Robertson, Love & Co were liquidated in 1916 but continued to make firebricks as part of United Collieries Ltd. When coal was nationalised in 1947, the brickworks were reorganised as United Fireclay Products Ltd. and comprised the Etna and Atlas Firebrick Works, the Bathville Pipe Works, the UNICOL Tileworks, all at Armadale and the Brownhill Building Brickworks at Clelland, Lanarkshire. The chief refractory brands were Etna (33% alumina), Atlas (38% alumina), and Atlas A (42% alumina), all based on local fire clays. The Bents Mine near Stoneyburn supplied an excellent 42% alumina fireclay from which the Mars brand was made, but the fireclay was worked out and the mine closed in 1929. The Drum Mine near East Whitburn took over and the Northrigg No 7 pit supplied fireclay for pipes and some coal. The Tippethill Mine (38% alumina, 2.5% iron) replaced the Drum Mine in 1960 and the Pottishaw Mine replaced Northrigg in 1963.
Below – 1944 – 1969 – Tippethill Fireclay Mine.
Below – 25/06/1965 – West Lothian Courier – Advert for clay fillers and drawers at the Tippethill Fireclay Mine, Whitburn, West Lothian as owned by the United Fireclay Products Ltd.
07/04/1972 – West Lothian Courier – United Fireclay Products Ltd., Armadale, Bathgate, West Lothian. A member of the Gibbons Dudley Group. Mine deputy required for our Tippethill Fireclay Mine. Write or telephone Mr A. McDougall, mine manager. Tel No Whitburn 271.
