In this post I am covering three brickworks which were near the centre of Lincoln & then six works which formed the Lincoln Brick Company of which five started as independent yards.
I wish to thank Ken Redmore of the Society of Lincolnshire History & Archaeology for providing me with his information, maps & a 1837 photo about the early brickworks in Lincoln which has helped me put this post together.
1900 O.S. map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
On this first map I have numbered the locations of each of the works one to eight, the ninth works was at Waddington to the south of Lincoln & these numbers are used in the text against the name of the works.
I first start with the three works - locations 1 to 3 which had all finished working by the early 1880's & then I cover the early years of brickworks 4 to 8 which were to be amalgamated into the Lincoln Brick Company followed by The Lincoln Brick Company itself.
Brickworks 1. Newland Street West.
According to Ken this works had started in the late 18th C. & from a 1861 trade directory John Foster is listed as owner of this works. He was then followed by his son John junior.
John Foster senior was also a bricklayer & builder of many of the houses in the immediate area. In the 1851 Census John is recorded as employing 27 men. Norman House on Carholme Road was built in 1865 by John & was later to become the home of his son John jnr. The family owned property on High Street & the most prominent member of the family John (1809 - 1884) became a City Councillor & a Justice of the Peace. The works is last recorded in White's 1882 edition with the yard & land then being sold for the building of houses.
The works are recorded in these directories.Kelly's 1861 - J. Foster, 57 High Street (offices), Lincoln.
White's 1872 - J. Foster & Son, Newland Street West, L.
Kelly's 1876 - John Foster junior, Newland Street West, residence, Norman House, Carholme Road, L.
White's 1882 - John Foster junior, Newland Street West, L.
Map of the West End of Lincoln between 1842 to 51 by Ken Redmore showing the locations of John Foster's & John Allison's brickyards.
Brickworks 2. West Parade.
A smaller works on land which was on both sides of Clay Lane (now West Parade) was owned by John Allison who combined farming & brickmaking as his occupation, making bricks from the late 18th c. to the 1840's. John together with his brother Thomas in the 1790's were also merchants in the city owning at least one site alongside the Brayford Pool.Please see the map above for the location of John's brickyard.
With a gradual decline in the brickmaking business the works closed in 1850 with John's yard & land around 15 acres being sold to developers for house building in 1851. John's nephew Charles Allison then carried on farming the family's 360 acres of land in the nearby village of Broxholme.
Brickworks 3. Stamp End.
The location of this works at Stamp End was on the north bank of the River Witham & was owned by Jarrard Hewson around 1830, followed by Richard Ward around 1835, then John Gourley until the mid 1840's. This brickworks survived until the land was purchased by the engineering firm, Clayton & Shuttleworth to expand their works.
A 1837 lithographic photo of the River Witham at Stamp End Lock with the smoking clamp kilns behind the barge of John Gourley's brickyard. Photo reproduced with the permission of Ken Redmore, SLHA.
http://www.slha.org.uk/photogallery/index.php?thistopic=Industry_BricksTiles#apm1_6
1913 O.S. map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Brickworks 4. West Cliffe.
My first reference to the West Cliffe brickworks on Burton Road is that of it being owned by Thomas Nicholson who was also a machine maker, millwright & wheelwright in the 1840's. It then became Nicholson & Goy from around 1850 to 1870.
The next owners of the West Cliffe works were the Swan Brothers, John & Robert junior & a gentleman called Thomas Bourne who had joined the brothers by 1872. An example of one of their bricks is shown below.
Swan Brothers & Bourne are listed in these trade directories at the West Cliffe Brickworks, Burton Road, Lincoln at these dates. Kelly's 1876, White's 1882 with E. Handley as Manager, then Kelly's 1885 & 1889.
This works was then amalgamated into the Lincoln Brick Co. along with three other small brickworks sometime in 1889.
Swan Brothers & Bourne are listed in these trade directories at the West Cliffe Brickworks, Burton Road, Lincoln at these dates. Kelly's 1876, White's 1882 with E. Handley as Manager, then Kelly's 1885 & 1889.
This works was then amalgamated into the Lincoln Brick Co. along with three other small brickworks sometime in 1889.
Updated 10.2.17.
Dennis Mills has sent me this additional information about the Swan Brothers & Thomas Bourne.
