Found by Jamie Macvie on a rubble track on a coastal site in Orkney.
This example is not in my possession.
The manufacturer of this brick is unknown.
The find location would suggest Scottish origins but …
The brick is broken on the right-hand side so the ‘WH’ may not be a complete mark. This could represent the manufacturer or another customer.
Below – The shape of the brick is very similar to that depicted in a John Stein catalogue dated 1932. The brick 2nd down on the right is very similar in shape and was designed for use in a boiler.
The ‘BW’ is likely to stand for Babcock and Wilcox.
Babcock and Wilcox history.
1881 – Nathaniel Pratt, who would be B&W’s second president, opens the company’s first non-U.S. office in Glasgow, Scotland.
1922 – The first engineered refractory brick – B & W 80 Firebrick – is manufactured for the commercial market and proves invaluable in the furnaces of petroleum, chemical, glass and steelmaking industries. ( Note – SBH – I don’t know who or where these were made).
Below – Info from Matthew Feldwick who took this photo at Twyford Waterworks, Hampshire – They are formed into baffles to direct the flue gas path as seen in the photos below of a semi-dismantled water tube boiler. The boiler is essentially a brick box with a fire at one end and the chimney at the other. In a conventional boiler these would be joined together by tubes which the hot gasses pass through radiating heat to water contained in the boiler drum. In this type of boiler the water is contained in the tubes and hot gasses pass around them. The bricks are placed at intervals to create a path for these hot gasses to flow so they can dissipate as much heat as possible before passing up the chimney.
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Some information on Babcock and Wilcox water boilers – 5. Baffle Plates – The Baffle plates are present within the water tubes. It causes hot gases to move upwards and downwards and again upwards before leaving the chimney. Baffle plates are provided to deflect hot flue gases.
Coal is fed to the grate through the fire door and is burnt. The hot exhaust gases expand upward and pass across the left side of the water tubes. The baffles deflect the flue gases and hence the flue gases travel in a zig-zag manner over the water tubes and along with the superheater. The exhaust gases leave the atmosphere through the chimney.
Below – Similar shaped ‘baffle’ bricks found by Chris Graham in the Gateshead, Newcastle area. ‘No 1 4 W H”
Found at the Manuel Brickworks, Whitecross. This is a broken special product. The top, left and right sides are intact and shaped as you see them but it is broken along the bottom edge. The manufacturer is unknown but the find site would suggest it was made at the Manuel Brickworks. GAH may well represent…
Found Manuel Works, Whitecross. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire The ‘B & W’ is likely to stand for Babcock and Wilcox. Babcock and Wilcox history. 1881 – Nathaniel Pratt, who would be B&W’s…
Found Manuel Works, Whitecross. Probably a J G Stein product. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire Alternatively, this looks like it may be a cement-based refractory castable and thus may have been manufactured…
Found by Ian Suddaby on the site of the old Manuel Works, Whitecross. This example is not in my possession. ST Mull = Stein Mullite Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire KTG is…
Found by Ian Suddaby at the Manuel Works, Whitecross. This example is not in my possession. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire The reference to Bigelow on this special undoubtedly refers to the Bigelow…
Found by Brian Whyte in the Dundee area. This example is not in my possession. WD – Woodall Duckham. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire. Stein & Co, Anchor Brickworks, Denny, Stirlingshire. Milnquarter Fireclay & Gannister Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire.
The following bricks were found on the D’day beach Juno, Normandy, France by Jean luc Marchais. Castlecary Fireclay & Lime Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. The B & W probably refers to Babcock and Wilcox who made boilers for ships. . . Below – Castlecary B & W ?62. Below – AP Green Mexico MO B 2123?…
Found by Ian Suddaby on the site of the Dykehead Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge. This example is not in my possession. Dykehead Firebrick Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. (Note – SBH – I believe this was manufactured for The Karrena Furnace Engineering Limited). . .
Found by Ian Suddaby on the site of the Dykehead Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge. This example is not in my possession. Dykehead Firebrick Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. (Note – SBH – I believe this was manufactured for The Karrena Furnace Engineering Limited). . .
Found in the Alloa area. The brick is stamped ‘Wilson’ to one side and ‘Stirling’ to the other. Note the elongated ‘L’ in Wilson. The manufacturer is not known for certain. If, as suspected it is the Bonnybridge Sillica and Fireclay Company, then the reason for the Wilson stamp is unknown. Following on from the…
