© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NCC/Ordnance Survey 1912.
Thomas Smart is listed in Kelly's 1888 edition through to it's 1891 edition at the Ludlow Brickworks, West Bridgford, Nottingham. It is recorded in a web article that his works on Melton Road was started in 1885, the location of which is shown on the 1912 OS map above. Kelly's 1895 edition to the last available edition in 1941 now records the company as T. & J. Smart at the same address.
T & J Smart were also Contractors & Excavators in connection with building roads & sewers. Their father William also operated as a Contractor & he is recorded in the 1861 census as employing 28 men & living on London Road at Trent Bridge. I am assuming this was a large house near the bridge & it was the family home for William & his family, with Thomas still recorded as still living there in 1910.
So who was the J in T & J Smart, brickmakers & contractors when Thomas' brother was William Richard Smart & there were no other brothers. Both Thomas & William Richard are only listed in the census as Contractors, so it appears they were primary Contractors first with brickmaking being another side of their business & this is the only answer I can come up with & it maybe stretching the truth. William Richard would have also been known as William junior & my thoughts are that he was normally called Junior hence the brothers company being called Thomas & Junior Smart. Backing up my theory is the entry in Wright's 1899 edition when William Richard Smart is listed as living at 32 Stratford Road & having "of T & J Smart" in brackets.
The Smarts brickworks provided the majority of the bricks needed for the ever expanding West Bridgford both for housing & industrial use. The exact date when the works closed is unknown, but it is recorded in a web article that it was sometime during the 2nd World War. This was due to the glow from the kilns which compromised the blackout regulations. It appears that the works did not reopened after the war as the works is marked disused on a 1952 map & houses have now been built all round the edge of the site. The kilns were demolished in the early 1950's & today this former brickworks site is an industrial estate.
This may have been an early example of one of T. Smart's bricks.
Image of the works taken from the air in 1935.
Photo by MF courtesy of Nottingham Industrial Museum.
This will be a 1920's/30's example with it having a similar frog to a LBC brick.
Two examples of Smarts Polychrome bricks. The word polychrome comes from the design of polychrome brickwork which was a style of Tudor architecture which was revived in the 1850's to create patterns in brickwork. So these bricks may have been made by Thomas when he first started brickmaking in 1885. The texture of the clay is similar to the Smart, Nottm brick above.
Baldwin, Bunny.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NCC/Ordnance Survey 1946.
I first start with the pre-Baldwin history for this works. Thomas Walker is listed as brickmaker in Kelly's 1876 edition at this works in Bunny, Notts. This village is situated south of Nottingham & very close to the Leicestershire border. Thomas Walker is then followed by his son Thomas junior at the works & he is listed in Kelly's 1894 edition. A map dated 1887 shows this works as being only half the size as the one on the 1946 map above. This yard is shown again on the 1900 map, but is then marked as disused on the 1912 map.
H.J. Baldwin then establishes a new brickworks on this former brickworks site in 1936. I have three trade directory entries for H.J. Baldwin & Co. Ltd. in Kelly's 1941, 53 & 56 editions & they only give the office address of 132, Arkwright Street, Nottm. & no listing for the location of their works.
The brick above is a standard imperial sized brick & the one below is a modern metric version.
Two photos of the works from the air taken in 1939.
These four photos of the works were taken by Mike Chapman in 1994 shortly after the works had closed. This first one shows the kiln & chimney. Mike tells me while he was taking these photos, scrap men were hovering to take what metal that they could find. A sorry end to a once thriving works. Today this former brickworks site is a recycling & landfill site.
A closer inspection of this photo shows that these are pallets of the underground electricity cable covers which Baldwins produced in five different sizes & two examples can be seen below. Theses covers were placed in the ground to indicate that live electricity cables where buried below. This was at a time before the Cat Scan had been invented to show the location of buried electrical cables to workers digging up the ground.
Wollaton.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1900.