John Swan lived at Stonefield House, Church Lane & was a Solicitor, Farmer & Property Developer. John Swan in the 1881 census is listed together with his other various jobs as a ‘Brick Manufacturer, employing 59 men and 16 boys’. He is your main man in the firm of Swan Bros and Bourne. The other two being brother Robert Swan the Second of The Quarry, Wragby Road and their legal partner Thomas Bourne. In the 1870's John Swan developed land for housing & then in 1882 together with Thomas Bourne, the duo developed land for housing off Burton Rd not far south of the West Cliffe Brickworks.
An Advert for Swan Brothers & Bourne which appears in White's 1882 directory.
Update 18.11.19. Before I write about Brickworks 5, the Albion Works, I have to update the post with finding that the Long Leys Lane yard owned by Glasier & Pratt was not the Albion Works as previously wrote, but was a smaller yard just to the north of the Albion Works & adjacent to the West Cliffe Works. I have coloured this yard green on the 1886 OS map below. Please note the Albion Works did not exist until the 1890's.
1886 O.S. map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Established by Glasier & Pratt in the 1840's this green coloured yard on Long Leys Road, originally Long Lees Lane is first listed in Kelly's 1861 edition as Glasier & Pratt, Long Lees Lane, Lincoln, followed by the entry of George Glasier, Long Lees Lane, Lincoln in White's 1872 edition. It appears this yard closed shortly after 1872 as it is shown as disused on the 1886 OS above.
1913 O.S. map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Brickworks 5. Albion Works.
The Albion Brickworks on Long Leys Lane was established around 1890 by Edward Handley b.1836. Previously in the early 1880's Handley had been a manager at the West Cliffe Brickworks owned by the Swan Brothers & Thomas Bourne. Kelly's 1892 & 1896 editions records Edward Handley's company as Handley & Sons, Albion Works, Long Lees Lane, Lincoln. The 1897 City of Lincoln Directory for some unknown reason lists Edward as Edwin Handley of Handley & Sons, Albion Works, Long Leys Road & living at Albion House situated on the same road. Son William is listed as living at Jesmond House, West Parade & Edwin junior (again should this be Edward) living with his father at Albion House. The 1901 edition of the City of Lincoln Directory does list Edward as Edward Handley & Sons, brickmakers - Albion Works & still living at Albion House. Handley & Sons, Albion Works are next listed in Kelly's 1905 edition. Edward Handley died in February 1906 & from my findings eldest son William continued to run the Albion Works with him being recorded in the 1911 census as a Brick Manufacturer. It then appears the Lincoln Brick Co. acquired the Albion Brickworks around 1912 with William Handley now being listed as a Coal Merchant in Kelly's 1913 edition.
Photo by Jim Stevens.
Edward Handley & Sons by Ian Armstrong, found in Fledborough.
Albion Brick Works, Lincoln, courtesy of Edward Handley.
Edward Handley senior also had interests/owned brickworks near London & these works were then run by his son Edward junior after his death & more can be read about the Handley family at this Link.
1913 O.S. map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Brickworks 6. Cross O'Cliffe.
William Bartholomew Best is listed as owner of the Cross O'Cliffe Brick & Tile Works, Bracebridge, Lincoln in Kelly's 1872 to 1889 editions. An example of one of his bricks is shown below.
Also in Kelly's 1889 edition there is another entry for the Cross O’Cliffe Hill Brickworks with William Bartholomew Best as proprietor & Martin Simpson manager at Bracebridge, Lincoln. The first reference to the Lincoln Brick Co. being on this site is 1892, but according to the web this works was taken over in 1889 along with two other brickworks located at South Cliffe & Brant Road, Bracebridge.
Brickworks 7. South Cliffe.
The South Cliffe works had it's origins in the mid 18th century & with the need for bricks the council encourage companies to use the clay in the South Common area to meet the demand for a growing town. This works had closed by the end of 1889 & the clay pit became the central lake in the ornamental gardens of South Cliffe House & is shown on the 1913 map above under my number 7.
From the web I have found that this works was also amalgamated into the Lincoln Brick Company in 1889, but it may have only been open for part of that year until it became the ornamental gardens of South Cliffe House. Eleanor Close is now built on this site.
