Following consultation with Moses Jenkins, HES, it is believed that bricks marked Woodison Steel (and recovered at the Hurll Gartliston Works, Glenboig) were another Hurll product manufactured for the overseas market and marked with the customer’s name. Woodison is very likely E J Woodison Company, Detroit, Michigan – I will go with this theory unless shown otherwise!
E. J. Woodison Company, one of the founding members of FEMA – The Foundry Equipment Manufacturers Association. This company was very involved in the beginnings of the Detroit auto industry and was a supplier to the several foundries that were developed to support this new industry. Products included such items as: fire brick, stove specialties, molders’ riddles and shovels, flasks, sprayers for blacking cores and moulds, pouring devices, crucible tongs, coal barrows, skids, hammer core machines, shakers, sand mixers, hoists, metal band saw machines, melting furnaces, cleaning and exhaust mills, sandblasters, moulding machines, much more.
Garnqueen Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire
Alternative brickworks include:
Building bricks at Garscadden Works, Drumchapel.
Below – A comprehensive illustrated catalogue of products available from the E. J. Woodison Company. C 1920
The above book is for sale in June 2015 – I have been in contact with the American seller and she states that there is a reference ” that the company’s Scotch Firebricks are only available through their Canadian foundry”
Further research reveals the following – The E.J. Woodison Company, Limited Foundry Requisites, Firebrick, Fireclay and Equipment Toronto, Ontario Branch Warehouse: 261 Wellington St. Montreal, Que.
Below – Letterhead for E J Woodison Company dated Nov 1920 (Apologies for the quality).
“If better bricks could be made – we would have them” All shapes carried in stock. Also, fire clay. A very refractory clay, especially adaptable for cupola linings, middle in walls of blast furnaces, hot blast stoves, boiler linings, and similar purposes requiring not only a highly refractory brick but a toughness that will give long service under the abrasion incident to this class of work. canisters used with clay to daub ladles, cupolas and furnaces, heatproof cement. This plastic asbestos compound sets hard as a rock and is absolutely heat-resisting. Used extensively for boiler settings, bridge walls, boiler arches and fire door linings, annealing furnaces, billet heating furnaces, case hardening furnaces, brick kilns, forge furnaces, heat-treating furnaces. Reline your cupola, furnace Etc., while business is quiet. The E.J.Woodison Company, Limited Foundry requisites, fireclay, firebrick and equipment Toronto, Ont, Montreal, Que.
Below – Image from page 574 of “Canadian foundryman (1921)” (1921)
Below – 1921 – Canadian Foundryman – Woodison fire bricks – “… We have selected bricks from different localities …”
Brian Tarbuck states this brick was found in Augusta, Maine, USA while replacing a water pipe. Allan & Mann, Port Eglinton, Glasgow Alternative brickworks include: Rutherglen Pottery, Glasgow. Mallsmire Works, Myrtle Park, Crosshill, Glasgow. ,
Found by Ken Sousa in Massachusetts, USA. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
Found in the Bo’ness area. I am not in possession of this example. Although this is broken there is little doubt it was stamped 60 – 69 and was a circle brick. Garnqueen Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Gartliston Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Building bricks at Garscadden Works, Drumchapel.
Found at the Manuel Brickworks, Whitecross. This is a broken special product. The top, left and right sides are intact and shaped as you see them but it is broken along the bottom edge. The manufacturer is unknown but the find site would suggest it was made at the Manuel Brickworks. GAH may well represent…
Found by Janet Archey in an avocado grove in Fallbrook, California. . . . . . Below – Nettle – D brick Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. Below – Douglas – D…
Found by Eddie McLean in the Glasgow area. Garnqueen Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire Alternative brickworks include: Gartliston Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Building bricks at Garscadden Works, Drumchapel. (Note – SBC – the letter ‘U’ is slightly smaller than the rest. It is believed that this stamp may have been used by a specific moulder or…
Found by Travis McIntyre and his sister Kim on the Kennebec River, Augusta, USA – next to Fort Western. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
Found by Victor Rodriguez in Patillas, Puerto Rico. Allan & Mann, Port Eglinton, Glasgow Alternative brickworks include: Rutherglen Pottery, Glasgow. Mallsmire Works, Myrtle Park, Crosshill, Glasgow. .
Found by Mark Weston in a burned-out house in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California, USA. Heatheryknowe Fire Clay Works, Glasgow. . . . .
Many thanks to Robert Clark for the following photographs and information regarding Scottish bricks found in the Ottawa area of Canada. Below – Govan – This is very likely to be Scottish and manufactured at a works in Govan, Glasgow. The exact works are unknown as there are several possibilities including Mallsmire Fire Brick Works,…
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