Up to yet I have found no info relating to this brickworks ever being called the Wollaton Brick Co. as you would suppose with the brick below being stamped Wollaton. This works is shown on maps dating 1875 through to 1938, but I have only found two trade directory entries for brickmakers working at this yard & one web reference to another brickmaker being at the yard. I have used the word yard as this brickworks according to the several maps viewed never expanded in size compaired to other works in the Nottingham area operating over the same length of time.
James Clayton is recorded at Wollaton in Whites 1885 edition with James also owning another works on Carlton Road, Nottm. The London Gazette in 1886 records James Clayton, Wollaton Brick & Pipe Works, Nottm. as ceased trading & going into voluntary liquidation. So he may have only been at the Wollaton works for a couple of years.
The next trade directory is for William Buxton & he is listed in Kelly's 1894 edition at Wollaton & Kimberley, Nottingham. This is the only entry for the Wollaton works, but William is listed at Kimberley in Kelly's 1876 to 1904 editions. Yet again a short tenancy at this yard.
I then have this web info from a family website :-
"Cliffords brick yard.
In 1901 Henry Clifford, age 69 was at the brickyard in Wollaton with his wife Maria (Nee Woodward.) and his children. It would seem that a Thomas Brooks born Milford now owns the brick yard.... So. Any information ???? and where was the brickyard in Wollaton???"
No trade directory entries for Henry Clifford, but I can reveal the location of the works for the person who posted this request in 2009. Just hope they do a fresh search so they can see my results. Then that begs the question of how long did Thomas Brooks own the yard ? As said the yard is still shown on a 1938 map.
Update 27.4.19.
I have received some info relating to the Wollaton brickworks from Ray in Nottingham, who writes: "My Grandfather and Great Grandfather purchased the Wollaton Brick Yard in 1925, one of the lots in the Wollaton Estate sell off to cover death duties. I have a copy of the original sales book. My father was born there late 1925. The family did not make bricks, but used the land as a small holding, in the 1930's they sunk a drift mine to mine coal until it caved in. I was born in 1956 and lived there until 1957 when Nottingham City Council acquired the property by compulsory purchase & we moved to another location in Wollaton. Since then my parents had a bungalow built and there is an "old" Wollaton brick in one of the garden walls." Many Thanks Ray for your family's info of the works.
I can only assume why the brickworks was still shown on the 1938 map was because the buildings were still standing & being used for other purposes. As to when Wollaton named bricks were made & by whom is still unknown. James Clayton & William Buxton listed in trade directories will have leased the brickworks from the Willoughby family of Wollaton Hall during their tenancy & could have stamped their bricks Wollaton to signify this brickworks with them both operating other brickworks in Nottingham at the same time.
Photo by MF courtesy of Nottingham Industrial Museum.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1879.
Added 22.3.17.
With finding a new trade directory entry & using the 1879 map above, I can reveal a second brickworks at Wollaton. Kelly's 1881 edition lists brickmaker Clement Tate, office, 13 Middle Pavement, Nottingham & works at Wollaton. I am favouring the red coloured yard as being owned by Clement Tate as this yard is no longer shown on the 1887 map. Also to note is that this yard (red) is also shown on the 1875 map. With this yard not being shown on the 1887 map or the 1899 map we can discount Henry Clifford owning this smaller Wollaton yard in 1901, however the 1913 map reveals that a new clay pit (no yard) is shown to the left of this former brick yard & was more than likely worked by whoever owned the Wollaton Brick Yard at the time as their clay pit on the other side of the railway line is shown as disused.
I will update the Post if I get any new evidence regarding this works or the maker of bricks stamped "Wollaton."
J. Piggin, Stapleford.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1900.
John Piggin is listed in Kelly's 1895 to 1904 edition in owning the Pasture Road brickworks coloured yellow on the 1900 map above in Stapleford. The blue coloured works at Stanton Gate was in Derbyshire & I cover that works in a future post.
