Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry

Greenhill Colliery and Brickworks, Cleland, North Lanarkshire aka Hareshaw Brickworks

Canmore – The 2nd edition of the OS 6-inch map (Lanarkshire 1899, sheet xii) depicts two pits – Greenhill Colliery Pit Nos. 9 and 12 – together with a brickworks and a smithy, on the NW side of the Drumbowie Branch Line, about 500m W of Greenhill farmsteading. On the revised edition of the OS 6-inch map (Lanarkshire 1913, sheet xii, resurveyed in 1910) the site has been further developed, with additional sidings and a bing on the SE side of the railway line (at NS 8100 6002). Nothing now remains of the bing, or of this stretch of the railway, but there are some visible remains of the features to the NW of the line. The best-preserved is Pit No.9 (CSW 4009), where the top of the brick-lined shaft is visible at NS 8093 6016. To the NNW of this, there are three rows of concrete plinths and piers, up to 1.8m high, which presumably supported the winding gear, and there are spoil tips to the E. Pit No.12 (CSW 4190) was situated a short distance to the SE at NS 8096 6006. Two hollows here may mark the site of shafts, and a ruined building to the NE of these may be a building shown on the 1913 map (ibid). There is now no trace of the smithy, which was located about 100m to the NE of this pit, on the NW side of the railway line, and all that is left of the brickworks (CSW 4008) is an area of disturbed ground at NS 8089 6008, in which one building platform survives (possibly the building at the SE edge of the works on the 1913 edition). The Greenhill Colliery Brickworks functioned from about 1873 until 1964.

23/07/1870 – Hamilton Advertiser – Shotts – Excursion – The Workmen employed by Robert Young Esq, at Greenhill Coal, Ironstone and Brickworks had their annual excursion on Friday 15th July. Accompanied by the Cleland brass band they proceeded by special train from Bellside Station on the Cleland – Mid Calder Railway to Edinburgh. After spending a pleasant day in visiting the numerous places of interest to be found in the Scottish metropolis the party numbering 300, returned in the evening in the most orderly manner, all highly delighted with the day’s enjoyment.

1873 – 1880 – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests that the works were operated by the Greenhill Fireclay Company during this time. …?

05/08/1874 – Glasgow Herald – Composition bricks of superior quality to be had. Loaded in trucks on the railway at Greenhill Colliery, Holytown. Apply to Robert Young, 37 West George Street, Glasgow.

1878 – Robert Young, brickmaker, Greenhill.

1886 – Robert Young, brickmaker, Greenhill, Cleland, Glasgow. Office 37 West George Street, Glasgow.

Below – 1886 – Thomas King & Co, Bellside and Greenhill.

18/09/1886 – Hamilton Advertiser – Robert Young, Greenhill Colliery Shotts appealed the entries £100 for brick-work engines &c and £15 for the brickworks at Greenhill. He contended that the correct valuation was £30 After fully hearing the case the Court fixed the respective sums at £80 and £15.

13/09/1887 – The Scotsman. On Sunday afternoon a middle-aged man, name unknown, was found dead in a drying stove at Greenhill Brickwork, No 9 coal pit near Cleland. The deceased was a vagrant and was known in the district as ‘Rough Jock’.

Below – 1893 – Advert – Thomas King & Co, Bellside & Greenhill by Motherwell.

Below – 1896 – Adverts for Thomas King & Co, Bellside & Greenhill by Motherwell.

Below  – 1896 – 1 Bellside, 2 Auchinlea, 3 + 4 Auchinlee and 5 + 6 Greenhill Brick and Tile Works.

Below – 1896 – Greenhill Colliery No 9 and No 12 pit Brickworks, Hareshaw.

01/09/1896 – Glasgow Herald – Greenhill Colliery Company Limited take over the business including the brickworks.

1899 – 1900 – Greenhill Colliery Company Limited, Coalmasters and brick manufacturers, Works Cleland. Office 52 St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

Below – 23/11/1896 – Glasgow Herald – The trustees of the late Robert Young brick manufacturer at Greenhill intimate the business has been acquired by the Greenhill Colliery Company Limited

