Abronhill Fireclay Mine, Castlecary. The fireclays were leased to Robert Miller in 1883, who started to work the fireclays by drift mines on the east side of the Glenvault Valley, and south of the Caledonian Railway. At least 7 mines were driven into the fireclays in 2 levels. The upper level contained about 10 feet of fireclay, while 8/10 feet lower down another 6 feet of fireclay was worked. George Turnbull of Bonnymuir Fireclay Works took over the leasehold about 1887 but he died in 1889 and little further mining was done. The mines were closed in 1899. – Kenneth Sanderson.
1878 – James Miller and Co, brick and tile makers, Abron Hills, Cumbernauld. (Note – SBH – Does the 1878 and 1893 entries infer there were also brickworks at this location?)
1893 – Miller and Sons, brick and tile manufacturers, Abrons Hills, Cumbernauld.
Below – 1913 – Abronhill Fireclay Mine
26/02/1916 – Hamilton Advertiser – Auction – At Abronhill, Cumbernauld. Plant and machinery belonging to the Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay Lime and Coal Co Ltd – in liquidation.
Below – 1946 – Abronhill Fireclay Mine.
04/10/1879 – West Lothian Courier – On Monday a somewhat alarming explosion of fire damp took place at the Star Pit, Glenboig but was fortunately unattended with serious results. Hitherto the regular fire clay workings have been entirely free from damp but some had been generated during the driving of a mine through an upthrow….
Below – Information – British Geological Survey – Indian Kyanite. Indian kyanite supplied to the Glenboig Union Fireclay Company Limited 18.2.37 Indian kyanite supplied to the Glenboig Union Fireclay Company Limited 18.2.37 Kyanite is a mineral composed of aluminium silicate. It belongs to the triclinic crystal system and generally forms elongated tabular crystals and is…
Found by Ian Suddaby in the Bonnybridge area. This example is not in my possession. Dykehead Fire Clay Works, Bonnybridge, Falkirk. The GR’s refers to General Refractories which bought over the Dykehead Works. . . Below – It is not instantly seen but the motif in the circular stamp on the brick is as per…
28/12/1895 – Alloa Advertiser – New coal and clay supply – A Cowdenbeath firm have opened a shaft at Blairingone near to the established Church Manse there and are getting a good supply of coal. The seam of coal is 3 1/2 feet thick and above and below the seam is a 2 1/2 foot…
19/11/1949 – The Scotsman – New fireclay mine at Niddrie. Messrs Steele Bros of the Niddrie Fireclay Works have started the driving of a fireclay mine close to the burn which forms the Edinburgh City boundary south of Niddrie. Hitherto the firm has drawn its fireclay supplies from Lanarkshire but boring revealed the possibility of…
Robertson, Love & Co were liquidated in 1916 but continued to make firebricks as part of United Collieries Ltd. When coal was nationalised in 1947, the brickworks were reorganised as United Fireclay Products Ltd. and comprised the Etna and Atlas Firebrick Works, the Bathville Pipe Works, the UNICOL Tileworks, all at Armadale and the Brownhill…
04/07/1939 – The Scotsman – Lanark County Council has been given notice by H. M. Inspector of Mines of the abandonment of the following mines … Lauchope Mills Mine Chapelhall, belonging to the Bonnybridge Silica and Fireclay Co, Ltd, Bonnybridge.
(Note – SBH – There appears to be conflicting information regarding the locations of the Darngavil, Craigriggs and Westfield Brickworks and information relating to each. If anyone can clarify or notices any mistakes then please get in touch). Craigrigg Brickworks aka Darngavil Brickworks Ltd, Craigrigg Works, West Lothian. Alternative brickworks include: Darngavil Brickworks Ltd, Darngavil…
Glentore Fireclay Works, Greengairs, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire. These works may have been a fireclay mine as opposed to a works manufacturing products from fireclay. Many thanks to Tony Jervis for identifying these works and supplying much of the information below. This page should be read in conjunction with the Rawyards Brickworks page. The 1936 –…
Found by Ian Suddaby in the Alloa area. This example is not in my possession. George Turnbull Company, Dykehead Fire Clay Works, Bonnybridge, Falkirk. . . .
