Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry

30/07/1879 – Dundee Advertiser – Highland Society show at Perth  Messrs James Anderson & Co. Portland cement merchants and brick and tile manufacturers, Errol exhibit a very select collection of agricultural drain tiles and pipes from 1 1/2 up to 14″, also roofing tiles and common made wire cut and patent pressed bricks. A specimen of cement was tested in our presence and showed a tensile strain of 1090 lbs to a 1 1/2″ section. The drain tiles are of a superior description being clean-finished inside.

03/07/1880 – Dundee Peoples Journal – Megginch Pottery, Errol -Several years ago Mr James Gentle, builder, Dundee, purchased the small estate of Falla, near Errol, on which there had been a brick and tile work on a small scale since 1842. Messrs James Adamson & Co., coal, brick, lime, and cement merchants, Dundee, secured a lease of the works shortly after the purchase by Mr Gentle, and ever since have been adding to and improving them.  The most of the land, extending to upwards of 60 acres, is a very fine clay, with a depth of from 7 to 26 feet.  At present only fourteen acres are occupied, but there is ample opportunity for extension.  Previous to Messrs Adamson’s tenancy all the branches of brick and tile making were carried on by hand labour.  This is now a thing of the past, steam power having been introduced.  Instead of making bricks by hand they are produced by a powerful horizontal machine, with large crushing rollers to break up any stones that may be in the clay.  The delivery is nine bricks at a time.  The clay passes from the die in a continual stream, is cut into lengths, ad run over rollers on to a cutting table, and the nine bricks are delivered on a board ready for removal.  This machine makes from fifteen to twenty thousand bricks per day.  Large pipes for leading drains, from 4 to 14 inches diameter, are manufactured by one of Ainsley’s patent per-perpendicular machines, capable of turning out 1800 of the largest size per day.  The smaller sizes of drain tiles are also made by steam-power, and the clay is all subjected to treatment by a powerful pug mill to bring it into a uniformly plastic state.  All the machinery is driven by a very fine 30-horse power horizontal engine.  That nothing should be lost, the firm have carried the exhaust steam into a large drying stove, consisting of two flats, the upper having a sparred floor, the lower being laid with pavements set on brick channels closely jointed.  The steam being forced through these channels, given off a high degree of heat, which pervades the whole stove, and a large quantity of material can be dried daily.  There are six large kilns for brick and tile burning.  The two largest, which are round in shape and built on the Leeds principle, were erected by the lessees.  The firm have now started a new branch of industry.  Satisfied after repeated experiments that their clay is well adapted for the manufacture of brown ware, flower-pots, and the inner class of terra-cotta, they recently established a pottery known as the Megginch Pottery, Errol.  In the connection with the pottery, two kilns-one for the common class of glassed ware, the other for gilding and hand-painted ware-have been erected, and they are in the course of finishing plungers and other apparatus for refining the clay.  Messrs Adamson & Co employ between forty and fifty hands, ad by the development of the new industry they hope to employ a great many more by-and-by.

25/11/1881 – Dundee Courier – James Adamson & Co – Best London Portland cement, regular Shipments by D. P. L. Shipping Company Steamers, guaranteed of the best quality manufactured.  Scotch, English, and Irish limes.  Horse mangers, cattle troughs and every description of fire clay goods. Scotch and English household, steam and smithy coal in trucks at any station.  Household Coal Delivered in Town by careful men.     Flower pots, all sizes, in stock, seed pans, fern stands, vases and agricultural drain tiles and pipes from 11/2 inch to 14 inches diameter. Megginch Pottery, Errol and 24 East Dock Street, Dundee.

28/04/1882 – Dundee Advertiser – James Adamson & Co – Best London Portland Cement, regular shipments by D.P & L Shipping Company Steamers, guaranteed of the best quality manufactured Scotch, English and Irish limes, Horse Mangers, Cattle troughs and every description of fireclay goods. Scotch and English household steam and smithy coal in trucks at any station. Household coal delivered in town by careful men.

