Love Street Brickworks, Paisley, Renfrewshire (Note – SBH – Are these the same works that are referenced as being the Victoria Brickworks, Caledonia Lane, Paisley, Renfrewshire)
Below – 09/12/1864 – Glasgow Herald – To master brickmakers and others. Wanted by a practical Englishman, a situation as manager, foreman or contractor. Has perfect knowledge of making and burning perforated or other kinds of wares; well acquainted with brick machinery. Two years in the present situation leaving through his present employers giving up the Works. Good reference. Apply to Wm. Cox, Manager, Ormeau Brickwork, Ballynafeigh, Belfast; or to Robert Adams, Love Street Brickworks, Paisley.
Below – 11/12/1865 – Sequestration of Robert Adams’ estate.
06/01/1866 – The Renfrewshire Independent – Sheriff Court Paisley. Before Sheriff Cowan. Examination of Robert Adams, brick manufacturer. Present, Mr Robert Boyd, accountant, trustee; Mr James Caldwell, writer, agent in the sequestration; Mr David Campbell, writer, and Mr George Hart, writer, agents for creditors. The bankrupt deponed – l commenced business in March 1864 as a brickmaker in a field adjoining Love Street, Paisley. Prior to that time, I had been a foreman to Mr Robert Brown, brickmaker, Shortroods. Mr John Bell was the proprietor of the field. I had a lease from Mr Bell for the use of the brickfield, dated 4th March 1464. When Mr Bell spoke to me about commencing business, he said he had the prospect of purchasing a field, and that he would take me in as a partner; but that as he did not wish the public to know that he was in the business, he said he would like it to be conducted in my own name. I said I would rather not, as I thought be might not stand at my back to support me in the event of any difficulties arising. He said he would not deceive me – that he would stand at my back. After the lease was signed, we had one particular conversation about our being partners. Mr Bell was to get a lordship of 5s a thousand bricks, and I was to get all the profit that was left. I expected we were to share the losses alike, but we never had any conversation on this point. Prior to the last month, I told all my creditors that Mr Bell was a partner. This was after I had suspended payments, but I never told anyone before that because Mr Bell did not want it made known. I had no capital when I commenced business. It was arranged between Mr Bell and me that I was to go to him on the pay nights and get the money to pay the workmen. I did so, and he advanced all the money for a certain time, down to the end of July 1864. I can’t tell the precise amount he advanced, but it would be about £20 or £30 a fortnight. I gave Mr Bell £130 in October last. At the same time, I paid Mr Wm. Hill, coal agent, £24. After I became insolvent, Mr Bell wanted me to sign a trust deed, which I declined to do, as there was no provision in it for my family. He said he would give me money to go abroad. He first offered me £5 for this purpose, but I said that would not do. I consulted a writer in Glasgow about taking out sequestration for me, but I paid him no money. I did give him a sum of £5 but it was about six weeks previous to my sequestration being taken out. The second time I called upon him I gave him the £5. The money was for advice. I just handed him the money. I had two horses, and it was arranged that one of my creditors should take one of them and work it for its meat; the other horse was let out by me one day to graze in the field adjoining my house, from which it disappeared, and I don’t know where it is. I have made up a statement of my affairs which I handed to the trustee, and which I think is correct. The liabilities are stated at £578 17s 1/2d, without including rent or money advanced to Mr Bell. If the rent and the money advanced by Mr Bell, after deducting what was repaid him, had been added to the liabilities in my said state of affairs, it would have been £748. The assets are £63 8s 1d. I account for the difference as follows – Smith and Young were paid £40 for wood, and I am owing them £16 used for starting the work. I paid£25 for building the chimney stalk and engine seat; about £17 for boggies and barrows; about £12 for iron foundry work; about £18 connected with the building of the engine seat; plumber work £12; another sum of £17 for the smith work of the boggies and barrows. I account for the remaining difference in this way, that the bricks were never sold at a price sufficient to defray the cost of making. I regularly consulted Mr Bell as my partner. He also made out my accounts but never discharged any workmen – The examination was then adjourned.
13/01/1866 – Paisley Herald and Renfrewshire Advertiser – Paisley Bankruptcy Court. The examination of Robert Adams, Brick Manufacturer, Love Street, Paisley (Surname Adams – may not be part of the Adam family of brick makers). Paisley Bankruptcy Court, Tuesday, January 9 (Before Sheriff Cowan.)
In the examination of Robert Adams, a brick manufacturer, Love Street, Paisley.
Present – Mr Robert Boyd, accountant, trustee; Mr James Caldwell, writer, the agent in the sequestration; Mr David Campbell, writer, Mr George Hark, writer, and Mr Gavin Hamilton, writer, Glasgow, agent for creditors.
