Mayfield Brickworks, Carluke, South Lanarkshire.

14/12/1934 – Carluke and Lanark Gazette – Suggestion put forward to manufacture bricks at Mayfield, Carluke and utilising the unused tors there.

21/12/1945 – Carluke and Lanark Gazette – New brickwork for Carluke – There is a likelihood of a new brickwork being started in Carluke. The Coltness Iron Co., Ltd., is contemplating starting a new work at Mayfield at an early date and it is expected that when in full production it will give employment to over 40 people. Preliminary work is in progress in anticipation of the “go ahead ” order.

1947 – Mayfield Brickworks start.

1947 – c. 1965 – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests that the Coltness Iron Company operated the brickworks between these dates.

05/08/1949 – Motherwell Times – Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill firms on parade at Exhibition … Among the largest of the county exhibitors is the Coltness Iron Company Ltd., Newmains, which will display steel and iron castings, bricks and cement … The firm’s display will let the public and manufacturers see the various castings done at Newmains, the bricks produced at Mayfield and Stepps Brickworks (Stepends?), and cement from the Newmains works.

1961 – 1962 – A directory of British clay products and manufacturers – Coltness Iron Company Ltd, Newmains, Wishaw, Lanarkshire. Tel Wishaw 2212 – 3. Tel Address – Coltness Newmains. Works – Mayfield Brickworks, Carluke, Lanarkshire and Stepends Brickworks, Plains, Airdrie, Lanarkshire.

24/05/1963 – Wishaw Press – Bricklayers wanted for a new kiln, Carluke. Overtime and bonus. Apply to the foreman bricklayer, Duncan Stewart, Builders (Bonnybridge) Ltd, Bonnybridge. Mayfield Brickworks, Carluke.

22/05/1964 – Wishaw Press – Change of title for Coltness Iron Company. New company to boost brick production. Bold new plans for the future are announced this week By the Coltness Iron Company Ltd. The plans, aimed at putting the company in the forefront of Scottish industry, include a change of title, the formation of a new company to handle sales, the switch of headquarters from Newmains to Glasgow and a 75 per cent increase in brick production at the Morningside, Airdrie and Carluke brickworks. The ” meet the future ” plans were announced at a Press Conference, which followed an extraordinary general meeting of the company, held in the Central Hotel, Glasgow, last Friday. Company chairman, Lt. Col. J. F. H. Houldsworth, announced the change of name. After 127 years the old title Coltness Iron Company Limited goes out. The new company title is COLTNESS INDUSTRIES LIMITED. A new company, Coltness (Sales) Ltd. has been set up to handle all the sales of Coltness Industries and group headquarters are to be moved from Main Street. Newmains, to a new building which is almost complete, Clive House, India Street, Glasgow. Brick production at Chapel Brickworks, Morningside, Mayfield Brickworks, Carluke and Stepends Brickwork Airdrie is to be stepped up by 75% which should result in the production of over one million bricks a week. The step-up in production has meant an investment of £150,000 by the company in new machinery. The plans will mean an additional 30 jobs at the Chapel Brickworks, Morningside, where a new kiln is being built and where production is expected to bump from 130,000 to 420,000 bricks a week in August. Referring to the change of name of the company Col. Houldsworth said: ” This is a natural step to take, especially as the company is no longer identified with iron and steel foundries or, indeed, coal mining although we are still proud to be of service to the N.C.B. through our subsidiary company, Beckett & Anderson who manufacture mining equipment.” Col. Houldsworth continued “We are now a well-diversified Scottish industrial company with widespread interests on Clydeside, in Stirlingshire and Lanarkshire manufacturing bricks, nails, central heating, mining haulage and marine winch equipment. Our total assets are over £1 million. We employ 400 people and we hope before long that through growth, development and diversification, we shall employ many more. I believe all the changes underline our belief in the future and our intention to think far ahead and plan accordingly”. Concluding, Col Houldsworth said,” I hope that what I have said indicates that Coltness Industries Limited are today 127 years young. We intend to keep it that way and we intend to play our part in the life and prosperity of Scotland. Coltness Iron Works were founded at Newmains, in 1837. In 1899 Coltness Iron Company became a public company. By that date, in addition to nine blast furnaces and iron and steel foundries, the Company owned 20 coal mines and pits in the counties of Lanark, West Lothian, Fife and Midlothian.

