Grangemouth Firebrick Works, Skinflats, Grangemouth, Falkirk.
Grangemouth Coal Co was founded in 1839 with main premises at Grangemouth Colliery. The company extracted fireclay, ironstone and coal from mines in Bothkennar, Falkirk and Polmont, leased from the Earl of Zetland. By the mid-19th century, the company was also operating Grangemouth Brickworks, making fireclay bricks and ornamental terracotta pottery and exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
13/06/1850 – Perthshire Advertiser – Thomas Thomson, China-Merchant, 48, Canal Street, respectfully intimates, that he has received a consignment of fire brick and fire clay, ornamental chimney cans, flower vases of the newest designs, and glazed water pipes of different diameters, from the Grangemouth Potteries, the material of which Professor Penny of Glasgow asserts of the very finest quality as regards chemical composition and which he is instructed to sell, for ready money, at prices considerably below what has hitherto been charged. Orders from the country punctually attended to. Perth, 13th June 1850
Below – 24/07/1850 – Aberdeen Press and Journal –
10/08/ 1850– Bucks Herald – Highland and Agricultural Show Glasgow – Conspicuous this year are the productions of the Heathfield and Grangemouth Brickworks, the latter of which, besides some fancy articles has sent a collection of glazed tile pipes of all shapes and sizes.
24/10/1851 – Kincardinshire Advertiser – Great Exhibition Crystal Palace, London – Honourable mentions – Grangemouth Coal Company – terra cotta.
1852 – Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland – Collection of articles in fire and common clay by the Grangemouth Coal Company, embracing fountains, vases, pedestals etc and displaying great artistic taste.
1852 – Grangemouth Brick and Tile Makers. Fire bricks, tiles and salt-glazed ware. Grangemouth Coal Company. George G Mackay, acting manager.
Below – 09/11/1855 – Montrose, Arbroath and Brechin Review – John MacPherson, Montrose, agent for Grangemouth Fireclay Works.
16/05/1856 – Montrose, Arbroath and Brechin Review – John MacPherson, Montrose, agent or the celebrated Grangemouth Fireclay flower vases, begs to intimate that he has just got to hand specimen sheets, containing a number of beautiful new designs of vases and pedestals. Parties wishing to beautify their gardens or pleasure grounds will find these vases everything which could be wished, for elegance, durability, and cheapness. Specimen sheets will be sent free to any party application …
Below – 1861 – Grangemouth Fire Brick Works.
1867 – Grangemouth Fire Brick and Tile Works. GG Mackay, Manager. (Note – SBH – George MacKay was the manager from c. 1852 to c. 1880).
1878 – Grangemouth Coal Co – Coal Masters and Fire brick makers – George G Mackay was managing partner.
Below – 1878 – Advert Grangemouth Coal Company.
1882 – Brick and Fire Clay Makers. Grangemouth Fire Brick Works, (fire bricks, composition bricks, vases, chimney cans, grate backs, Kinnaird’s vent linings, &c., of finest quality, at moderate prices), Grangemouth Coal Co. George G. Mackay, managing partner.
1886 – 1887 -Grangemouth Fire Brick & Tile Works, Grangemouth; George Mackay, managing partner.
1893 – 94 – Grangemouth Coal Co (and brick and fire-clay makers) S. Basin St.
Below – 1896 – Grangemouth Fire Brick Works.
21/01/1899 – Falkirk Herald – … The brickwork in connection with Grangemouth Colliery has been well employed. The company who carry on these works (Grangemouth Coal Company) are, hopeful of getting a railway connection from the proposed new Caledonian line to enable them to forward their goods other than by water …
1901 – Directory of clay workers – Grangemouth Coal Company Limited, Grangemouth. Fire and composition bricks, grate backs etc. T. add Coalco.
05/12/1911 – The Scotsman – Grangemouth Colliery. Pits to be closed – workmen thrown idle … fireclay has also been worked to some extent and there is besides, a small brickwork employing about a dozen hands. One of the principal articles of manufacture has been fire grate backs. The working of the fireclay will also be given up and the brickworks will be closed …
Found by Jurijs Perevoščikovs in Riga Latvia. Jurijs states – The brick was found on Duntes Street at the territory of a former furniture factory. It was dug out of the ground when laying communications. . . . Below – Grangemouth Warranted Patent brick – Grangemouth Firebrick Works, Skinflats, Grangemouth, Falkirk. .
This brick is in the possession of Vladimir Smirnov, St Petersburg, Russia. It was found 200km south-west in Gdov. Below – Grangemouth Warranted – Grangemouth Firebrick Works, Skinflats, Grangemouth, Falkirk. . . .
Found at Grangemouth by Ian Suddaby. The font on these examples is smaller than my other ‘Grangemouth Patent’ example. . . . Below – Stamped ‘Grangemouth’ to front and ‘Patent’ to back. . Below – A Grangemouth waster found at the same location. .
Found by Ian Suddaby near Skinflats, Falkirk. I am not in possession of this example. This is not stamped patent’ to the rear as in another variation. Grangemouth Firebrick Works, Skinflats, Grangemouth, Falkirk. . .
Found by Ian Suddaby in the Grangemouth area. I am not in possession of this example. Grangemouth Firebrick Works, Skinflats, Grangemouth, Falkirk. . . . .
Found at Grangemouth. . . . . . . Below – Stamped ‘Grangemouth’ to front and ‘Patent’ to back .
Scottish Pottery and porcelain Works – circa 1878 (THE FIGURES / ENGRAVINGS ARE NOT REPRODUCED) The early pottery of Scotland appears, as a general rule, to bear a close analogy to that of England both in form, in intention of use, and in ornamentation. The cinerary urns, the food and other vessels, and the immolation…
Found in Riga Castle, Latvia by Dr Ilmars Dirveiks. This example is not in my possession Grangemouth Firebrick Works, Skinflats, Grangemouth, Falkirk. Below – ‘Grangemouth’ stamp to front. ‘Patent’ stamp to rear. . . .
Found on the old site of the Grangemouth Firebrick Works. Grangemouth Firebrick Works, Skinflats, Grangemouth, Falkirk. . . . . Below – A similar stamp on a ‘frog’ with squared ends. Found at Grangemouth.
