Seggie Brick and Tile Works, Guardbridge, St Andrews, Fife

Seggie Brick and Tile Works, Guardbridge, St Andrews.

01/04/1805 – Caledonian Mercury – Roup of bricks. On Saturday the 20th April 1805, there will be sold by public roup, at the Guard Bridge, parish of Leuchars. About one hundred and thirty thousand bricks, of the best quality, and full-sized. To be put up in lots of 1000 each. The roup to begin at 11 forenoon, and credit is given for 3 months. Immediately after, the brickwork will be let for such a number of years as can be agreed upon. The tacksman will have an opportunity also of making Tyles. The situation is particularly advantageous, as ships of 80 tons burden can come within 20 yards of the work, by which means coals can be brought up, and the bricks and tyles exported. For particulars apply to the proprietor at Naughton, or David Nicol, a tenant at Seggie.

Below – 29/05/1809 – Caledonian Mercury – Brick and tile for sale at Guardbridge. Orders addressed to William Haig, Kincaple, Cupar.

Below – 17/09/1818 – Caledonian Mercury – Brick and tile for sale at Guardbridge. Apply to Mr Haig, Seggie.

18/04/1839 – Fife Herald – Meeting of trustees on statute labour and turnpike roads in the district of St Andrews … Another check bar across the entry to Guardbridge Tilework at the north end of the Guard Bridge on the side of the road leading from Guard Bridge to Cupar.

Below – 30/07/1842 – The Scotsman – Lands in the County of Fife and neighbourhood of the city of St Andrews with Tile Works for sale … The tileworks of Seggie. This work, situated on the above Estate and on the side of the public road to Cupar, is presently in operation; and there is an abundant supply of clay used in the manufacture within a few yards of the premises. An annual rent of £150 was offered for this Work a few years ago …

23/10/1844 – The Scotsman – For sale. The Estate of Seggie in the Parish of Leuchars and County of Fife extending to about 260 acres Scots, or about 327 imperial of the very best quality. A few acres are under thriving plantations, upwards of twenty years old and tastefully disposed. The distance from St Andrews is four miles and from Cupar and Dundee six miles. Coal and lime are in the immediate neighbourhood and the public burdens are moderate. There is a tilework on the estate which will either be sold along with it or separately …

1853 – 1855 – ScotlandsPlaces – A large manufactory for the [making] of bricks and tiles at the South-West end of Guard Bridge occupied or worked by Mr Bissett and property of the Bank of Scotland. It derives its name from the circumstance of its being built on a part of Segie Farm

Below – 1854 – Seggie Brickworks, Guardbridge, St Andrews.

1857 – Seggie Brickworks, W. A. Bisset.

21/05/1863 – Caledonian Mercury – Article on the Synod of Fife and the Presbytery of Dunfermline with reference to Messrs William A Bisset, brick and tile makers, Leuchars.

31/08/1865 – Fife Herald – Brick and tile work to let. To be let for such a period as may be agreed on. The brick and tile work of Seggie, Parish of Lenchare, Fife, presently tenanted by Mr Bisset. The work has been long established, ad an extensive trade has been carried on. The clay is of very superior quality and easily procured. The erections belong to the proprietor and are in good order and condition, and well adapted for a large business. The Guardbridge Station of the St Andrews Railway is close to the work, which also adjoins St Andrews and Cupar Turnpike Road. Entry at Martinmas first may be arranged. Mr Bisset, the present tenant, will point out the works, ad further information may be obtained on application to Drummond and Nicholson, writers, Cupar-Fife, with whom offers may be lodged by the 1st of September next. Cupar-Fife, 19th July 1865..

1867 – William Bissett, brick and tile maker, Guard Bridge, Ferry Port on Craig

1877 – Robert Thomson, Seggie Brick and Tile Works, Guard Bridge by Cupar.

1878 – Robert Thomson, brickmaker, Guard Bridge.

1878 – John Kaird, brickmaker, Seggie, St Andrews.

25/12/1878 – Glasgow Herald – An advert describing the sale by Public roup of the lands and estate of Seggie, Leuchars, Fife including … there is a large and valuable clayfield and an extensive brick and tile work which has been in profitable operation for many years …

03/04/1879 – Fife Herald – An advert describing the sale by Public roup of the lands and estate of Seggie, Leuchars, Fife including ” a valuable clay field on the estate with an extensive and well-fitted brick and tile work”