Compeared John Bell, warehouseman, Glasgow, who being solemnly sworn, and examined, deponed as follows:-I first became acquainted with the bankrupt about a year before letting him in the field. I proposed purchasing the field as an investment and spoke to the bankrupt about it. He told me he had invented a machine for making bricks which he represented as better than any machine in use. (Note – SBH – Possibly the one that manufactured these bricks –
click me ). He was anxious for getting the machine tried. I agreed to let him the ground with a machine and engine. He showed me a statement that he could make bricks independent of a lordship at from 9s to 10s per 1000. He was anxious that I should go into partnership with him, as he was sure he could make money if I would join him. I considered the matter and consulted my agent, and afterwards told the bankrupt I would not go into partnership with him. I then agreed to let him the ground and did so in terms of the lease, dated 4th March 1864. That was the essence of all the conversation I had with the bankrupt about going into partnership with him before the lease was signed. After the lease was signed, while I was walking home with the bankrupt, he said he would have preferred I had gone into partnership with him. I said that would not have answered my purpose, and declined to consider his proposal. I never had any other conversation with the bankrupt about going into partnership, and I never again heard him mention the subject till after his insolvency. The bankrupt’s daybook was brought to me by the bankrupt, and I took a copy for my own information, to enable me to see how many ricks were made, and to see whether I should exact the lordship specified by the lease, or make payment of the fixed rent. The bankrupt’s books were kept by his brother-in-law and himself. The ledger and day book and cash book, which have been handed to me by the trustee, were written by me, or by my orders, from the books kept by the bankrupt and his brother-in-law. It also assisted the bankrupt in making out his accounts. The bankrupt never brought to me any money that he had collected in payment of accounts. I never either received or paid an account for the bankrupt. I never either engaged nor paid off any of the workers nor interfered with them in their work. I ascertained that an engine and boiler was for sale in Airdrie, and sent the bankrupt to inspect it, and on his reporting that it would answer, I purchased it and paid the price-£77-from my own funds, and I now exhibit the receipt, dated 25th March 1864. I instructed Hanna, Donald, & Wilson, of Paisley, to make a machine according to a pattern supplied by the bankrupt. I paid the price to the makers, being £270, and I now exhibit their receipt, dated 27th January 1865. I never charged the bankrupt with the price of these or entered the prices in these books. I never made any arrangement about upholding the machine, or engine, or boiler, or alterations on them, and I did not consider myself responsible for any expenses that might be incurred for these purposes. I never ordered either alterations or repairs. On the 16th of November last, I received £129 of cash from the bankrupt on account of money advanced as entered in the cash book as above mentioned and written by me or under my directions. The said cash book was written at intervals of a month, two months, and sometimes three months, from information furnished to me by the bankrupt. I had a bill over-due for £400 granted to me by the bankrupt. The bill had been signed blank. At the end of the first year of his lease, I told him that I wished his acceptance for the cash I had advanced to him during the year, which amounted to £430. I did not intend to charge him any interest for the advances. The bill was signed in April 1865. At the time he was busy working at the machine, and I had not an opportunity of writing out the bill, but I told him it was for the cash advanced. The amount on the bill should have been £430, but I had made a mistake in summing up my note of cash advanced. When I got the money I was not aware that the bankrupt was insolvent. Mr Hill asked at the time, and in my presence, the amount of his debts, and the bankrupt said they would be about £40 or £50, and that was all I knew.
