Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry

Muirhouses Brickworks, Eglinton Street, Glasgow. (See also Barlinnie Fireclay Works and Campbellfield Brick Tile and Pottery Works and Strathbungo Brickworks).

(Note – SBH – I believe the brickfield indicated south of Lily Bank Road is the Lilybank Brickworks. The narrative below states that the Muirhouses Brickworks were built illegally so that is perhaps why they are not depicted on this map unless, of course, they were erected after 1856).

Below – 1856 – Muirhouses Brickworks, Eglinton Street, Glasgow. The brickworks are not marked but they must have been situated in this general area.

Below – 26/11/1859 – Paisley Herald – Court case – Ritchie Watson & Co, Iron founders, Etna Foundry, Lillybank Road  V  William Wilson & Son, Brickmakers, Eglinton Street for damage done to pursuers garden by the defenders by having illegally erected brick kilns and burned brick on the ground … The noxious vapours of same damaged the garden.

Below – 09/01/1861 – Glasgow Herald – Ground at Muirhouses, Glasgow to let … (Note – SBH – This ground appears to be adjacent to the Muirhouses Brickworks. I am not certain if it was ever let or whether perhaps, Mr Wilson took the ground to supplement his own brickworks. This appears to be the same land that was still up for sale in 1862).

1862 – 1863 –  William Wilson & Son, patent brick and tile makers, builders, and potters; Works, Campbellfield, 740 Gallowgate, and Muirhouses, 354 Eglinton Street; Office, Campbellfield.

Below – 06/05/1862 – Glasgow Herald – Ground at Muirhouses, Glasgow to let as a brick and clay field …

1869 – 1870 – William Wilson & Son, patent brick and tile maker, builders, potters. Works Campbellfield, 678 Gallowgate, Muirhouses and 354 Eglinton Street. Office Muirhouses. (page 376).

07/10/1876 – Hamilton Advertiser – On Friday 20th October at Mosshouse Brickworks, 354 Eglinton Street at 12 noon. Sale of powerful draught horses and bogie ponies belonging to various brickmakers. Sold owing to the close of the brickmaking season. (Note – SBH – I am not sure if Mosshouse should read Muirhouse  – Added here to ensure it is recorded).

1878 – William Wilson & Son, Brick maker and builder, Eglinton Street and Pollokshaw Road, Glasgow.

07/02/1878 – North British Daily Mail – Strathbungo. New brickfield. The large field lying close on the north of this village, betwixt the Victoria and Pollokshaws Roads, and which was for many years been occupied as a drill and campground by Volunteer regiments, and by cricket and football clubs, has been leased by Messrs Wm. Wilson & Son, of the Muirhouse Brickworks. The clay has been found on excavation to be of good quality and the necessary roads through the ground are in process of formation, and the materials for the erection of the engine house and offices are partly laid down. Govanhill, Crosshill &c, are nearly surrounded by works of this description and the erection of an additional one will not enhance their salubrity or the value of their house property. The ground belongs to the trustees of Hutchesons Hospital. The thousands of daily travellers to and from the Queen’s Park will hardly relish passing along the Victoria Road with the fumes of the coals from the burning bricks on each side of the road and will regret that the ground was not put to some other purpose. (Note – SBH – See the 1886 map below – this brickfield is the one indicated to the south of Coplaw Hill).

1882-89 – Wm Wilson  (Of Wm. Wilson & Son, brickmakers and builders. Brickworks, Muirhouses, Eglinton St. and Craigpark, Victoria Road; Office, 652 Eglinton Street). (Note – SBH – I am unable to find the brickworks detailed as Craigpark, Victoria Road on a map but they could be a builders yard).

1883 – 1884 – William Wilson & Son, brickmakers and builders and manufacturers of fire-brick and fire-clay goods, brickworks, Muirhouses, Eglinton St and Craigpark, Victoria Road; fire-clay works, Barlinnie, Cumbernauld Road; Office, 652 Eglinton St.

Below – 1886 – Muirhouses Brickworks and surrounding brickfields.