Fordel or Fordell Brick and Tile Works, St Davids Harbour, Fife.
Many thanks to George Liddle who send me the following extract from Early Railways of West Fife by a W Brotchie …”In 1853 the laird required that the name be inscribed as Fordell on Ordnance Survey plans, an ‘Anglicisation’ he was keen to standardise”
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Below – 24/07/1851 – Fife Herald – Fordel Brick and Tile Works newly established.
Below – 17/11/1851 – Fordel Brick and Tile Works newly established.
Below – 1852 – Fordel Colliery advert.
Below – 1852 – George Mercer Henderson, fire brick, gas retort and tile maker, STt Davids. William Aitken, manager.
24/06/1852 – Fife Herald – Fordel Brick and Tile Works, St Davids harbour, Fife – H. Stirling & Co beg respectively to intimate that they have taken a lease of the above brick and tile works and will be most happy to supply any article in the line on the most reasonable terms. From the experience which Mr Stirling has had in the brick and tile trade, for the last 17 years, at the Clackmannan brick and tile works and the satisfaction he gave to purchasers there, H S & Co hope to merit a share of public patronage. All orders will be attended to. 23/06/1852.
1853 – 1855 – ScotlandsPlaces – Fordel Brick and Tile Works. H Stirling, tenant. A small cluster of houses near to St. Davids Harbour at the N.W. [North West] corner the property of the Right Honble. [Honourable] Earl of Moray.
20/10/1853 – Fife Herald – Henry Stirling & Co – Beg to offer their grateful thanks to the numerous customers who have given them so very liberal a share of support since they became lessees of the Fordel Brick and Tile Works. The very superior quality of the Fordel clay and the long experience H.S has had in the trade at Clackmannan and elsewhere will, they feel confident, enable them always to offer goods of first-rate quality, and they respectfully hope to continue to merit and receive a liberal share of public support. Terms moderate. Fordel brick and tile works, St David’s Harbour, Fifeshire October 1853.
Below – 1854 – Fordel brick and tile works. The works are not marked on the 1894 map.
04/01/1855 – Fife Herald – Contributors to the Patriotic Fund – H Stirling & Co, £1 1s – workmen at Fordel Brick and Tile Works 17s 6d.
13/04/1855 – Edinburgh Gazette – Henry Stirling residing at St David’s Harbour, Fifeshire, ceased at this date to be a Partner of the Firm of H. Stirling and Company, Brick and Tile Manufacturers at Fordell Brick and Tile Works, St David’s Harbour, Fifeshire. The Business will in future be conducted by David Sharp, the sole remaining Partner of said Firm, and all liabilities incurred by the Company previous to the date of this Notice will be discharged by him, and all debts due to the Company are to be paid to Mr Sharp. Dated at St David’s, this 10th day of March 1855.
Henry Stirling, David Sharp,
James Miller, Clerk, St David’s, Witness.
Robert Graham, Foreman, St David’s, Witness.
24/10/1857 – Edinburgh News and Literary Chronicle – To be sold, a clay mill complete with rollers, shafts, wheels &c in good condition. Apply to Mr William Robertson, Fordell Brickworks, St. David’s. 20/10/1857.
Below – 21/03/1863 – Dunfermline Saturday Press – Fordell Brick and Tile Works, St Davids, Fifeshire – new occupiers William Crawford & Co.
22/07/1865 – Perry’s Bankrupt Gazette – William Robertson and William Crawford, St. David’s, near Inverkeithing under the firm of The Fordell Brick and Tile Work – 11th May. (Note – SBH – Could this be the same William Robertson that was operating the Anniston Brickworks, Arbroath at this same time).
1867 – William Crawford, fire brick, gas retort and tile maker, St Davids, Inverkeithing.
Below – 17/11/1871 – Glasgow Herald – Newly established brick and tile works at the shipping port of St David’s near Inverkeithing to let. William Aitken shipping agent.
c. 1883 – Brickworks are closed?
Found by Ian Suddaby On the banks of the Firth of Forth. This example is not in my possession. Henry Stirling & Co at Fordel Brick & Tile Works, St. Davids, Fife. This stamp was on a large broken piece of fireclay. Left at locus meantime due to size. . .
Found by Ian Suddaby in the River Tay, Perth. This example is not in my possession. Probably a product of David Gillespie, Brick, Tile and Fire Clay Works, Clackmannan. It is likely a year date should also be stamped on this brick but there is no evidence to see of this. . . Below –…
Found in the Alloa area by Alan Robertson and Nikki Seats. Clackmannan Brick And Tile Works, Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire. . . . . Below – A similar stamp on a much ‘redder’ brick. The colour variation may be down to clay composition variations, firing techniques including temperature or the effects of time and weather while lying…
Found by Alan Robertson and Nikki Seats in the Alloa area. Clackmannan Brick And Tile Works, Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire. . . . .
Found at Cottown, near Perth, Fife and kindly donated by Nick Basden. Probably a product of David Gillespie, Brick, Tile and Fire Clay Works, Clackmannan. . . . .
This Fordel brick was found by I Howie, possibly in the New South Wales area of Australia. – Source Fordel Brick and Tile Works, St Davids Harbour, Fifeshire . . . .
Found in the Alva area. Clackmannan Brick And Tile Works, Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire. . . . .
Found by Michael Fallone in Maryhill Road, Glasgow during demolition. Michael states – I found the same Clack 1872 bricks in the rubble of several tenements in the Maryhill Rd Glasgow area, the bricks formed a cornice just below the gutters. The bricks were laid alternately, one moulded, one normal. The moulded ones protruded from…
Found by Michael Fallone in Maryhill Road, Glasgow during demolition. Note the misspelling of Clackmannan – Clackmanan. Clackmannan Brick And Tile Works, Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire. . . .
Found by Bob Banks in the Alloa area. Clackmannan Brick And Tile Works, Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire. . . . .
