Friden brickworks was established in 1892 by John West, a Victorian entrepreneur and astute businessman. Ironically, as a child he lived on Gas Street in Northampton. By 1881 he was a gas engineer and had developed an improved process to produce town gas from coal - the Glover West Process. He set up the West Gas Improvements company in Manchester and realised the need for heat resistant shapes to use as gas retorts. This brought him to Derbyshire to set up the Derbyshire Silica Firebrick Company. The location was chosen due to the deposits of ganister in the vicinity which could be quarried and brought to the works by a system of narrow gauge railways. The business continues as DSF Refractories and Minerals Limited, manufacturing high alumina refractory bricks and blocks, particularly for the glass industry. Photos by Liz Carr.
Seen at the old steelworks site in Workington. Photo by Richard Cornish
Photo by Graham Brooks.
Josiah Derrington had previously been in partnership with Edward
Hales at Primrose Hill, Duddeston & then Leopold Street,
Birmingham. After this partnership had ceased Derrington set up his
own business & he is listed in Kelly's 1878 edition as
brickmaking at Garrison Lane & selling coal, lime, cement,
bricks & chimney pots at Dartmouth Street, Birmingham. Kelly's
1883 entry now includes '& Sons'. Kelly's 1890 edition lists two
works, Garrison Lane & Hay Mills, Yardley. The Hay Mills works
had been purchased off Reuben Shipway in 1889 & a second
adjacent works was purchased off Powley & Co. in 1890, both
these works where on Speedwell Road. Only the Hay Mills works are
listed in Kelly's 1895 edition, so Garrison Lane must have closed by
this date. Both of the Hay Mills works continue to be listed up to
my last Kelly's trade directory in 1915 & I have found from the
web that these two works were sold to Birmingham Corporation in the
1920's for landfill. Info & Photographed at Four Oaks
Reclamation Yard by Martyn Fretwell.
Photo by Frank Lawson.
Although no newspaper or directory entries for Derrington at theis works it is likely to be the Parkfield Brickworks on Bordesley Green Road, Birmingham in the late 1870s or early 1880s. Photo by Martyn Fretwell.
Josiah Derrington & Edward Hales are listed in Kelly's 1868
edition at Leopold Street, Highgate & Great Lister Street,
Birmingham. This partnership had been formed in the early
1860's at a works in Duddeston & then Leopold Street, but had
ceased by 1878 when Derrington set up his own business selling
building materials on Dartmouth Street & brickmaking at the
former Midland Brick Works on Garrison Lane. Info & Photographed
at Four Oaks Reclamation Yard by Martyn Fretwell.
Also refer to entry above for Derrington, Birmingham.
Photos by Frank Lawson - made by Derrington & Son, Hay
Mill, Yardley, Birmingham.
Photo by Ray Martin.
Made at Derwent brickworks, Dunston. Photos by Chris Tilney.
Thanks to Andrew Gardner for the photo.
John Davies found this example while digging in his Lancashire garden. Unusually the brick has an end name stamp.
The Diamond Brick Co., operated 1899 - 1903, Rawtenstall, Lancashire. - I Goldthorpe, Rossendale Rambles, 1985. Image PRBCO.
Photo by courtesy of the Frank Lawson collection, made by Digby Colliery Compsny, Giltbrook, Nottingham - found near Ilkeston.
Photos by Frank Lawson.
Found near Rotherham by Bob Gellatly, Bob thinks it was probably made by the Dinnington Main Colliery Company
Found on Tyneside. Possibly Dixon, Corbitt & Co, Altlas Brick Works, Dunston, 1864 - 1893. Photo by Chris Graham.
Seen at Cawarden Reclamation. Photo by Nigel Furniss.
William Alexander Dixonwas the son of a St Albans corn dealer. He was based in Alma Road and was associated with a brick yard in Sandpit Lane for no more than about a dozen years from about 1891. Thanks to Chris Reynolds for the photo and info.
M Dodd, Dilston Park, Corbridge, Northumberland, 1864 - 1879. Source: - P J Davison "Brickworks of the North East". Photographed at Consett, Co. Durham 2016 by Frank Lawson.
Photo by Mitch Richardson.
Photo by Ian Suddaby.
In 1847 William Dodds & William Harriman went into partnership, setting up a firebrick works at Blaydon Haugh. They are listed there in Wards trade directory for Gateshead in 1850. By 1855 the business seems to have been in the hands of Harriman only. See entry for Harriman & Co. Photo by Chris Graham.
Photo by Chris Tilney.