20/12/1955 – Aberdeen Evening Express – Two ‘decent men’ fined for theft and reset. A former brickworks foreman who stole 6 tons 6 cwt 3 qr, of scrap metal and 3 tons of cement from his employers was fined £2o to-day by Sheriff McDonald at Aberdeen. For resetting the cement another man was fined £10. The former foreman, John Stewart Cameron, (37). 4 Danestone Terrace. Bridge Don. dealer pleaded guilty to stealing the scrap metal at Harehill Brickworks, Murcar occupied by John Fyfe Ltd., quarry owners between June 17 and December 8. William Birnie, a motor lorry driver, 35 Ashvale Place, Aberdeen admitted resetting the cement. The fiscal, Mr A. L. Nixon said that on four dates Cameron sold the metal and received a total of £12. A dealer later sold it for £33 18s 6d. Regarding the cement, it was discovered that Cameron had instructed one of the firm’s lorry drivers to unload it onto a lorry used by Birnie who had frankly admitted having bought the cement from Cameron for £6 and later sold it for £12. It was valued at £21 and had not been recovered. Mr Nixon said that Cameron, a married man with one child, had been with the firm for four years and earned £10 a week He had now been dismissed.
22/05/1961 – Aberdeen Evening Express – Brick press attendants (female) required. Apply foreman, Harehill Brickworks, Murcar.
25/02/1965 – Aberdeen Press and Journal – Female trainee brick press attendants. Permanent position, five day week, good wages. Apply John Fyfe Ltd, Harehill Brickworks, Murcar, Bridge of Don.
27/04/1967 – Aberdeen Press and Journal – Cruden Bay girl injured in a brick machine. A 15-year-old Cruden Bay girl, who started work as a brickworker only two months ago was badly injured yesterday when she was in an accident involving a brick-making machine. Katherine Bowman, of Aulton Farm Cottages, Cruden Bay, was rushed to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Foresterhill where she was “fairly satisfactory’ last night. She is understood to have broken both her arms and to have been severely bruised. The accident occurred at Harehill Brickworks, Murcar, Bridge of Don owned by John Fyfe Ltd, granite quarry owners, Aberdeen. Mr Walter Gillan, 20 Blairythan Terrace, Foveran, foreman at the brickworks said that Katherine had been tending one of the brick making machines along with other employees when part of her clothing caught in the machinery and she was pulled into it. Some of her clothing was torn off before that machine could be stopped. She is one of several woman employees at the works.
05/10/1968 – Aberdeen Evening Express – Women and boys are required for training as brick press attendants at Harehill Brickworks, Murcar, Brides of Don. Excellent wages, permanent position, five day week, considerable opportunities for overtime working if required. Contact Mr Gillan, foreman, at the above factory.
18/06/1970 – Aberdeen Evening Express – Harehill Brickworks. Forklift driver wanted. Only experienced men need apply. Apply by letter to Mr Pirie, 7 Bon-Accord Square, Aberdeen.
15/01/1971 – Aberdeen Press and Journal – Bricklifters wanted. Male and female. Also, a labourer required. Apply to Mr Gillan, Harehill Brickworks, Murcar. Tel 240.
25/04/1973 – Aberdeen Press and Journal – Fitter required for maintenance work in brickworks in quarry. Welding experience an advantage. Good wages and conditions. Overtime available. Apply to Mr Black, Davidsons Contractors Ltd, Shielhill, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen. Tel Murcar 316. (Note – SBH – I am uncertain if this is linked to the Harehill Brickworks but I have detailed it here meantime to ensure it is recorded).
Below – 08/04/1981 – Aberdeen Evening Express – John Fyfe Limited, Harehill Brickworks, Bridge of Don. Fyfe Link.
The following refractory castable test samples were found during ground works at the Manuel Brickworks, Whitecross by Ian Suddaby and myself. These laboratory test samples are cement-based and have been marked with a marker type pen. Below – The cut edge of each sample. Below – some close up photographs of the cut edge. ….
Found at the Alloa Tileworks, Forthbank. These roof tiles appear to have been pressed or moulded using a cement mix. Alloa Tileworks, Forthbank, Alloa, Stirlingshire. . . . .
Alloa Tileworks, Forthbank, Alloa, Stirlingshire. 1913 – Works not present on this map. Below – 1946 – Alloa Tileworks, Forthbank (At B.M. – 20.28) Below – 1951 – Alloa Tileworks, Forthbank. Below – 1967 – Alloa Tileworks, Forthbank. Below – An assemblage of ‘Alloa’ roof tiles found on site. These look as if they are…
Many thanks to Lindsay Smith and Ian Roy for assisting in the finding and recovery of this brick from the Newpark Estate in Bellsquarry, Livingston area. Shotts Sand-Lime Brickworks, Shotts, North Lanarkshire aka locally as the ‘White Brickworks’. 06/05/1924 – The Scotsman – Electrical engineer’s visit to Shotts Works – Members of the West of…
Found by Ian Suddaby in the Dumbarton area. This example is not in my possession. Scottish Dunbrik Ltd, Stannergate, Dundee. . . . .
Russell Roof Tiles Below – 20/09/1990 – Galloway News – Russell Roof Tiles Ltd wish to recruit an Assistant Production Manager for their production facility at Lochmaben Nr Lockerbie The Company which is a member of the Alexander Russell Group of Companies manufactures quality roof tiles slates together with accessories in a highly competitive market…
Russell Roof Tiles 11/06/1987 – Galloway News – The Annandale Tile Co (1986) Ltd manufacturers of quality concrete roof tiles is a recently acquired subsidiary of the Alexander Russell group of companies. Their plans for business development have created an opportunity for an additional sales executive to represent their product range throughout North Cumbria, Borders…
Found by Ian Suddaby. These examples are not in my possession. They are made from cement/concrete, not clay. Ian states – These roof tiles were made by Russell Roof Tiles, possibly at Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire. The company was started near Glasgow by Alexander Russell in 1892. They’re made of a type of concrete, not clay. Nice though, and…
In ‘The British Clay Worker’ magazine dated 15/12/1952 there is an article entitled ‘Recent patents. An improvement hollow building brick or block. Stanislaw Sulich, 35 Grampian Road, Torry, Aberdeen. No 682,010’. This invention relates to an improvement in or modification of the building brick or block claimed and described in Patent No 607,557. This invention…
(Note – SBH – I have added some mention of Siporex here as a matter of interest only. It was a purely cement-based brick – no clay of any description used). Below – 12/06/1959 – Wishaw Press – Costain Concrete Co Ltd will manufacture Siporex in Scotland from early 1960. Siporex is a lightweight autoclaved…
