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.
1875 – 76 – Glenvault Fire Clay Office, 188 Buchannan Street, Glasgow.
1881 – 1882 – Invoices x 2 – J & D B Miller, Glenvault Fire Clay Depot, West Street, Glasgow. These details are crossed out and the following is added – William Couper Tait, accountant, Glasgow trustee on the trust estate of J & D B Miller. 69 West Regent Street, Glasgow.
1886 – John Miller & Sons, brick and tile manufacturer, Abron Hills, Cumbernauld.
1893 – R. Miller, Glenvault, Cumbernauld.
1893 – Miller and Sons, brick and tile manufacturers, Abron Hills, Cumbernauld.
12/09/1913 – Edinburgh Evening News – New companies. The Glenvault Fireclay Company, 65 West Regent Street, Glasgow was registered as a limited partnership.
Below – 23/10/1913 – Clyde Bill of Entry and Shipping list – Glenvault Fireclay Co, 65 West Regent Street, Glasgow.
19/06/1914 – Kilsyth Chronicle – The Glen Vault Fireclay Company has now issued its new prospectus. The new company will be known as the Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay, Lime and Coal Co Ltd. That there are 13750 shares at £1 offered to the public.
19/06/1914 – Kirkintilloch Gazette – Industrial developments in the district are fore-shadowed by the formation of the Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay Lime & Coal Company with a capital of £20,000 to work extensive deposits of fireclay and limestone in the Glenboig and Campsie districts.
20/06/1914 – The Scotsman – New company. The Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay, Lime, and Coal Co., Ltd., 65 West Regent Street, Glasgow to acquire fireclay and limestone properties &c at Glenvault, Cumbernauld and Balglass. Lennoxtown. Capital, £20,000 in £1 shares.
02/10/1914 – Kilsyth Chronicle – What folk are saying! – That the Glenvault Fireclay Company have now got their works almost completed. That they are sending off a good quantity of clay both in its raw state and also ground.
1914 – 1915 – Glenvault Fire Clay Office, 65 West Regent Street, Glasgow.
Below – 03/11/1915 – The Scotsman – Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay Lime and Coal Co Ltd in liquidation.
26/02/1916 – Hamilton Advertiser – On an early day at Abronhill, Cumbernauld. Plant and machinery belonging to the Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay, Lime and Coal Co Ltd (In liquidation).
Below – 15/04/1916 – Hamilton Advertiser – Sale of the Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay, Lime and Coal Co Ltd – in liquidation.
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…
Found by Ian Suddaby in the Alloa area. This example is not in my possession. George Turnbull Company, Dykehead Fire Clay Works, Bonnybridge, Falkirk. . . .
Dykehead Fireclay Mine, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. 1920 – Dykehead Ganister and Firebrick Co., Ltd, (Formerly George Turnbull & Co.), Bonnybridge. Dykehead Mine – Situated at Bonnybridge, at the side of the North British Railway, Glasgow to Edinburgh line; it is 1/2 mile east of Greenhill Junction on the Caledonian Railway. Maps: One-inch New Ser. Ordnance and…
Campsie Clay Mine, Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire.? From the map below this mine could be named Tarfin, Campsie of Finniescroft. Balglass is also a 1/2 mile to the North. (Note – SBH – I wonder if this is one source of the fireclay used by the Glenvault Fireclay Company – later named the Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay…
31/03/1898 – Glenvault Fire Clay Mine, Dumbarton. Owner George Turnbull & Co – Accident – Casualty Adam Taylor, (44), Overman. A spark off his naked light ignited 14lbs of gunpowder illegally stored in the mine.
Balglass mine – Owned by Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay, Lime and Coal Co Ltd, 65 West Regent Street, Glasgow – went into liquidation prior to 1915 – Glenvault and Campsie Fireclay, Lime and Coal Co Ltd was floated as a public company in 1914 but collapsed in 1915 after the war started.
Canmore – Dykehead Fireclay Works. Source Falkirk Museum and Archives – George Turnbull and Company, Dykehead Brickworks, Bonnybridge. Established in 1839. Founder Miss Margaret Donald. The works never became profitable and she eventually sold them to marry and emigrated to Australia. The site was later taken over by George Turnbull & Co. The works stood…
Canmore – Woodlea. 1890 – A small drift mine was sunk and established near to Woodlea House and a small brickworks was built alongside it. 25/04/1894 – Falkirk Herald – Youthful Offenders. James Quin (9), schoolboy, residing at Milnquarter Cottages, Bonnybridge, and Alexander Warner (8), schoolboy, also residing Milnquarter Cottages, were charged with having on…
Bonnymuir Tileworks aka Bonnymuir Brick and Tile Works, Bonnybridge, Falkirk, Stirlingshire. (Note – SBH – These works may also have been known as Bonnyside Tileworks or if separate works, then bot must have been sited adjacent to each other). Bonnymuir Brick and Tile Works, Bonnybridge. Established prior to 1867. It is possible that G Turnbull…
The following unmarked bricks were found on the site of the old Bonnymuir Brickworks, Bonnybridge and as such they may well be products of the works. I have never seen a brick marked Bonnymuir. . . Below – Top brick – 9 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ x 3 1/4″ Bottom brick – 9″ x 4 1/2″…
