Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry

1887 – John G Stein took on a 21-year lease for the fireclay at Milnquarter and opened the Milnquarter Fireclay Mine.

25/04/1888 – Work starts on the foundations for the brick stove.

c. 06/1888 – John G Stein forms a partnership with Malcolm Cockburn to proceed with the building of the Milnquarter Brickworks.

c. 09/1888 – The first conical kiln is complete and bricks are fired. A total of 5 such kilns would be on site soon after.

19/12/1891 – Work starts on Stein’s house, Annislea, opposite the Milnquarter Works.

23/11/1892 – Falkirk Herald – North British Railway – Lands required for new railways etc – Certain lands in the parish Falkirk, in the county of Stirling, situated on the south side of, and adjoining the Company’s Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, between the Greenhill Public School and the Milnquarter BrickWorks,

1894 – Electric lighting was fitted throughout the works and it is claimed this was the first brickworks in Scotland to be so fitted.

07/03/1894 – Falkirk Herald – Falkirk Sheriff Court. Wednesday. (Before Sheriff-Substitute Scott-Moncrieff.) Assaults. Francis Tain, labourer. Milnquarter Cottages was charged with having, on 21st February, at no 2 Brick-kiln, Milnquarter Brickworks, assaulted Thomas Potts, labourer, Milnquarter, by throwing a ganister brick at him, and striking him therewith on the forehead. Accused pleaded guilty, and was fined 20s or seven days’ imprisonment.

06/1895 – The first sales catalogue was published.

Below – 30/11/1895 – Clyde Bill of Entry and Shipping List – John G Stein and Co, Milquarter Ganister and Fire Clay Works. Trademarks ‘Stein’ and ‘J G S & Co’.

Below – 1896 – Milquarter Ganister and Fire Clay Works.

1896 – John G Stein became the sole partner at Milnquarter.

21/01/1899 – Falkirk Herald … Messrs Steins’ gannister and fire-clay works at Bonnybridge have been very busy during the past year, and the same firm has developed a large brickwork at Denny for the manufacture of building bricks …

1900 – The 5 inefficient conical kilns were pulled down and Mr Stein built his own variation of the Hoffman continuous kiln which proved to be a big saving on labour times.

19/05/1900 – Bellshill Speaker – Motherwell and Belshill Railway Bill … John G. Stein, sole partner of J.G Stein, brick manufacturers, Bonnybridge said the firm’s business was hampered on account of there being only one railway to Motherwell; the rate to Motherwell was shamefully high …

18/12/1901 – Falkirk Herald – Duncan McAinsh, labourer, Milnquarter Cottages, Bonnybridge was fined 10s or seven days for creating a disturbance at Milnquarter Brickworks.

05/04/1902 – Falkirk Herald – James Ferguson, moulder, Bonnybridge, was fined £2, or ten days, for having at Bonnybridge assaulted Jane Moffat brickworker, Bonnybridge, by striking her a blow on the face and blackening one of her eyes. He had been previously convicted. James Campbell, labourer, Waverley Place, Bonnybridge, was fined 20s or ten days, for having, at Milnquarter Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge, assaulted David McKay, labourer, Bonnybridge, by striking him two blows on the head with his fists.

08/03/1904 – Edinburgh Evening News – The record was closed and issues ordered in an action by Joseph Evans & Sons, hydraulic and general engineers, Culwell Works, Wolverhampton, against J. G. Stein & Co., Ganister and Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge, for £1000 damages in respect of alleged slander. The pursuers say that in May last the defenders accepted an estimate for a patent sinking pump, which was duly delivered. Because of the non-delivery of the pump within ten days, however, the defenders, it alleged, wrote several letters and telegrams to the pursuers, accusing them of receiving the order under false pretences, and implying that they were an unreliable firm. When called upon to apologise, and pay a sum to charity in view of these false allegations, the defenders refused. The defenders deny slander, plead privilege, and say that the statements complained of were in reply to unfounded statements by the pursuers regarding the conditions under which the contract was entered.

1905 – The company was incorporated as John G Stein and Co.