Flower pots all sizes in stock. Seed pans, fern stands and vases. Agricultural drain tiles and pipes from 10″ to 14″ diameter. Megginch Pottery, Errol and 24 Est Dock Street, Dundee.

26/06/1886 – Glasgow Herald – Scotch bankrupts – Sequestrations – June 24th – James Adamson & Company, coal, brick, lime and cement merchants, Dundee and brick and tile manufacturers, Megginch Pottery, Errol and James Adamson, coal brick, lime and cement merchant, Dundee and brick and tile manufacturer, Megginch Pottery, Errol, the sole partner in the firm,as such partner, and as an individual. Creditors to meet in Lambs Hotel, Dundee, 2nd July at 12 o’clock. – James Pollock, 32 Bank Street, Dundee – Agent.

29/07/1886 – Dundee Courier – Bankruptcy Court – In the Sheriff Court on Wednesday, James Adamson, sole partner of the firm of James Adamson & Co., coal, lime, and cement merchants, Dundee, and brick and tile manufacturers, Megginch Pottery, Errol, appeared for the examination.  There were present-Mr D. McIntyre, trustee, and Mr Pollock, his agent.  The bankrupt deponed that he had handed over all of his books to the trustee, and would give any other information required.  The state of affairs produced showed assets amounting to £2547 11s 5d; preference debts, £268 14s 5d; ordinary debts, £3123 19s 3d; and leaving a deficiency of £845 2s3d, or a probable dividend of 14s 7d subject to expenses.  The usual statutory oath was administered.

12/11/1886 – Edinburgh Gazette    –  Notice of dividend – In the sequestration of James Adamson & Company, Coal Brick Lime and cement merchants, Dundee and brick and tile manufacturers, Megginch Pottery, Errol and James Adamson, coal, brick, lime and cement merchants, Dundee and brick and tile manufacturers Megginch Pottery, Errol, the sole partner of that firm, as such partner and as an individual. Daniel McIntyre, an accountant in Dundee hereby gives notice that a first dividend will be paid within his offices, 13 Albert Street, Dundee upon the 25/12/1886.

25/11/1898 – Dundee Courier – To let or sell by private bargain together or separately. The small estate of Fala in the parish of Errol and the Megginch Brick and Tile Pottery Works thereon.

The Estate contains fully 60 acres, nearly 10 of which are taken up with the Brick Work, Clay Holes, Tram Roads and Workmen’s houses.

The land is carse land, in good heart and capable of bearing all kinds of crops. The farm dwelling house and steading are suitable and in good order. The works have been established for over 50 years and have a good connection. There are still 40 acres of clay to work. There is a railway siding from Dundee and Perth Railway to the works.

Mr Robert Donald, the foreman of the works, will point out the subjects.

Feu duty only 15s 4d per annum.

For further particulars apply to the subscriber who will receive offers to purchase in one lot or to lease separately or together, up to Thursday 1st December 1898.

Dickie and Paul – Solicitors, Whitehall Chambers 17/11/1898

20/01/1899 – Dundee Courier – Farm to let –  Let, for such period of years as may be agreed on with entry as soon as a lease is arranged, the farm of Fala, in the Parish of Errol and County of Perth, extending to about 50 acres arable. The farm, which is well fenced and drained, and has an excellent house and steading accommodation, is situated within one mile from Errol Village and fully a mile off the Railway Station, while siding adjoins the farm. The land is Carse Land in good heart, and capable bearing all the usual kinds of crops. Mr Robert Donald, foreman, Megginch Brickworks, Errol, will point our, the boundaries. The conditions of let will be seen on application to the proprietor. A. B. S. Fraser, Esq., Megginch Brickworks; or to T. M, Wilson, Solicitor, Kirriemuir, and either of whom will receive Offers till the 28th Day of January Current. The highest or any offer may not be accepted.