By Mr Hart – A few of the first entries in the bankrupt’s wages book are filled by me, as he did not know the way to write them. For the first two or three months, I advanced to the bankrupt the cash required to pay the workmen’s wages and other matters, but I did not make the advances in the specific sums stated in said book. In the wages book in my handwriting, there is entered the name of the bankrupt in the list of the wages, and the sum of £2 set opposite his name in the cash column. I do not know what the £2 represented, and I did not understand that it was the bankrupt’s wages, but he told me it was a sum he had drawn for himself. I believe the lordship stipulated in my lease to the bankrupt to be about double the rate charged for other brick-fields. The rent was higher in consideration that I was to provide the machine and engine. The machine and engine are not mentioned in the lease. I did not think it necessary to mention them. Having bought and supplied them, I thought it was all that was necessary. There was no arrangement between us for my fitting up of the engine. I believe Messrs Young & Smith supplied the engine seat. The bankrupt never paid me £100 or another sum that I might pay for said engine or machine. I did not assure the bankrupt that I was really a partner, notwithstanding the lease. It was the bankrupt who suggested that I should have the option of taking one-half of the profits instead of the fixed rent or lordship as provided in the lease. During the time the bankrupt was in business he did not consult me as his partner. I prevented Mr Smith, contractor, carting away rubbish in July last from the brickfield, as it contained soil. The accounts were generally made out by me or my directions. At the time I got a payment of the £129 I did not know the bankrupt was hopelessly insolvent, and I did not think him so. I believe it was on that day the work was stopped. I got part of the money at 8 o’clock in the morning, and the principal part between 9 ad 10. The men were then working in the field, but I believe bankrupt stopped payment that day. They were not then working by my orders. I afterwards ordered the men to continue to work for a fortnight thereby, at my own accord, to prevent the stock from being wasted. The stamp upon which the said bill is written will not carry £430 being the amount due to me at the time. The said bill was filled up as it now stands within three days of being signed by the bankrupt. I did not specify the amount that it was to be granted for, but I had previously told the bankrupt the amount of my cash advances as being more than £500, and that I wished his acceptance therefor. I did not tell Mr Hill that the bill was for £300, nor did I tell this to Mr Gavin Hamilton, writer, Glasgow. On the morning previous to getting the £129 I had told the bankrupt if he would pay me £150 I would keep the bill from annoying him. I had previously mentioned £250 as the sum. I will not say that before getting the £129, I did not offer to accept £130 in full, but I have no recollection of making this offer, although Mr Hill says I did. I believe when the bankrupt paid me the £129 he intended it for £131, and I thought that was the sum I actually got. If it be of any advantage to the estate I am quite willing to hold the £129 in full of account, and I will do so whether or not it be for the advantage of the estate.
Interrogated by Mr Gavin Hamilton, writer, Glasgow, as mandatory for Peter Robertson, India rubber manufacturer, Glasgow, a creditor, some days prior to the date on which the £129 was paid me I made up a list of accounts owing to the bankrupt from the books in my possession. This book which I processed, did not contain, I believe, a copy of all the accounts due to the trustee. I supplied a list of debts to an agent in Glasgow for the purpose of preparing an assignation in my favour, which the bankrupt had agreed to give me in his security of my debt. The assignation was prepared. I did not call upon the bankrupt with an agent, but if I did so myself, to get the assignation completed. He declined signing until he could see his agent, Mr Hamilton. The day after this I met Mr Hamilton, and he advised the bankrupt not to sign. I don’t recollect that the reason assigned by Mr Hamilton for advising him to sign was, that he could not see how he was able to pay his debts in full. There was only one meeting, and there was no subsequent meeting between Mr Hamilton and me. I did not know the whole of the bankrupt’s debts. The only one I knew was Mr Hill’s. I did not know whether Messrs Hanna, Donald, & Wilson’s debt was paid or not. When the £129 was paid I told the bankrupt if he could carry on I would reduce his lord-ship to the extent of one-half, and supply him with some wood for a shed. I did not offer him money to carry on. I am not aware of making any other offer. I offered to give Mrs Adam £5 if she would persuade the bankrupt to sign a trust deed for be-hoof of his creditors. I believe this was after £129 was paid to me. It was made in the bankrupt’s house. It was at the same meeting at which the money had been paid. My wish to get the trust deed signed was for the be-hoof of the creditors. I was not aware that there would not be 20s in the pound for all the creditors, including myself. I supplied the greater portion of the money to the bankrupt to provide his plant, but I cannot tell what amount was expended in this way. I will produce the assignation forthwith.
By Mr Hart-The meeting in Glasgow about assignation took place before I was paid the £129.
At this stage of the proceedings, Mr Hamilton moved for an adjournment of the examination of Mr Bell, in order that the assignation referred to in his deposition might be produced, which was agreed by the Sheriff.
Compeared the bankrupt, who on being re-examined, deponed – I have just heard my deposition read over, emitted on 3rd instant. 16th October is stated in more than one instance when it should have been 16th November. In accounting for the bricks sold by me since 1st August last, I omitted to state that there is included in the sum of £350 given as the price of these, some accounts not yet recovered. I was called upon by the trustee to produce my time books. I said to him yesterday I would do so if I could find them. They may be in the office to which I do not have access, or they may have been mislaid. The sum entered in the cash book as paid to the workmen was paid in cash over and above the lines, I gave them to ????lock. (Mr Bullock?) In particular, I swear that James McGarraby ???? workmen were paid in cash the sum set opposite his ???? that over and above said lines. The sum of £40 stamp to be due by my estate to James Thomson, Dumbarton was ??? by me from him in two sums of £10 and £36. That was at the beginning of summer at Dumbarton, and ????? about July, both of last year. I got both of these sums on the condition that I was to deliver to him bricks to that if when he should fall in with a customer for them. I at the time granted him a receipt and obligation in terms of our arrangement. He never sent me any written intimation to forward the bricks, as he had not got a customer. John Lindsay, Holytown, given up in my state of affairs as a creditor for £30, is my brother -in – law. He is a clothier there. The debt includes an account for clothes to myself and my family for fully two years past, which I think will amount to £20, and the sum of £10 I borrowed from him at the beginning of September last. for which at the time I granted him an I O U. This sum was applied in payment of men’s wages, as well as the £83 stated in my previous deposition. I did not tell Mr Wilson, engineer, that I had borrowed money from a friend to take out sequestration.