09/03/1912 – Falkirk Herald – The firm of Messrs J. G Stein Co Ltd, Bonnybridge and Castlecary Fireclay Works and the Messrs Dougall and Co, Bonnyside Fireclay Works closed their works on Saturday last due to the restrictions and scarcity of coal. Up to 700 hands are affected by the stoppage.

11/03/1912 – The Scotsman – Denny. A number have been added to the list of unemployed during the past few days, bringing the total up to about 880, the principal contributants being Messrs J. G. Stein & Co, Bonnybridge and Castlecary Brickworks, 600 men and Messrs Dougall & Co Ltd, Bonnybridge Fire Brick Works, 200 …

Below – 1913 – Milnquarter Ganister and Fire Clay Works.

27/08/1913 – Falkirk Herald – Court Action – The action was in the instance of Stewart and Shaw, stevedores, general terminus, Glasgow against John G Stein 7 Co Ltd, Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge. Pursuers sued for payment of £51 2s 6d. which they alleged was due to them for discharging a consignment of bricks and clay which had arrived from the defender’s works in trucks at Glasgow for shipment by the steamer Brya Head on 15 January last.  Stein argued that there should have been no additional charge over the normal agreement and payments whereby goods were loaded and unloaded.  The goods amounted to 1802 tons, 4cwts of bricks and 364 tons 5 cwts of clay which had been transported by railway trucks. The judge found for the defenders, John G Stein.

27/06/1913 – Kilsyth Chronicle – On Friday forenoon a most unfortunate accident took place in Messrs J. G. Stein & Co.’s brick works at High Bonnybridge, whereby Michael Connor (unmarried), clay miner, residing at Glencairn, High Bonnyhndge, was seriously injured. Connor had been at work at the face in Milnquarter Mine, when a large piece of ganister, weighing well over a ton, which had been displaced by a shot a short time previously, came suddenly away from the roof, and struck Connor on the back, pinning him to the ground. The accident was immediately noticed, and steps were taken to clear away the debris and the unfortunate man removed to the surface. This work was expeditiously carried out, under the direction of the underground manager, and on arrival at the top, Mr Pearson attended to the injuries and superintended the removal of the injured man in the Bonnybridge ambulance waggon to Falkirk Infirmary. Connor was in a precarious condition, and there was little hope of recovery.

19/09/1914 – Falkirk Herald – Of 450 men employed, by Messrs John G. Stein and Co., Ltd., at their Milnquarter and Castlecary works, over 150 have joined the colours, including two sons of Mr Stein.

19/11/1914 – Sheffield Independent – Silica brick moulders and setters, two each wanted. Apply John G Stein and Co Ltd, Bonnybridge, Scotland.

02/02/1916 – Falkirk Herald – Theft of coal – A girl named Margaret Brown, described as a brickworker, residing at Milnquarter Cottages, High Bonnybridge pled guilty having, on 17th January, at Milnquarter Brickworks, occupied by J. G. Stein and Co., Ltd., stolen 84lbs of coal. Accused, who said she thought there was no harm in taking the coal out of the clay, was fined 5s.

Theft of coal. Evidence was led in the Falkirk Sheriff Juvenile Court on Tuesday a case against Catherine Quin (15), brickworker, residing with Joseph Gaffney, clay miner, Milnquarter Cottages, High Bonnybridge, who was charged with having, on 17th January, at Milnquarter Brickworks, stolen 30lbs of coal. The accused was found guilty, and fined 2s 6d, which was paid the bar.

20/01/1918 – Sunday Post – Sheriff-Substitute Moffat heard proof in an action at the instance of John G. Stein & Co., Ltd., brick manufacturers, Bonnybridge, against Miss Sarah Lennox, brick worker, Milnquarter Cottages, Bonnybridge. The pursuer averred that the defender was a weekly tenant of theirs and only entitled to occupy the house while she was in pursuer’s employment and that although she was duly warned to remove from the house, it being required for the occupation of workman in their employment, she had refused to so. The pursuers, therefore, asked the Court for a warrant to eject the defender. The Sheriff held that the pursuers had; failed to prove that the home was required for another worker, and refused to grant decree ejection as craved, and awarded the defender expenses.

