Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry

Found by Bill Duff in Alloa. This example is not in my possession. Buicks, Hilton Fireclay Works, Alloa. . . .

Found on the site of the old Hilton Fire Clay Works, Alloa. Buicks, Hilton Fireclay Works, Alloa. . . . .

Many thanks to Debbie Hanson for sending these photographs of an unusual item with a mystery use. This white enamelled fireclay ‘sink’ was manufactured by Shanks & Co Ltd, Barrhead, Scotland sometime after 1898. On the underside, you can see a circle of drain holes. The typical bend which would have surrounded these holes and…

Many thanks to Chris Hawksworth for the following information. I am not in possession of this example. This white enamelled fire clay sink was rescued from a lab at Glasgow University when it was thrown out during a refurbishment. It is stamped Steele Bros with additional hand-scribed marks which may say 16.2.77 (Date of manufacture…

Found by Lou Crockatt at Scone, Perthshire. A section of broken sanitary ware. Buick’s Patent No3 Wash Down Closet, Alloa. Buicks, Hilton Fireclay Works, Alloa. . . Below – A virtually complete example owned by Jenny Snedden in Callender. . Below – A similar stamp on an example in an outhouse located in Forfar, Fife. Thanks…

(Note – SBH – I am not convinced this company actually manufactured fireclay goods. They may have been sanitary engineers and merchants. to be clarified). 1886 – William B Morrison, fire brick maker and manufacturer of fire clay goods, 400 Eglinton Street, Glasgow. 04/09/1888 – North British Daily – International Exhibition, William B Morrison, sanitary…

The following photograph was taken by Andy Arthur in the gents loos,  Bow Bar, West Bow,  Edinburgh. The mark is stamped on a cistern. Steele Bros & Sons Ltd, Niddrie Fire Clay Works, Portobello. . . . .

Below – 1854 – The likely site of the Oakley Brickworks – Note the clay pit marked to middle right. 1862 – James Gemmell, brick and tile maker, Oakley, Fife. 21/02/1863 – Alloa Advertiser – Bricks at the Forth Ironworks – Bricks well known for their superiority can now be disposed of at the following…

Found at Alloa. Buicks, Hilton Fireclay Works, Alloa. . . . . Below – A similar stamp on a ‘white’ brick found by Ian Suddaby in the Alloa area. This example has a faint mirror image to the rear and a hand inscribed ‘X’. .

Found at the Hilton Fire Clay Works. Buicks, Hilton Fireclay Works, Alloa. . . . . . Below – A very similar stamp on a ceramic tree stump planter. This is in the possession of Ian Suddaby. . . Below – A similar item in a 19th-century Glenboig Works catalogue.