By Mr Hamilton – The only time books I had were kept by a clerk. I am not sure that I had two. they were kept at the commencement of the business. Afterwards, I kept a note of men’s time upon slips of paper. After being marked in the wages book, they lay about the office, and I do not know what became of them. The statutory oath was then administered to the bankrupt.
Friday, January 12. Present the same sedentary as on the previous day.
Compeared John Bell, who being sworn and re-examined, deponent – I have just heard my previous disposition read over and adhere thereto, with these explanations, 1st, on the cash advance it is stated I was not to charge interest, but this only applied to the end of the first year, at which time the sums then advanced the bankrupt had promised to repay me; and 2d between the date of my informing the bankrupt that the cash advanced by me to him amounted to above £500 and the time he granted the blank bill in my favour I had received from him £98 which reduced the sum so advanced by me to the amount for which said bill is drawn.
By Mr Hamilton – I now produce the assignation prepared by my agent in Glasgow of the debts due to the bankrupt, but which was never executed. Under the lease, I was entitled to have a copy of all the bankrupts books. The purpose of this was that I might know the quantities of bricks being manufactured by the bankrupt, and also how he was conducting his business. After 12th April 1865, as far as I see from the cash book at present I had advanced the bankrupt. I believe this is all I advanced. The list of debts annexed to the unexecuted assignation produced by me was made up by me not from the bankrupt’s books themselves but from the copies in my possession. At the meeting in my agents office in Glasgow with Mr Hamilton as agent for the bankrupt, Mr Hamilton did not, so far as I recalled, recommend that a meeting of the bankrupt’s creditors should be convened about three days after this meeting that I called upon the bankrupt and suggested to him the propriety of calling upon my agent, Mr Caldwell. Previous to this the bankrupt had agreed to grant a trust deed for behoof of his creditors. It was on the same day, but prior to this visit that the bankrupt paid me the £129. This sum was on 16th November last. After I had received that sum, but on the same day, the bankrupt informed me he was going to Glasgow to see Mr Hamilton, that or the following day. The first interview I had with the bankrupt that day took place at 6 a.m., and the second about 8 a.m. On being asked whether he had prior to this consulted Mr Caldwell in regard to his financial position in reference to the bankrupt’s affairs, except in so far that he was interested under the lease, depones – I never did. At 7 p.m. of that date, I met the bankrupt in Mr Caldwell’s office. The bankrupt brought to that meeting at Mr Caldwell’s a list of accounts which he said were due to him. These were the accounts that were I believe endorsed in favour of Mr Hill, for be-hoof of the creditors. I am not aware if the advances I made to the bankrupt were entered by him in his books. This closed the examination.
Below – 27/01/1866 – Paisley and Renfrewshire Gazette – Brickfield in Paisley to let – To let on Lease, for such number of years as may be agreed upon, The Love Street, Brickfield, lying betwixt the foot of Love Street and the Greenock Road, Paisley, with the dwelling house, stables, barn and loft, as recently occupied Mr Robert Adams. There is a plentiful supply of excellent clay on the field, and, from its proximity to the town, it well adapted for carrying on the business of a Brick and Tile Manufactory. There are a steam engine and gearing, boiler, stalk vent, brick machine, and other fittings and erections on the premises, which could be taken by the tenant at a valuation. Apply to Mr James Caldwell, Writer, No. 33 Old Sneddon Street, Paisley. Paisley, January 1866. (Note – SBH – I am uncertain whether this is a reference to the Victoria Brickworks of the clay pits shown on the associated 1895 map)
01/05/1866 – Edinburgh Evening Courant – Creditors of Robert Adams, Brick Manufacturer, Love Street, Paisley will receive a dividend at the counting-house there, of Robert Boyd, accountant there. 12th June.
27/04/1867 – Renfrewshire Independent -Theft – A journeyman engineer in town was brought up charged with having on Saturday been found in the Love Street Brickwork occupied by John Bell, with intent to steal and being previously fined 10s 6d for a similar offence, he was sentenced to 10 days imprisonment.