02/01/1920 – Kirkintilloch Gazette – Castlecary. Strike Ordered. The Scottish Mine Workers Union at their meeting on Friday ordered an immediate strike of the workers employed in Messrs J. G. Stein & Company’s Bonnybridge Fireclay Works. A dispute had arisen at the works, which the local officials had failed to settle. A deputation from the Union was appointed to interview the firm who refused to meet them and stated they preferred to deal directly with the workers.

30/09/1921 – Kilsyth Chronicle – A lengthy article about the opening of a canteen at Castlecary by Messrs J. G. Stein and Co. It had accommodation for about 400. In his speech, Mr J. G. Stein states … All he (Mr Stein) wanted to make out was that it was most obvious to all that with less production we could have less to eat, wear, drink, or lay past. The only way to have plenty was to produce plenty. That did not explain how they were slack at Castlecary and elsewhere, because they had plenty of bricks. Even if could carry them about, he could not exchange them. The cause of unemployment was that the goods produced in this country are too dear for the world’s markets. The miners’ leaders thought we should do better all the time and they said quite plainly they could get any price they liked for coal. They had all had abundant proof that that was not the case. The world’s markets are a thing we had no control over; we must take the world’s price, whether it be coals, or bricks, or steel. If the cost of these commodities in this country exceeded the sum the other countries were willing or able to pay, then we could not sell to them. There was no hope of early improvement in trade, he was sorry to say it. His employees must have begun to see how things were going themselves. It would be to their interest be very economical and save every penny because they were to have a hard winter not only as a nation but as individuals. At Bonnybridge the next day they would be suspending the making of bricks because they had no more room. At Castlecary they had still some room but even if they had unlimited financial resources, it would be unwise to continue until next year and then sell these bricks at loss. When the tide took a turn there would be a tendency to collapse. The steel trade had had a very bad year, and even if the owners were willing, they might not be financially able to go on. He thought he had said enough to show his hearers the seriousness of the position. Coming to something more cheerful, he had a look round the kilns, and he was pleased to say he never saw better bricks. The workers would agree he spared nothing either plant, buildings, or the best machinery and kilns, and he kept nagging at them the best he could (laughter)  and he was willing to admit that for some reason or other they were making steady progress and making better bricks than ever. He believed they were in the front rank. He wished his workers to have something of what used to be called pride of craft. He would like to instil into their minds the desire to make the best of whatever was put into their hands. Then they would someday in the dim and distant future be able to get a preference in price as well as in work …

11/06/1924 – Falkirk Herald – Richard Mackie, clay miner, residing at Waverley Place, High Bonnybridge, appeared before Sheriff Robertson at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Monday on a charge of having, on 16th May, in Milnquarter Brickworks, High Bonnybridge, occupied John G. Stein & Co., stolen 89 fireclay bricks. Asked if he adhered to his former plea of not guilty, the accused stated that he had permission to take bricks before the date of the alleged theft, and he thought that general permission covered everything. Mr W. K. Gair, Procurator-Fiscal said that if the accused had gone and asked for the bricks he would have got them. At least he would have got defective bricks which had been rejected. Accused had gone near midnight to the works, and taken away the bricks in two barrow load. He had used the bricks so far in his employers’ interest because he put them into his garden, and from his own idea, improved his house, which was the property of the employers. The Sheriff (to accused) -Do you admit you went about midnight? Accused -Yes; but I understood they were white bricks. After some further discussion, the Sheriff construed the accused’s statements to represent a plea of guilty and asked the accused if he had permission to take the bricks, why he went midnight. Mackie replied that he had been working, and that, was the only time he could go. The Sheriff -There seems to be something to be said for you. It seems a special kind of case, but you must understand that your employers do not approve of the men going at midnight and removing barrow loads of bricks. I dare say that had you gone and asked them you would have got as many wanted. Perhaps the fact that you have been prosecuted will be a lesson to you. In respect of the circumstances, I will not impose any penalty, but in future, you must ask permission before you take bricks away. If anybody else comes up, I am afraid I will have to take it as an ordinary theft and impose a penalty.

