Spinella | Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry
I get my kicks out of bricks!
Home / Brickmarks gallery / English, Welsh and Irish bricks etc / Spinella

Spinella

Found at the old site of the Jenny Lind Brickworks, Motherwell adjacent to the old Ravenscraig Steelworks site.

Spinella was a trademark of General Refractories (GR) and manufactured at their Worksop Works. When GR and John G Stein and Co amalgamated (GR-S) it is likely that Spinella bricks continued to be manufactured at Worksop but it is possible that manufacture was switched to the GR-S Manuel Works, Linlithgow to suit demand but this would have meant production plant modification. (For research but in the meantime, I will record them on my website due to the brand connection with a Scottish manufacturer).

  • 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.
I have found a reference to GR-Stein Refractories, Bonnybridge, Scotland selling Spinella MCA  bricks – Spinella being a Chrome/Magnesite brand brick … see example products on 1977-1979 sales invoices. It may be of course that such bricks were ordered from Worksop.
Spinella KM Brand bricks – special blocks 457 x 451 x 150 part of Chrome – Magnesite brand bricks.

Spinella KM  240 x 240 60/42 – £1491.99 per tonne.

Spinella MCA E. A Mark 522.

Spinella MCA 200 X 198 X 103/96.2 MK 620 end arches.

Spinella MCA 200 X 198 X 103/82.0  MK 220 end arches.

Spinella MCA 200 X 198 X 60/53.2  MK 20K closure.

Spinella MCA 200 X 198 X 80/73.2  MK 20L closure.

Spinella MCA brand – burning zone – with 16g lipped steel sheets % cardboard spacers attached end Arch 200 x 198 x 76/55 – £ 260.50 per ton.

Below – Bricks stamped Spinella, GR’S Spinella (GR’S – General Refractories?) and Spinella DF.

.

.

Below – A broken Spinella brick found at the Glengarmock Iron Works, Beith, Ayrshire.

Tagged with: , ,

Similar articles

  • GR Stein Refractories Ltd and Borstal Youth Detention Centre
    — 23/04/2025

    The following items were found by Ian Suddaby on the site of the Manuel Brickworks, Whitecross. Ian states – Excavations during development work within the 1970s made ground at Manuel Brickworks in Central Scotland continue to turn up interesting information and history. Much of the paperwork dug up in early March turned out to be records…

  • Thistle 12
    — 16/10/2024

    Found by Eddie McLean in the Glasgow area. 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 . . .

  • GR – Stein Refractories Limited patents
    — 10/10/2024

    Regenerative heat exchange systems Patent number: 4282923 Abstract: A regenerative heat exchange system comprises a multiplicity of refractory members laid in adjacent parallel rows to form one course in the system, each refractory member being so shaped such that the adjacent refractory members of one row co-operate to form a gas passageway or duct through that first…

  • Spinella MC
    — 17/03/2024

    Found by Ian Suddaby near Ravenscraig, Motherwell. This example is not in my possession. Ian states – It’s a shame the markings on many of these relatively modern basic bricks are so faint. At least I can just read this one. Why is the C a bit smaller? SPINELLA MC So this was made by General Refractories…

  • Stein 85 ram mix
    — 14/10/2023

    This is in the possession of John Ballantyne. It is a roll of plastic tape. John states – I think ram mix was the clay mix used to seal the tap hole of the blast furnace after the cast was completed. There was quite a bit of research/trialling done to get the mix ‘fit for…

  • Spinella
    — 09/06/2023

    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

  • Spinella KM
    — 09/06/2023

    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

  • HS 551
    — 11/03/2023

    Found by Ian Suddaby at the Manuel Brickworks, Whitecross. This example is not in my possession. The stamp is stencilled onto the brick. Unidentified manufacturer but this is very likely to have been manufactured on site by JG Stein or GR-Stein etc. . .

  • Kromag
    — 08/03/2023

    Found on the site of the old Manuel Brickworks, Whitecross. Ian Suddaby states – A KROMAG brick was found last weekend and I thought this was an American import to Scotland. That was based on the Kromag name being registered to an American company, E. J. Lavino & Co. and a picture of a near…

  • GR’s Dykehead GTL
    — 14/02/2023

    Found by Ian Suddaby in the Bonnybridge area. This example is not in my possession. Dykehead Fire Clay Works, Bonnybridge, Falkirk. The GR’s refers to General Refractories which bought over the Dykehead Works. . . Below – It is not instantly seen but the motif in the circular stamp on the brick is as per…