21/05/1897 – Motherwell Times – Major Scott of Motherwell takes over the Auchinlea Estates. A few weeks ago it was publicly announced that the lands of Auchinlea and North Shaws, belonging to Colonel Buchanan, Drumpellier, had been purchased by Major Scott, Motherwell. The lands are rich in mineral, containing the famed Auchinlea freestone, partly leased by Messrs Taylor & King, and Messrs T. Gibb & Sons. Coal is also being worked Messrs Greenhill Colliery Company, Limited. The purchase by Major Scott has given the most lively satisfaction. He is the sole partner of the firm of Thomas King & Co., Bellside Quarries and Brickworks and Greenhill Quarries, and the largest employer of labour in the district. Respected by the general public, and almost worshipped by his employees, the event of his formally taking possession of the estate on May was made the occasion of extraordinary rejoicings by his friends, the tenants, and particularly his workmen. From the pits and quarries on the estate flags waved from every point. The principal decorations, however, were the result of the spontaneous and combined efforts of his employees at his own quarries and brickworks, and these were of the most elaborate description. From every door and window in the Bellside Buildings evergreens and bannerettes were hung; large poles bearing Union Jacks were set in all prominent places around the works; the cranes, workshops, and kilns were draped with evergreens and coloured cloth; the trees between the two works (a distance of one mile) were for the time made use of as standard-bearers, and from their tops, large flags waved; tall poles on blaize heaps bearing Union Jacks showed them to advantage for miles around. These, with triumphal arches of evergreens erected at various places welcoming the new laird, completed the most effective, picturesque, and extensive decorations ever witnessed in the district and were viewed by large numbers of sightseers from distances. To celebrate the event, Major Scott had on Saturday arranged to give his workers a free trip. Between four and five hundred availed themselves of his generosity, and leaving Omoa per special train, they picked up Major Scott and a few friends at Holytown and were soon in Gourock, where the Ivanhoe was waiting, being specially chartered to convey the excursionists around the Isle of Bute, and land them at Rothesay. Calling at Craigmore, where Mrs Scott and family were taken on board and greeted with hearty cheers, the fast steamer made its way all too quickly in the most delightful of weather and the smoothest of water through the Kyles, past the Maids and round the Island, arriving at Rothesay shortly after twelve o’clock. From this till 6.30, when the return journey was begun, the holiday seekers were at liberty to enjoy themselves as best they may, and from reports, all seem to have fully enjoyed themselves, the utmost good humour prevailing throughout the whole party. At Gourock, on the return journey, they gathered around the saloon carriage, and gave the gallant Major three roof-lifting cheers, singing “For he’s a jolly good fellow.’ Arrival at Omoa at about 9, brought to end one of the most pleasant days that could be desired, inaugurating the “taking possession of ” by the most popular laird in the district, and evidently the advent of warm weather. The excursion was accompanied by the time-famed brass band, which did much by their lively rendering of selections and dance music (which was fully taken advantage by the dancers onboard) to enliven the time. Since their last public appearance, this band has increased numerically, and improved much in playing, the selections rendered on Rothesay Pier showing that there is, still the old competing stuff in them yet.

1901 – Directory of clay workers – Greenhill Colliery Co Ltd, 52 St Enoch Square, Glasgow. Works Omoa, Cleland, Lanarkshire.

21/11/1906 – Invoice – Greenhill Colliery Co Limited, Greenhill coal, ironstone and brickworks. Omoa. CR Postal address, Cleland. Office 52 St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

1907 – 1919 – (Note – SBH – I believe the following reference to the Fireclay Brickworks at Hareshaw may well relate to these works detailed on this page. “The Calder Fireclay Company was founded in 1880 by Robert Fleming & Co with a brickworks at Armadale. The Company was reconstructed in 1892 as the Calder Fireclay Co and passed into the control of the Paine family who erected a brickworks 2 miles south-east of Airdrie near the Carnbroe Iron Works. They also worked the fireclay and had a brickworks at Hareshaw near Shotts from 1907 to 1919. James Paine joined his father in the business after WW1. Their firebricks, branded Calder, won an excellent reputation for service in blast furnaces.  The Calder works used 9 Newcastle type kilns with about a 50-ton capacity each. They used a large number of hand moulders as a 1925 catalogue claims all firebricks were handmade. This lack of brick manufacturing machines and the smallness of the Company made it difficult to compete in the 1930’s so an agreement was signed with the Bonnybridge Silica Company to merge on 18/01/1936. Calder owned a mineral field of about 30 acres at Chapelhall, 2 miles south-east of Airdrie with easy access to a railway siding. The combined company decided to build modern works on this site. By March 1937 the Bonnybridge and Calder Works were reported at full production and the new Chapelhall Works had started to produce saleable fire bricks.  The original intention to close the Calder Works was postponed. The Calder brand continued after the merger with the Calder Fireclay Company and was used mainly for bricks made at the Chapelhill Works.  Octo and Novo brands were introduced in the 1960s for high alumina bricks” Source Kenneth W Sanderson.

13/04/1907 – Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser – Contractor (certified), wanted to open up a fireclay mine at Hareshaw Brickworks near Salsburgh. Apply in the first instance to Calder Fireclay Company, Calder Brickworks, Coatbridge.

08/10/1909 – Wishaw Press – Two young youths hailing from Newarthill named James Boyle and Thomas Jelly were at the JP Court, Hamilton last Saturday and were fined 7s 6d or 5 days imprisonment for maliciously breaking windows at Greenhill Brickworks.

Below – 1910 – Greenhill Colliery No 9 and No 12 pit Brickworks, Hareshaw.

Below – 25/08/1926 – Falkirk Herald – Breach of the peace at Greenhill Brickworks.

Below – 1938 – Greenhill Colliery no 9 pit Brickworks, Hareshaw.