Below – 27/02/1926 – Falkirk Herald – As more briefly reported in our issue of Saturday last, the seventh annual reunion of the directors, staff, and workers of the brick-manufacturing firm of Messrs J. G. Stein. Ltd., Bonnybridge, Castlecary, Denny, and Larbert, took place with marked success in the Public Hall, Bonnybridge, on Friday evening. An assembly of 550 ladies and gentlemen were entertained by the firm to a supper, concert, and dance … the Chairman reminded his hearers that last year had been a very trying year, not only for those in their own industry but for a great many other industries, especially the heavy ones like coal, iron, steel, shipbuilding and engineering on which they depended very largely for the refractory part of their business. Last year at Denny they had been fairly well employed, and while they were left with a fairly good stock at the end of the year, their prospects were quite good. He hoped they would be able to keep the works there going the whole of this year. (Applause.) With regard to firebricks, they had not been fully employed, but they had, nevertheless, got a fairly good share of the work going. In fact, he thought that they had been better employed than most of their competitors. If they would excuse his saying so, he thought they deserved it, because their aim always was to create and maintain a very high standard in every respect. (Applause.) The prospects for this year, speaking generally for the country, and particularly for themselves, seemed to be somewhat brighter. There was not very much actual difference in the demand for refractories in Scotland yet although last week or so there had been reports of quite a number of orders for boats being placed with the Clyde. That would certainly help them in Bonnybridge. In England and Wales, the demand was distinctly better. This was due to the large number of subsidiary trades in England which used up steel. In Scotland, they had very little else but shipbuilding and structural work. These remarks, he went on, were subject to no great industrial trouble developing, such they had had threats of every week from platforms all over the country. Even those very threats drove away a large amount of trade. This fact was shown very clearly just after the subsidy the coal trade was given, and for two months afterwards, their coal exports fell drastically. That was due to foreign buyers having protected themselves against the chance of strike obtaining supplies elsewhere. The mere threat of strike adversely affected all industries, because all were more or less leaning on each other. Proceeding, the Chairman said that some Trade Union leaders held that the cause of so much unemployment, in this country was the failure of Capitalism. If Capitalism was an evil, then it seemed to him to be a very necessary one because they could not carry on any industry without capital, whether the particular industry was carried on by individuals, or by co-operative societies, of which they had a worthy example in Bonnybridge. He himself had been a member of the Bonnybridge Co-operative Society for a quarter of a century; indeed, as long as he had lived in the village of Bonnybridge. The Bonnybridge Society had a first-class record, did good work, and made good beef-steak pies. He was altogether in favour of co-operation, not only as it applied to Bonnybridge, but of co-operation generally, even to the extent of co-operation between workers and employers. Those Communists, whom we called Bolshevists, who lived in that “blessed” land of Russia, were, remarkably enough, always hankering after more capital. While they ran down this country, its interests, its people, and its Trade Union for their being far too tame – although sometimes thought they were far too wild – they were very anxious to get our capital into Russia. Eighty per cent, of the Russian population, lived on the land, produced their own food, and did not have very many luxuries. Russia, therefore, had not the same clamant need for capital as a highly industrialised and civilised land such as ours. The depression in the heavy trades in this country was due to the high prices asked. As they probably knew, a great many of our trades were carried on without any profit, and some even at a heavy loss. The cooperative societies got their capital from their individual members; local authorities and Governments by rating and loans. He was, as he had always said, strongly in favour of cooperative societies, but he was equally strongly against any work being done by local authorities or the Government that could possibly be done by private enterprise. Whatever might be said for nationalisation, in theory, it absolutely broke down in practice. They could not as a nation afford to take the risk of their main vital industry – coal – being nationalised, when they had so many concrete examples of State management failures before them. He ventured to say that the Coal Commission would not recommend nationalisation, and one reason he had for saying that was that the miners had the outset found themselves bound to admit that, no matter what nationalisation might do for them in the future, it certainly could not meet the crisis which would arise in May. If nationalisation was not the remedy for the persistent unrest, which was an unfortunate feature of these times, what was to