The Stapleford Real Estate Co. Ltd are next listed as owning the Pasture Road works in Kelly's 1908 & 12 editions with A.G. Phillips as Manager. The works are still shown operational on a 1913 map, but only the clay pit remains on a 1938 map.
Thompson, Chilwell.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1900.
This brickworks had been worked by several generations of the Thompson family & was operational for over 100 years. The earliest date so far found for the Thompson family at the works is 1865, but I expect from the information found that the yard had been started up to twenty years earlier at least.
Photo by Jeff Sheard courtesy of Nottingham Industrial Museum.
So I start with the E.T. brick above & a London Gazette article dated 2nd January 1866 states that Edward Thompson of Breaston had taken over the Chilwell brickworks on the 31st of December 1865 which had previously operated as J.G. Thompson & Company. This company had been owned by himself, John Garton Thompson of Chilwell & Richard Thompson of Chellaston. The latter two of this partnership had retired from brickmaking. As a normal time span for a brickmaker was up to twenty years, I expect John Garton Thompson started this yard around 1845. So with Edward taking over the yard in 1866 & then finding a trade directory entry for Henry Thompson at this works in 1976, it appears that Edward owned this yard for around twenty years.
Photo by MF courtesy of Nottingham City Museums & Galleries.
The first trade directory entry that I have for the owner of this works is for Henry Thompson in Kelly's 1876 edition. This entry continues until the 1908 when the entry reads Henry Thompson (exors of), so Henry had passed away. Kelly's 1912 edition then records William Thompson at the works. More that likely William was Henry's son. William continues to be listed in Kelly's until the last available directory in 1941.
The exact year this brickworks closed is unknown, but it may have been operational into the 1960's. I have pasted a link below which shows two 1960/70's photos of the clay pit just after the chimney had been demolished. Houses have since been built on the site.
https://nottstalgia.com/forums/topic/6451-chilwell-brick-quarry-in-the-early-70s/
Sheldon, Chilwell.
Photo by MF courtesy of Derby Museum.
John Sheldon is listed in Kelly's 1876 edition as brickmaking at Chilwell, Attenborough & at Long Eaton. Then in the 1881 edition it only lists the Chilwell, Nottingham works. I am taking it that with photographing the Sheldon brick above at the Derby Silk Mill Museum it was made at John's Long Eaton works.
I then have a dilemma as to where John Sheldon's yard was in Chilwell as I have only found one brickworks marked on maps in Chilwell & this was owned by the Thompson family at the dates of 1876 & 1881. So I have two options, first John shared Henry Thompson's Chilwell yard or secondly Chilwell was where John lived & his works was at Long Eaton, but with the 1876 entry saying Chilwell & at Long Eaton it infers that John owned two works. I'll keep you updated if I find the answer to these questions.
Wilford Brick Co.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1900.
At this moment in time a brick stamped Wilford Brick Co. has still to be found, but I expect they stamped their bricks as they are listed in Kelly's 1900 to 1916 editions with Arthur Robert Bennett recorded as manager in the 1900 edition & Henry Turner as Managing Director in the 1904 edition to the 1916 edition. The 1922 edition now lists Capt. H.C. Cutts as Managing Director & entry continues to the 1941 edition. Kelly's 1953 & 56 editions lists the company as The Wilford Brick Co. Ruddington Lane, Wilford. Nottingham. The works is shown on a 1952 map & from a web article it states the works opened in 1895 & closed in 1967. The closure of the works was due to clay stocks getting low & what was left would be uneconomical to extract.
Link to a photograph taken in 1964 by a steam train enthusiast as a steam train was passing the Wilford works.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78089679@N03/10614318595
Radcliffe on Trent Brick Co.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1900.
The Radcliffe on Trent Brick Co. owned the blue coloured brickworks marked on this 1900 OS map & was located just outside the main part of Radcliffe in Harlequin. The yellow coloured works at Saxondale was owned by William Hill & I write about him next.