1913 O.S. map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Brickworks 8. Bracebridge.
This works was located off Brant Road & is first listed in Kelly's 1876 edition as the Bracebridge Brick & Tile Company with William Penny as secretary, Saltergate, Lincoln which I am taking this address to be the offices of the company. The next entry in White's 1882 edition is the Bracebridge Brick Co. Lim. William Cobb, manager, works Bracebridge. Then in Kelly's 1885 edition, William Cobb continues as manager at the Bracebridge works, but the offices are now listed as 6, Exchange Arcade, Lincoln.
The last entry for the Bracebridge Brick & Tile Co. Lim. in Kelly's 1889 edition records Francis Thomas Bennett as manager, offices at 6, Exchange Arcade & works Bracebridge.
Francis Thomas Bennett came from an important brickmaking family who were working in Derby & Nottingham. Francis had been sent by his father Charles Bennett, (manager of the Nottingham Patent Brick Company) to be the manager of the Bracebridge Works in which Charles may have had an interest in.
Francis Thomas Bennett came from an important brickmaking family who were working in Derby & Nottingham. Francis had been sent by his father Charles Bennett, (manager of the Nottingham Patent Brick Company) to be the manager of the Bracebridge Works in which Charles may have had an interest in.
Advert from 1889 recording Francis as manager, but using only his middle name.
Info from the web states that this works along with South Cliffe & Cross O'Cliffe works were amalgamated into the Lincoln Brick Co. in 1889.
We next find Francis Thomas Bennett recorded as manager of this newly expanded Lincoln Brick Company in 1892 & I have wrote about the Bennett family in a previous post which can be found at this link.
The Lincoln Brick Company.
Photo by Ben Powell.
The Lincoln Brick Company are first recorded in White's 1882 edition with William Newton as secretary & offices in Benedict's Square, Lincoln. Kelly's 1885 & 1889 editions now lists William Dixon as manager & secretary of LBC with offices at 10 Exchange Arcade L. & works, Waddington. Ben Powell found this L.B. Co. brick on the site of Worsdell's Mill, Waddington, so just a stones throw from where it was made & from the shape of the frog, it suggests this brick was made in the 1880's, so an early example made at Waddington.
Francis Thomas Bennett is now recorded in Kelly's 1892 & 1896 editions as manager of LBC. with offices at 5, St Mary's Street, L. & works at Burton Road, West Cliffe & Cross O'Cliffe, Bracebridge.
I have to note that for some reason not known the trade directories do not list the Brant Road, Bracebridge works which became part of LBC in 1889 until it's 1909 edition & the Waddington works is not listed in the 1892 & 1896 editions, but I expect these two works were in production during these periods.
The listing in Kelly's 1900 edition reads offices, City Chambers, High Street, L. works, Long Leys Road, West Cliffe - Waddington & Cross O'Cliffe, Bracebidge. The works listed as being on Long Leys Road, was the West Cliffe Works situated on Burton Road at this date & from studying maps this works may have also been access from Long Leys Road. Francis Bennett passed away in 1900 at the tender age of 45.
Kelly's 1909, offices, City Chambers, works, Long Leys Road, West Cliffe (again this is the Burton Road, West Cliffe works) - Cross O'Cliffe - Waddington & Brant Road, Bracebridge.
The Lincoln Brick Co then acquired the Albion Brickworks situated on Long Leys Road, West Cliffe from Edward Handley & Sons around 1912. Edward Handley had died in 1906 & it appears son William was running the Albion Works with him being recorded in the 1911 census as a Brick Manufacturer. In Kelly's 1913 edition William is listed as a Coal Merchant.
Kelly's 1913, 1919, 1926 & the final edition that I have in 1930, lists LBC with offices at City Chambers, 182, High Street, Lincoln & Works at Long Leys Road (this is the Albion Works) - Brant Road, Bracebridge & Waddington near Lincoln. The West Cliffe Works on Burton Road is last shown on the 1904 map & is not shown on the 1930 map. This 1930 map also shows houses had been built fronting Burton Road, so it appears this brickworks closed between 1904 & 1913 with it not being listed in Kelly's 1913 edition.
Advert for LBC. c.1920/1930.
1913 O.S. map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
1913 map showing locations of Burton Road (4) & the Albion Works, Long Leys Road (5), West Cliffe. Both sites are have now been partly built on with houses & industrial units.
With this brick being marked with a W, it could have been made at the West Cliffe works (4), but I am leaning towards it have being made at Waddington (9).
An AW example from the Albion Works, Long Leys Road, West Cliffe (5).
