Bricks - Facts and Pics

Wanlockhead's Lead Mining Industry once required various buildings of different sizes. 

Most were constructed with stone and roughly mixed concrete, but the Queensberry smelter at Meadowfoot was made of bricks from multiple locations. 

The Village's Heritage includes seventeen distinct fire-clay bricks used in construction, each with its unique name and history.

These bricks were sourced from companies such as; Atlas, J&M Craig, Dewer, Hurlford, Burnhouse, Starworks, J-R Howie, Etna, Dico, J Brodie, Stepends and Buccleuch. 

These companies have a fascinating history dating back to the 1800s but have since ceased operations.

Atlas was situated in Armadale from 1882 to 1973, sited next to Etna Brickworks.

McCaig had taken over the Calder Iron brickworks in 1960 but stamped his bricks Whifflets after the site name in Coatbridge, where they were manufactured. 

There was also a McCaig brickworks in Kilmarnock. So we are unsure where this brick has come from. 

A very similar named brick is the J&M Craig from the Pearceton fire-clay works in Dreghorn from 1847 and going into liquidation in 1923. They were formed by two brothers, James and Martin, in 1847 at Dean Quarry on the grounds of Dean's castle. They also made fire-clay lions.

Dewar was made at Drumpark Brickworks Bargeddie from 1895 to 1977 under the company Dewar and Findlay, producing high-quality red or blue-facing brick.

Hurlford's fire-clay works were started by Thomas Howie in 1860, bought out by Armitage Shanks, and closed in 1970.

Burnhouse was situated in Wilkieston, West Lothian, previously referred to as the Camps Lime and Brick Works.

Starworks was located in Glenboig, opened in 1873 and closed in 1950.

J-R Howie was located in Kilmarnock from 1860 to around 1970.

Etna was a brick company located in Bathville near Armadale that was active from 1890 to 1947. They specialized in producing yellow bricks with black spots. 

Eventually, Etna was acquired by The Glasgow Iron and Steel Company (Giscol), which was subsequently taken over by Caradale in 1997. 

Caradale owned two plants in Armadale and Carluke, but both plants closed in 2011. However, Caradale still produces bricks from other locations.

Dico was established by Henry Houldsworth at the Dalmellington Iron Works from 1850 to 1928. William Baird later acquired the brickworks in 1931 and created the new company Baird and Dalmellington Limited.

After the industry's nationalization, the Scottish Brick Company took over the brickworks in 1947 but ceased operations in 1976.

J Brodie (Broadie) was linked to Buccleuch at Sanquhar from 1889 to 1907.

Stepends Brickworks was located in the village of Plains, two miles East of Airdrie on Bathgate Road. It used the waste from the Ardenrigg Colliery, situated in the hills above the Lily Loch toward Salsburgh. 

The Stepends Brickworks had a coal washer that served both mines. The coal dust and dross from this washer were used in brick-making onsite to dispose of the Mining Spoil. These Bricks were stamped Stepends. 

Buccleuch made a terracotta brick using local clay, primarily the offshoot of coal mining in Sanquhar and Kirkconnal. 

The company used different stamps on their bricks, S+KC Buccleuch, Buccleuch, Buccleuch Sanquhar, Buccleuch Terracotta Works, and SQKC LTD Buccleuch. 

These bricks were non-porous and did not retain soot on their surfaces, a popular brick in its time. The works date back from 1889 to 1958.

Also based at Sanquhar Terracotta Works was McIver