1879 – Dundee Courier (27/02/1904) – Guardbridge Estate dispute – Settlement in the Court of Session. In the Second Division of the Court of Session yesterday a settlement was reported of the action Mrs Emily Clark or Sones, 199 John’s Hill, London, executrix of the late Henry John Sones of Lindores, Fife, against Geo. Mill and others. Pursuer averred that William Smith, Tayview, Tayport, purchased the estate of Seggie, in Fife, in 1879. and borrowed £15,000 over from the Scottish Widows’ Fund on a first bond, and £3000 from the trustees of the first marriage of her husband, whom she had succeeded, on a second bond. Mr Smith thereafter granted feus to George Mill, lessee of the Seggie Brickworks; John McGregor, auctioneer, St Andrews; and the Guardbridge Paper Company, without the consent of the bondholders. The first bondholders afterwards disburdened the feus of their security, but the second bondholders, the marriage trustees, declined to do so as they feared, as afterwards happened, the security would prove insufficient to meet their bond. Smith’s estate was sequestrated in 1890, and the estate was sold by auction at the upset price of £15,000. Mrs Sones maintained that the bond for £3000 was valid and effectual against the ground feued and the buildings thereon, and she sought decree to that effect against the three feuars and also against the Guardbridge Co-Operative Society, Limited, who are sub-feuars under Geo. Mill of a portion of the land. Defenders pleaded that pursuer was barred by her actings and taciturnity, and, further, that they, being in ignorance of this bond, expended large sums of money upon the property. The pursuer was not entitled to carry away the advantages of their improvements without compensation. Lord Kyllachy found for the pursuer, and gave a decree in her favour, with expenses. The defenders reclaimed against Lord Kyllachy’s judgment, but have now agreed to pay pursuer £13800 in full.

24/07/1885 – East of Fife Record – In the Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Sheriff Henderson on the bench, George Mill, Guardbridge, appeared for examination in bankruptcy … The bankrupt deponed: I commenced business at Martinmas 1879. I had no practical experience of brick and tile making then. I had £300 capital of my own. My wife had £400 of her own, and property in the amount of £230, which property was sold for £236. I got these amounts for my business. I dealt largely in accommodation bills. I commenced doing so in the summer of 1880. I have a number of accommodation bills from my brother Peter, who lives in Edinburgh. These bills amounted to considerable sums. I had, in addition, frequent loans of which I have not made up a state. There are two accommodation bills from my brother, due 23d May and 17th July 1885, for £100 each. My brother Peter appears on these bills as acceptor. There is another bill due on 7th October of this year, of which Andrew Mason, Streamside, is acceptor. The amount is £100. I got the money, and it was an accommodation bill to me. The proceeds were paid into the Royal Bank, Leven, to my account. There is another bill for £55 15s 9d due on the Royal Bank, Leven, on 25th July curt., accepted by John McGregor, painter, St Andrews. That was also an accommodation bill from McGregor to me. The proceeds were also placed to my credit with the Royal Rank, Leven. There is another bill for £100 accepted by David Meldrum, farmer, Moozie Mill. It fell due on 26th April last and was also discounted in the Royal Bank, Leven, and the proceeds placed to my credit. Wm. Smith, farmer, Langraw, has accepted two bills for my accommodation, one for £2o, the other for £12 10s. The £20 bill was discounted in the Commercial Bank. Mr Andrews and I got the proceeds. The other bill was discounted by John McGregor and the proceeds were handed to me. I do not remember the date. I am not sure that my name is on this bill, but I got the money from Mr McGregor. I account for my present position owing to the place never having paid from the beginning, and when I went into it it was in a dilapidated condition. I have spent from £100 to £200 a year in putting in new machinery and keeping the place in repair, I have made in all about £500 of bad debts. I have no list of these with me but will furnish the trustee with a list. I built a block of brick buildings at Guardbridge which cost me between £1600 and £1700. The present rental is about £110. On these buildings, there are heritable bonds to the amount of £1400. My life is insured for £500. The policy is in the hands of Messrs Wilkie & Youden, Leven. It has not been assigned. Shown affidavit and claim by William Anderson, builder, Dundee, for £475, and asked to explain the origin of the claim, for the amount of which a bill was granted – This debt was originally £1000 by a bill which was drawn on me by Anderson to enable him to purchase the ironmongery stock of William Miln & Co., Dundee. I understood that the proceeds of this bill, which was discounted in the North of Scotland Bank, Dundee, were applied as stated. I received no part of the money. Examination adjourned.

Below – 1893 – Seggie Brickworks, Guardbridge, St Andrews (Also details the Eden Brickworks).

1893 – 1896 – Seggie Brick and Tile Works, Guard Bridge, Fife. Robert Paterson. TO Leuchars.

1901 – Directory of Clayworkers – Robert Paterson and Co, Guard Bridge, R. S. O., Fifeshire.

Both Seggie and Eden Brickworks are disused by 1912.

Tagged with: John Kaird, Leuchars, Robert Paterson, Robert Thomson Seggie, Seggie, William Bisset

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