be done? Theirs was an acute industrial trouble, and it was their duty as individuals, and it was the duty of their Government, to endeavour to diagnose the cause thereof, and the possible effect of the cure. It could not be denied that the primary cause of the slackness in iron, steel, coal, shipbuilding, and engineering was the fact that they were being undersold by their continental competitors. Wages in this country were about 50 per cent, higher than in France, Germany, Belgium, or Holland. Our handicap was an unfair one. He was not advocating a reduction of wages, but he thought it was the duty of the working men of this country – trade unionists and non-unionists – to tell those loudspeakers who went about the platforms and even mounted orange boxes and tubs, to shout about “the failure of Capitalism,’’ that they should devote their energies and capacities to the problem of raising the standard of living in those countries he had mentioned, and with which we were competing, and so enable manufacturers in this country to compete without their present handicap. If they were once relieved of it, trade of every kind in this country would soon be overflowing. It was well-known that for quality and reliability, our productions excelled everything produced anywhere else in this world. The comparatively low wages on the Continent and the longer hours worked there, had produced one notable result – in France, there were no unemployed. Indeed, there were approximately threequarters of a million foreigners in France, who had gone there to fill the vacancies due to the great demands for her productions, which were much cheaper than ours. A large number of men – chiefly engineers – had gone from this country and got jobs in France. Few Britishers had remained in France in those circumstances, however, because they did not like having to work on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. There was evident also on the Continent a greater willingness to get work done quickly and therefore, more cheaply, by co-operation between masters and men. In French shipbuilding there were only some six trade unions concerned; in this country, there were at least 30; he thought the number was 35. In this country, a lot of squabbling took place, not between employers and individual workers, but between those trade unions, which frequently caused a delay in the construction of ships and engines. He was glad to see that there was a tendency now to improve this state of affairs. By a majority of four to one, the shipbuilding trade unions had agreed to co-operate with employers with a view to reducing costs without reducing wages. Lack of cooperation meant a lack of the friendly feeling which their presence there that evening and their smiling faces showed existed in the business in which they themselves were concerned. (Applause.) At present there were far too, many men in this country making their livelihood creating and fomenting discontent. He had to confess that he cherished ambition to make all his workers “works proud.” He wanted them to feel that they were citizens of no mean city when they were employed by him. He thought they did realise that the past had done something to make their conditions of employment safe and comfortable circumstances permitted. (Applause.) Not only so, but he had the ambition to make their wives who lived in houses belonging to him and those associated with him “houseproud.” He knew that they were already very much so but he wanted to see that feeling intensified. In the works he wanted their jobs to be as interesting as possible, and any suggestion put forward by any worker would have an adequate reward. (Applause.) Concluding, the Chairman said that since they met a year ago they had completed twelve houses which were in course of erection at Allandale. Twenty years ago the then medical officer of health for the county had said that the company’s houses at Allandale at that time were the best workmen’s houses in Stirlingshire. He (the speaker) thought that this latest addition much excelled the others in some respects that having in view the improvements which had taken place in other parts Stirlingshire, they still held that very high honour. (Applause.) They would proceed with the erection of more houses as soon they had the assurance from the powers that be that they would participate in the building subsidy. (Applause.) …

20/04/1927 – Falkirk Herald – At the Falkirk Sheriff Court on Monday, before Hon. Sheriff-Substitute J. Harper Orr, Wm. Campbell Lucas, blacksmith, Milnquarter Cottages, High Bonnybridge, was charged with having, along with another man who was dealt with by the Court last week, conducted himself in a disorderly manner and committed a breach of the peace in the blacksmith’s shop at Milnquarter Brickworks, High Bonnybridge, on April 5. Accused pleaded guilty, and Mr Will. Stevenson, solicitor, Falkirk, on his behalf, said a dispute arose between the accused and the other man regarding some metal nuts and bolts. The other man made a disrespectful remark about the accused’s wife, and they then fought with each other. Lucas, who was the older of the two, got a black eye and his artificial teeth broken. There was no question but what accused got provocation. The Sheriff remarked that this was an unfortunate squabble, and imposed a fine of 10s.