1913 O.S. map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
1913 map showing location of the Cross O'Cliffe works (6). This site is now covered in woodland which is situated between Orchard Walk & Coningsby Crescent.
The site of South Cliffe works (7) is recorded as being amalgamated into the Lincoln Brick Company in 1889, but it may have been only open to the end of 1889 as the site became part of the ornamental gardens of South Cliffe House. Eleanor Close is now built on this site.
1913 O.S. map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
1913 map showing the location of the Bracebridge works (8) with access off Brant Road. I have been told that the clay pit of this works was used by the council as a landfill site & is currently occupied by industrial units.
An example of a brick produced at the mechanised Brant Road, Bracebridge works.
Photo by Sylvia Siddans.
This reversed B version may have also been made at the Bracebridge Works on Brant Road.
Courtesy of the Gina Maria Mettam Collection.
Gina Maria Mettam has kindly given me permission to add these photos to my post. Thanks Gina. The first is when the kiln at Brant Road, Bracebridge was operational & the following four are after 1969 when the Brant Road Works was in the process of being dismantled & knocked down.
RB-10 Excavator.
Courtesy of the Gina Maria Mettam Collection.
The "Fred Dibnah Way" of bringing a chimney down by knocking bricks out then using wood to prop the chimney up & then setting fire to the wood. The chimney would then fall in the direction of the bricks taken out, hopefully !
1913 O.S. map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
1913 map showing location of the Waddington works (9). This site & the clay pit still exists today, but is enclosed on two sides by housing on Station Road.
Example of a brick made at Waddington.
More photos from Gina's collection this time showing the Waddington Works. The first shows repairs to the chimney at a date unknown.
Arthur Tindall, Works Manager, taken in late 1960's. I am assuming the next photo was taken at the same time.
Waddington Works in the early 1970's.
Photo taken after the common kiln was converted from coal-firing to gas-firing. A 10RB excavator can just be seen to the right of the gas tank.
Stuart McCarthy recording the bringing down of the chimney. Explosives used on this occasion.
Two modern examples of bricks made at either Waddington or Bracebridge.
Lincoln Brick Company timeline.
The exact closure dates for some of the brickworks is unknown & further research will be needed.
Burton Road, West Cliffe (4), first listed in Kelly's as part of LBC in 1892 & closed shortly after 1904.
Albion Works, Long Leys Road (5), acquired around 1912. This works was still in production in 1938 & is still shown as operational on the 1948 OS map (last available), however a 1950 newspaper article states that production had ceased during WW2 & production of it's facing bricks was transferred to Waddington where a new plant had been built to produce these bricks & was operational in 1947.
Cross O'Cliffe, Bracebridge (6), Amalgamated into LBC in 1889 & first listed in Kelly's 1892. Last listing in Kelly's 1909, so closed by the next edition in 1913 & is marked old brick yard on the 1913 map above.
South Cliffe (7), Amalgamated into LBC in 1889, also closed in that year.
Brant Road, Bracebridge (8), Amalgamated into LBC in 1889 & first listed in Kelly's 1909. This works closed in 1969.
Waddington (9), opened 1882 & is first listed in Kelly's 1885 edition. A 1938 newspaper article has revealed that brick production ceased in 1915 and the works was mothballed for over 20 years. In 1938 the Lincoln Brick Company re-opened it's Waddington Works, adding a new building on land next to the old works. The new plant installed in this extension was capable of producing 120,000 to 140,000 bricks per week. A new 16 chamber transverse arch continuous kiln was built by Monolithic & General Construction Ltd. of London which measured 145 ft long by 69 ft wide & each chamber was capable of holding 20,000 3 inch bricks. With the closure of the Albion Works during WW2 it's production of facing bricks was transferred to Waddington & new plant was producing these facing bricks there in 1947. According to a web article Waddington ceased brick production in December 1975. The Lincoln Brick Co. then became a brick factor, supplying bricks made by other brick companies.
I wish to thank Ken Redmore of the Society of Lincolnshire History & Archaeology again for helping me with information, map & photo which has enriched this post.
http://www.slha.org.uk/index.php
I also wish to thank the National Library of Scotland for giving me permission to use these O.S. map in my post & their maps can be accessed at this link.
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=13&lat=53.2330&lon=-0.5638&layers=1
Please note that Ordinance Survey maps need to be more than 50 years old before you can use them on personal non-commercial blogs.
