04/10/1879 – West Lothian Courier – On Monday a somewhat alarming explosion of fire damp took place at the Star Pit, Glenboig but was fortunately unattended with serious results. Hitherto the regular fire clay workings have been entirely free from damp but some had been generated during the driving of a mine through an upthrow. The air course is supposed to have been interrupted by a fall from the roof during the night so that when a workman approached the spot with a naked light the explosion took place, burning him and a companion pretty severely about the face and arms. No damage was done to the workings.
06/08/1897 – Edinburgh Evening News – Francis Armstrong (25), a horse driver, residing at Westbank, Glenboig, was killed in the Glenboig Union Fireclay Company’s mine yesterday. He had been coming along the haulage road when a portion of the back roofing unexpectedly gave way and falling upon him caused fatal injuries.
24/12/1898 – Kirkintilloch Gazette – Mr William Reid, underground manager to the Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, and Mr Boig, pit manager, were rather severely injured by a slight explosion of fire damp in the Star Pit, Glenboig, last week.
Below – 23/06/1906 – Coatbridge Leader – Fatal accident enquiry into the death of Joseph Wallace, oversman, Star Pit, Glenboig.
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16/11/1907 – Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser – On Thursday a miner, named Richardson, met with an accident at the Star Pit, Glenboig, by being entangled in the wire rope. He was severely crushed and had to be removed by Messrs Robert McAra and Son in the ambulance waggon to the Alexander Hospital.
Below – 06/08/1909 – Belshill Speaker – 4 men die after roof collapse at the Star Pits clay mine owned by Glenboig Union Fireclay Company Ltd
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Below – 17/10/1910 – Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser William Johnston McIntyre manager of the Glenboig Star Pit charged with failing to report an explosion in the mine.
Below – 25/06/1913 – Coatbridge Express – Robert Taggart and Samuel Paterson are charged withing mining contraventions by removing a stoop of fireclay at the Star Pit.
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16/07/1915 – Kirkintilloch Gazette – Court Session case. A settlement was intimated to the First Division of the Court of Session on Friday in the action by Mrs Mary Kelly, widow, Canal Side, Athy, County against the Caledonian Railway Company for £500 damages for the death of her son, James Kelly, labourer, who resided at Earlston Square, Glenhoig, on December 7, 1914. He was employed by the Glenboig Union Fireclay Company at their Star Pit at Glenboig, adjoining which, is the defenders’ railway. While taking damaged hutches across the railway, Kelly was run over by a hutch which was violently set in motion by a train of waggons which was being pushed along the railway. He died the same night. Defenders said the train was being properly shunted, with a brakesman in front, and that it was after he had passed that Kelly attempted to cross and fouled the line. They have now tendered the pursuer £131 and expenses, and this has been accepted.
Below – 07/02/1923 – Kirkintilloch Herald – Peter Mackin sues the Glenboig Union Fireclay Company in respect of injuries received while working at the Star Pit.
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Found by Eddie McLean in the Glasgow area. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Glenboig Fireclay Works, (Old Works) Glenboig, Lanarkshire .
Found in the Alloa area. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Glenboig Fireclay Works, (Old Works) Glenboig, Lanarkshire .
Found by Claudio Ernesto Rios. Claudio states – The bricks were found in the City of Zárate, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In a fridge (almost totally destroyed today) the fridge’s name was Smithfield Refrigerator of English capital, built in 1903, so I would believe those bricks were manufactured in the last decade of the 19th century….
Found by Gary Hibberd near Penicuik. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Glenboig Fireclay Works, (Old Works) Glenboig, Lanarkshire
Found by Flipp Metlin in a basement floor in Saint Petersburg, on Vasilievskiy Island, Russia. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Glenboig Fireclay Works, (Old Works) Glenboig, Lanarkshire It is likely there is a dash and a downward arrow stamped on the right of the brick…
Found by Ian Suddaby by the Firth of Forth in Central Scotland. This example is not in my possession. The manufacturer of this checker is unknown although the find site would suggest it was made at the Manuel Works, Whitecross’ Scotland. Stein, Castlecary Fireclay Works, Castlecary, Stirlingshire. Stein, Manuel Firebrick and Refractory Works, Whitecross, Stirlingshire….
Found by Amin Hz who states ‘This brick was found in an old oil well drilling company, probably 50 years ago, in the area of Koh Bink, located 23 km from Ganaveh Port, Iran’. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Glenboig Fireclay Works, (Old Works) Glenboig,…
Found by Ian Suddaby at Clydebank, Glasgow. This example is not in my possession. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Glenboig Fireclay Works, (Old Works) Glenboig, Lanarkshire Below – This is a hanger brick with the hanger slots on the stretcher side. .
Found by John Musty in the Derby area. This example is not in my possession. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Glenboig Fireclay Works, (Old Works) Glenboig, Lanarkshire .
The following bricks were found in Suriname, South America by Marnix (John) Visser. Marnix states – I have found several bricks on an old Scottish plantation in Suriname South America with the name Waterloo and located in Nickerie at the border with Guyana. James Balfour was the plantation owner. . . Below – Hurlford –…
