The following bricks were found during excavations at Lewis Castle, Isle of Lewis by James Crawford.
The bricks below show possible dog and cat paw prints.
They are believed to have been made at the Claypark brickworks and are precursors to the bricks later marked ‘Lews’
These bricks appear to have been leftover on completion of works at Lewis castle by a MacNab of Oban who undertook the works on the castle for Sir James, with a bit of controversy that led to a court case.
The bricks are likely the precursors of the brick that had a frog and embellished with ‘ Lews’ and produced circa 1847.
Below – a plan drawn in 2002 showing the remnants of the old Seaforth Lodge built in 1650 and restructured by Matheson in 1848/50 the bricks were located in the window at the old gable of Seaforth lodge shown in black. They had never been used.
James Crawford states – The Island of Lewis was purchased by Sir James Matheson in 1844. Matheson had made his money by founding with his partner Jardine the trading co. of Jardine – Matheson of Hong Kong, who’s main trading was in Opium! He started building his mansion on the site of old Seaforth Lodge built by the Makenzie’s of Seaforth. They had bought the Island for next to nothing by being one of the favourites of James V1 who had executed the last of the MacLeods of Lewis for being troublesome.
The building of the so-called Castle was started in 1847 and the contractor was a MacNab of Oban. Overseeing the works was a Clerk called Scobie who was overlooking some rather shoddy work by MacNab. Matheson engaged a Chamberlin of his Island in 1849 a John, Munro, Makenzie. Pretty bright guy and I was to discover that he was a very early Civil Engineer. Makenzie had a payment due MacNab of £6000 stopped and this led to the court case.
Several years ago Makenzie’s diary was allowed to be published by his descendants and made an interesting read. He is in one record, going to the brickworks in 1851 to lay off the workmen because of the costs of producing the bricks and pipe tiles.
1897 – Annual report of the School Committee of the City of Boston – … New Primary Schoolhouse, Vernon street, Roxbury, additional, §14,000. — It will be noted that the next few weeks will witness the completion of several school-houses begun during the previous year, including this new Primary School-house containing ten rooms, and replacing…
Messrs Stewarts and Lloyds Ltd, Main Street, Coatbridge. Clyde Tube Works, Main Street, Coatbridge. Canmore – This building now appears to be a courthouse. Information. 22/09/1906 – Coatbridge Leader – Messrs Stewarts and Lloyds Ltd. Description of new offices. Messrs Stewart and Lloyds Limited have just completed the erection of new offices at the corner…
Many thanks to Mike Allan for the following information and photographs. Mike states – These two octagonal chimney ‘cans’ were salvaged by me from our family house at Osborne Place, Dundee (built 1869). Methven, Kirkcaldy, was in the business of both homewares and utilities. Garnkirk, Lanark, made utilitarian wares. Ours was one of 4 houses,…
Ian Suddaby states – Carrick Academy in Maybole, Ayrshire is soon to replaced with a modern community hub, school and leisure centre. The existing school was built from red brick and red sandstone in 1925 and extra accommodation was added in the 1970s. Digging work in the grounds suggests that the 1925 building was made…
Yoker Railway Station, Yoker, Glasgow aka Yoker Ferry Station. The bricks below were recovered by Michael Fallone and his grandson Max Borland at the site of the Yoker Ferry Station, Yoker, Glasgow. The outward appearance of the bricks with regards colour and texture is exactly the same but the bricks were manufactured by two completely…
Found by Drew Mitchell in the Fife area. This brick came from an internal, original wall of Drews house and is therefore dated 1892 as per the house build. Appin Brickworks, Townhill, Dunfermline. . . . .
Found on the old site of the Atlas and Etna Brickworks, Armadale, West Lothian. Unmarked brick with cat paw prints. There may be another 2 paw prints on the brick but I am not certain so I have not marked them. Unidentified maker. Find location would suggest Scottish origins but … Could the central circular…
Canmore – Exploratory excavations near the edge of the Merse have revealed an area that was either the off-loading area for the 18th-century jetty or the site of a brickworks known to be functioning in the 1750s. An unroofed structure annotated ‘Old Brick Kiln’ is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map *******************************…
The Oban Hills Hydropathic Sanatorium was a proposed Hydropathic Hotel in Oban, Scotland. Construction of the hotel began in 1881 on a hill east of the downtown overlooking the town and the harbour. Had it been completed the hotel would have been a major landmark on the Oban skyline. The hotel was never completed due…
20/02/1886 – Falkirk Herald – Field young grass, about 6 acres. Hay or grazing. Apply Thomas Burns, The Firs Brick and Tile Work. 29/01/1887 – Alloa Advertiser – For sale. Quantity of drain pipes, various sizes, house tiles and flower pots, all superior quality. Load C.R or N.B Rail. James Potter, Firs Brick and Tile…