By 1930 the Company’s coal mining interests had spread to West Cumberland and Warwickshire. Following the nationalisation of the mines on 1st January 1947, the Company was left with its iron and steel foundries, brickworks and blast furnaces and cement works. Since then the management has sought expansion by diversification in various directions through the parent company and its subsidiaries. In 1947 Mayfield brickworks were built at Carluke and the following year Beckett & Anderson became a wholly-owned subsidiary. In 1950 Newmains Brickwork company was purchased and during 1952 the iron and steel foundries were sold. Eight years ago J. & W. Somerville became a wholly-owned subsidiary. In 1963 the blast furnace, cement works closed.

c. 1965 – 1978 – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests that the Caledonian Brick Company operated the brickworks between these dates.

Below – 25/06/1970 – The Glasgow Herald – Coltness Brickworks – Mayfield, Newmains and Stepends – “Coltness for Service”

26/07/1974 – Wishaw Press – Maintenance engineers and electrician required for Mayfield Brickworks, Carluke, £0.856 per hour plus threshold payments, overtime available. Apply Caledonian Brick Company Limited., Mayfield Works, Wilton Road, Carluke. Tel. Carluke 71397.

1978 – 1984 – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests that the Scottish Brick Corporation operated the brickworks between these dates.

1984 -? – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests that the Glasgow Iron and Steel Company operated the brickworks between these dates.

October 2011 – Mayfield Brickworks, which closed its doors for the last time in October 2011, was quickly dismantled in 2012 following safety concerns.

Below – An undated photograph of a kiln at the Mayfield Brickworks.

Tagged with: Caledonian Brick Company, Coltness Iron Company, GISCOL, Mayfield, Scottish Brick Corporation, Stepends

CIC 4 EA
— 10/01/2024

Found by Eddie Mclean in the Glasgow area. I believe CIC stands for Coltness Iron Company – CIC is followed by 4SA or similar and the ‘B’ is marked at an angle to the rest of the mark Mayfield Brickworks, Carluke, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Newmains Fireclay Works, Morningside, Lanarkshire, Stepends Brickworks, Airdrie, Lanarkshire.
SBC
— 24/12/2021

Found by Eddie McLean in the Glasgow area. Scottish Brick Corporation. Note the 2 linear lugs below the ‘B’. Following the nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947, the National Coal Board (NCB) inherited a number of brickworks. Around 1969, saw the NCB selling off its brickworks with the Scottish Brick Corporation (SBC) taking over…
The Mayfield brickheads
— 27/09/2021

The following head sculptures are believed to have been made from clay by an employee of the Mayfield Brickworks, Carluke, sometime during the 1960’s. The heads are 16cm high with the exception of the head with the hat which is 18cm high. They are believed to represent some of the workers at the brickworks. ….
SBC
— 05/04/2021

Found by Paul Goodwin in the Castle Douglas area. I am not in possession of this example. Scottish Brick Corporation. Following the nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947, the National Coal Board (NCB) inherited a number of brickworks. Around 1969, saw the NCB selling off its brickworks with the Scottish Brick Corporation (SBC) taking…
SBC
— 05/04/2021

Found by Matt Wilson near Kirkintilloch. I am not in possession of this example. Scottish Brick Corporation. Following the nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947, the National Coal Board (NCB) inherited a number of brickworks. Around 1969, saw the NCB selling off its brickworks with the Scottish Brick Corporation (SBC) taking over most of…
Carrick Academy, Maybole, South Ayrshire
— 04/04/2021

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…
SBC
— 22/11/2019

This example is in the possession of the National Museum, Scotland. Note the small lug above the ‘C’. The rear has an unusual square-ended frog with a middle bar. Scottish Brick Corporation. Following nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947, the National Coal Board (NCB) inherited a number of brickworks. Around 1969, saw the NCB…
Birkfield Brickworks, Carluke, South Lanarkshire
— 18/11/2019

1952 – Glasgow Iron and Steels’s first venture in brickmaking was in 1952 when it commissioned and built the present Birkfield Brickworks in Carluke and this was consolidated in 1954 with the purchase of the Motherwell Brick Company Limited. Nevertheless, brickmaking remained an ancillary part of the company operations until 1976. 11/01/1952 – Carluke and…
Giffnock Brickworks, Thornliebank, Giffnock, East Renfrewshire
— 03/11/2019

Jordanhill Brickworks were in operation until the raw materials were exhausted in 1928. From them were drawn the bricks for part of Glasgow Corporation’s housing estate at Knightswood. Whitewashed low roofed houses occupied by workers in the brickfields while modern buildings were raised around them struck a note of incongruity for a year or two….
Coltness 30
— 09/08/2019

Found by Michael Fallone in the Glasgow area. Mayfield Brickworks, Carluke, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Newmains Fireclay Works, Morningside, Lanarkshire, Stepends Brickworks, Airdrie, Lanarkshire. .

Similar articles