Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry

Townhill Brickworks, Dunfermline, Fife aka Townhill Fireclay Works.

John Shepherd Street, Born 8/12/1859, son of Richard Street, brick manufacturer, Dunfermline, and Euphemia West, grandson of William Streets and Anna Shepherd, married 02/02/1800 Glasgow.  John S Street resident Dunfermline 1871-1891.

(Note – SBH – Were these brickworks one of the same with the Kingseat Hill Brickworks or were they situated nearby. Please read this page in conjunction with the Kingseat Hill Brickworks).

Below – 10/05/1828 – Edinburgh Evening Courant – (Note – SBH – Could this be a reference to an early brickworks at Townhill or are they referencing the Kingseat Hill Brickworks).

Estate and extensive coal mines in the West of Ayrshire for sale. To be sold by public roup, within the Royal Exchange Coffeehouse, Edinburgh, on Wednesday the 25th day of June 1828, at two o’clock afternoon, The whole landed property belonging to the Town of Dunfermline with the valuable coal, mines and woods. The Lands consist of the different farms of Higholm Muir, Cockhall, Lilliehill, Cairncubie, I.ochbank, Kingseat and Bellyeoman, including the Dawsdendale and Dicks Park; and farther, of the Pendicles at Townhill; the Brickwork; the Parks called Headwell, Planting and Dawsdendales, the Leys, the Pendicle and houses possessed by William Millar Gardiner, Easter and Western Town Green; and lastly, Hallyblood Acres including the washing house and bleaching green …

1837 – See 1886 advert. Works established.

1839 – 1840 –  Reference to the Townhill Works being established upwards of 60 years prior to 1899 by the grandfather of the Street Brothers.

Below – 1853 – Townhill Brickworks.

1867 – Richard Street, Fire Brick and Terracotta Manufacturer, Town Hill, Dunfermline.

12/01/1880 – Dundee Courier – … since the Townhill Coal Company settled down in the village (Townhill Village) some sixteen years ago, the place has rapidly increased and is improved in many ways. Year by year the tenants of the colliery have increased the area of their field, giving to the Burgh a large and annually increasing revenue. At the entrance to the village, there is the brickwork of Mr Richard Strut, (Street?) who has been four years located in the village.

Below – 1886 – Advert Richard Street & Sons, Dunfermline.

Below – 1889 – Advert Richard Street & Sons, Dunfermline. Townhill Fireclay Works.

04/09/1889 – Dundee Advertiser – Extensive sale of fire clay and common clay goods etc Townhill Fire clay Works Dunfermline on Thursday 05/09/1889 at ten o’clock.

25/02/1896 – Edinburgh Gazette – The firm of Street Brothers, fire clay goods manufacturers, carrying on business at Appin Fire Clay Works, Townhill, near Dunfermline, and at Cruicks Terra Cotta Works near Inverkeithing, and also the firm of Richard Street and Sons, brick builders and contractors, carrying on business at Townhill, near Dunfermline (of both of which firms the Subscribers are the sole Partners) were dissolved mutual consent on the 25th day of January 1896. The subscribers Richard Street, Junior, and Thomas Thomson Street will continue to carry on business fire clay goods manufacturers at Appin Fire Clay Works aforesaid under the style or firm of Street Brothers, and they will also continue to carry on the business of brick builders and contractors at Townhill aforesaid under the style or firm of Richard Street and Sons. The Subscriber John Shepherd Street will continue to carry on business as a brick and tile manufacturer in his own name at Cruicks Terra Cotta Works aforesaid. All parties indebted to the said firms, or either of them, will please make payment to the said Richard Street, junior, and Thomas Thomson Street, and all parties having claims against the said firms, or either of them, will please lodge the same with them without delay.
Street Brothers.
Richard Street and Sons.
Richard Street Jun.
William Burt Street.
John S Street.
Thomas T Street.
James Lawson, clerk to Street Brothers, above designed, witness.
Robert Hynd, clerk to Street Brothers, above designed, witness.

29/03/1899 – Dundee Courier – Fatal Accident in Fife. Patrick Connor, 72 years of age. labourer, No. 2 Second Row, Townhill, was fatally injured at Messrs Street Brothers’ Fireclay Work, Townhill on Monday night. While he was assisting to fill a cart at a place where some excavations had been going on, a mass of fireclay, which had been partly undermined, came away upon him. On the old man being extricated, he did not seem to be much injured, but on being conveyed home he died within an hour.