"Old Bricks - history at your feet"

English bricks - page 4b-6

Burthy to Butterknowle

Burthy

Burthy Brickworks, Summercourt, Cornwall SW919557, Photo by David Kitching, part of the collection at Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum.

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.

Photo by Mike Shaw.

Photo by Frank Lawson.

Burwell

Peter Harrison states this was made by the Burwell Brick Co. at Burwell near Newmarket.

Photos by Frank Lawson.

Photographed in Corris, Powys.

Photo by Gary Timlin.

This brickworks was started in the 1860's by Richard Ball, a fertilizer manufacturer who employed his turf diggers to dig clay during the winter months. In 1880 the firm became Colchester & Ball & they produced the Burwell White bricks which were used to build the houses in the village in the late 19th & 20th centuries. Briefly owned by another fertilizer company Prentices, the business was merged into Fisons in 1929. A new & larger brickworks had been built in 1926 & it continued to be operated by Fisons until 1966 when the brickworks was sold to a Leicestershire brick manufacturer. The works closed in 1971 due to the loss of popularity of white bricks & the demolition of the works & it's 180ft chimney took place in 1972. Info by Martyn Fretwell.

Abraham Bury

This is the first lettered brick I have ever seen from Macclesfield. The maker is Abraham Bury who was already in business as a brickmaker in 1858. By 1871 he was Mayor of Macclesfield and described himself as an earthenware manufacturer at Sutton Pottery on Byrons Lane, Sutton. The Sutton Pottery continued in business making plant pots until the early 1980s. Found in Macclesfield and photographed by Steve Biddulph.

Two bricks found in Macclesfield by Frank Lawson.

Bury Brick Co

The Bury Brick Co., Bury St. Edmunds was operational between 1898 & 1905. Kellys 1900 edition lists the works as Bury St. Edmunds Brick Co. William Jones, manager, Nowton Road, Bury. Info & Photographed at the Museum of East Anglian Life by Martyn Fretwell.

J Bustard, Barnsley

This brick was found at Ryhill (GCR) Station, opened in 1882, as a constituent part of the platform, thus dating its production. The Pogmoor area of Barnsley is home to the Chamberlain, Metallic and Summer Lane Brick Companies and Bustard was probably making bricks in the area prior to the latter two. Image PRBCO.

J Butcher & Son

Kellys 1876 edition lists J. Butcher as brickmaker at Irchester, Wellingborough. Info & Photo by Martyn Fretwell courtesy of the Bill Richardson Collection at Southwick Hall.

Bute

Photos by Chris Tilney.

Photo by Tony Gray.

Photo by David Kitching.

Found in Chile. Photo by Juan Valdivia.

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.

Photos by Frank Lawson. The name is that of the local landowner The Marquis of Bute.

Butler

Timothy Butler, Marlpool, Heanor, Derbys (Post Office Derbyshire Directory 1855). Photo and info by Frank Lawson.

Butt

Martyn Fretwell writes ;- John Butt & Son are listed at Wick, Littlehampton in Kellys 1882 to 1891 editions. There is no listing for the company in Kellys 1899 edition, but the entry is resumed in Kellys 1905 to 1911 editions at Littlehampton. Old maps show several Brick Fields scattered around Wick which only have a kiln marked & no other buildings, so I am assuming these yards were worked in the "Summer Style" and only produced small quantities of bricks. Photo by Dan Gregory.

Butterknowle

A County Durham brick. Butterknowle bricks were marked by a thumbprint. This tapered brick was used in a coke oven at East Howle, Durham. Thanks to Paul Harman for the photo and information.