to a brickworks on Drakehouse Lane. Kelly's Derbyshire Directory 1899: - Gregory Reddish & Co Ltd., Beighton, Sheffield. White's Sheffield & Rotherham Directory 1901: - Edward Reddish, Beighton, Sheffield. Gregory Reddish Co Ltd of Deepcar, Sheffield are listed as brickmakers in Whites Directory of 1919. Photos & info by Frank Lawson.
Photo by Guy Morgan.
In 1918 and 1939 Gregory Reddish and Co Ltd. was advertising silica bricks from its works at Deepcar, Sheffield. Photos by Ian Suddaby.
