17/08/1894 – Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald – … A new coal-pit is being sunk at Warrix, near Irvine, by the Bourtreehill Coal and Fire Clay Coy., and the sinkers have reached the coal. Miners were employed to take it out from the bottom of the shank. This was done, and it is said the coal was carted away and sold at 15s per ton, The miners on strike objected to this, and on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings pickets 35 strong went out to stop work if possible. They did not succeed either morning. The men have continued at their work …
22/12/1894 – The Scotsman – New works in Ayrshire … The Bourtreehill Coal and Fireclay Company have discovered a splendid field of clay near to their new pit at Warrix and it is stated that another brickwork is in the course of erection …
1896 – Bourtreehill Coal Company – sewerage pipes, chimney cans, fire bricks, gas retorts, flooring tiles, flower vases and other clay goods. Specialities – white and yellow enamelled kitchen and scullery sinks. wash tubs and milk coolers, enamelled fireclay closets and bricks. Armstrong’s patent improved inspection openings, Fulton’s patent grease traps, Cowans patent ventilating drain traps and patent grease traps. Bourtreehill Fireclay Works. Warrix Fireclay Works, Irvine. Lochhead Fireclay Works, Dunfermline and at Leith. Shipping ports – Irvine, Ardrossan, Troon, Greenock and Glasgow.
10/02/1899 – Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald – The Bourtreehill Coal Coy. have now struck a splendid seam of ell coal in their Warrix pit near Irvine, which when opened out will give employment to a large number of men. The Ladyha’ was sunk through some time ago, and the coal with the clay under will make a good working. From this seam, there will be a plentiful supply of coal and clay to last the fire-clay works for many years. The sinking operations were retarded by a strong post of whinstone and other difficulties, but both colliery and fire-clay works will, it is expected, now be rapidly developed.
17/02/1899 – Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald – Wanted, experienced fire clay workers – pipe makers, trap makers etc. Apply Manager, Warrix Fire Clay Works, near Irvine.
1901 – Clayworkers Directory – Bourtreehill Coal Company, Bourtreehill and Warrix Fire Clay Works, Dreghorn, R. S. O, Ayrshire.
02/05/1902 – Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald – On Monday, Mr R. Gordon, lately appointed manager of the Bourtreehill Co’s fire clay works at Warrix was made the recipient of a handsome timepiece by the employees on the occasion of his marriage. Mr John Muir made the presentation and Mr Gordon suitably replied.
1903 – Bourtreehill Coal Co. Bourtreehill & Warrix Collieries & Bourtreehill, Lochhead & Warrix Fire Clay & Enamelling Works, Dreghorn S.O. Ayrshire.
1938 – Works closed?
Photographed in Dublin by Susan Roundtree. This example is not in my possession. Bourtreehill Fireclay Works, Dreghorn, Ayrshire. Note the misspelling. Susan states – there is a whole row of those yellow chamfered ones used as a plinth trim in terraced houses otherwise built with red brick. You can see the stamp at the door…
Found by Hans Nilsson in the sea at Furuögrund, Sweden. Hans states – The brick was found in Furuögrund north of Skellefteå. Furuögrund was the port where wood products from the area where produced and shipped. At many places ballast was left. The ballast, usually stone not found in Sweden…like flint and sometimes even a…
This set-up of troughs, salt lick or cowlick and ventilator was photographed by Ian Suddaby in the Cumnock area. Bourtreehill Fireclay Works, Dreghorn, Ayrshire. . . . . . .
Ian Suddaby states – Carrick Academy in Maybole, Ayrshire is soon to replaced with a modern community hub, school and leisure centre. The existing school was built from red brick and red sandstone in 1925 and extra accommodation was added in the 1970s. Digging work in the grounds suggests that the 1925 building was made…
Found by Simon Scott in the Turriff area. This example is not in my possession. This is a section of broken fireclay pipe. The Bourtreehill Fireclay Company had works at Bourtreehill Fireclay Works, Dreghorn, Ayrshire and the Lochhead Fireclay Works, Dunfermline. . .
It was found by Pauline Godbout Santerre on a beach in, Canada. . . . . Below – Bourtreehill Kilmarnock – Bourtreehill Fireclay Works, Dreghorn, Ayrshire.
Photographed by Ian Suddaby at a salvage yard in the Ayrshire area. Ian states – It says Bourtreehill the right way up and Dreghorn upside down. This must have been applied using separate stamps. This example is not in my possession. Bourtreehill Fireclay Works, Dreghorn, Ayrshire. . . .
This brick was found by Jan -Olof Bergman in Sweden. J-O states “Last summer I made a very interesting find. I found a brick with the inscription “Bourtreehill Kilmarnock”. It was found at a dumpsite for ballast in the little harbour of Furuögrund (approx. 500 miles north of Stockholm), where there was a big sawmill…
Photographed by Martin Sneddon in the Ayrshire area. I am not in possession of this example. There may also be another word stamped above Warrix but it is unclear. Warrix Fire Clay Works, Irvine, North Ayrshire. . . .
WIKI information – The British and Tasmanian Charcoal Iron Company (BTCIC) was an iron mining and smelting company that operated from 1874 to 1878 in Northern Tasmania, Australia. It was formed by floating the operations of a private company, the Tasmanian Charcoal Iron Company which operated between 1871 and 1874. This venture was the largest…