Kelly's 1881 edition lists the works as The Radcliffe on Trent Brick & Tile Co. with George John Willey as manager. The 1888 edition now lists George John Willey, Simon Barratt & Henry Parr as proprietors. Kelly's 1891 & 95 editions only list Willey & Parr as joint proprietors. The company is then not listed in Kelly's until the 1928 edition & the entry reads Radcliffe on Trent Brick Co. Ltd. Harlequin, Radcliffe on Trent, Nottm. So whether the works had closed for the period between 1895 & 1928 is unknown but the 1900 map above shows it as operational. I then find that the 1928 entry is also the last for the company in trade directories, but works had not closed at that date as I have found several letters of correspondence in the Nottingham Archives.
These letters were to & from the Radcliffe Brick Co. & Bennett & Sayers, Brick Machine Manufactures & Engineers in Nun Street, Derby. The letterhead on the first from Radcliffe dated 14th Jan 1930 records the company as the Radcliffe Brick Co. registered offices; 33, Castlegate, Nottm. - office & works, Radcliffe on Trent with George Morton as manager & W.A. Norris owner. It continues with a list of bricks that they supply - Pressed Facing Bricks, Wire Cut Common, Ornamental Red Bricks, Sand Stocks, Sills & Strings. This letter from N.A. Norris states that the yard had been let to C.E. Marrows of Nuthall Lodge, Nuthall, Nottm. for five years from 21st October 1929 & all materials purchased are to be paid for by Marrows. Another letter dated 30th April 1930 states that arrangements had been made by Norris for Marrows (the Tenant) to buy the yard.
The next letter dated 12th June 1930 states that George Morton previously manager of the works was now the Works new owner with Marrows & now A. Oswin recorded as tenants of the yard.
The arrangement for Marrows to purchase the yard must have fell through as well as the Works being owned by Morton because a letter dated 15th May 1931 to B. & S. states that N.A. Norris had put the yard up for sale.
The final letter dated 9th December 1931 from B. & S. to Radcliffe Brick Co. & it's new owner Joseph Onions (works & yard), contains arrangements for Mr. Needham of B. & S. to visit Radcliffe to discuss future requirements & for Joseph Onions to visit B. & S.'s brick works on Slack Lane to view their brick machinery in action. How long Joseph Onions owned the Radcliffe B. Co. & the year the works closed is unknown but it is not shown on the 1950 OS map only the remains of the clay pit. Today the houses on Covert Crescent now occupy the site of this former brickworks.
Photo by Marion Caunt.
Hill, Saxondale/Radcliffe.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1912.
Research has revealed that William Hill first owned the yellow coloured brickworks at Saxondale before relocating to a new works coloured red at Harlequin in Radcliffe on Trent. The blue works belonged to the Radcliffe Brick Co.
Kelly's 1876 trade directory records William Hill brickmaking at Saxondale, Bingham. A second works at Woodborough is added in the 1881 edition & this entry for the two works continues to the 1891 edition. The 1895 edition just lists the Saxondale works. The 1900 edition records the opening of his Harlequin works (coloured red) along with his existing Saxondale works. Then the 1904 edition to the 1922 editions just records the Harlequin (red) works. The year his Harlequin works closed is unknown & the next map available dated 1950 only shows the disused clay pit.
The house & adjoining barn which today front the former yellow coloured brickworks on Grantham Road is Hill Farm & are the same buildings which where owned/occupied by William Hill, then later his son John. Today the farm house & the former brickworks site is occupied by a dog grooming business. The houses on Woodland Close now occupy the former red coloured brickworks site.
Updated 28.5.19.
Photo by Nigel Furniss.
Fellow collector Nigel Furniss has just photographed this W. Hill brick at Warwick Reclamation Yard & there is an outside chance that it was made by William Hill at one of his three brickworks in Nottinghamshire as the colour & texture of the clay in this brick matches bricks that have been made in the Radcliffe & Woodborough areas.
Lord Belper, Kingston on Soar.
Photo by MF courtesy of Nottingham City Museums & Galleries.
Lord Belper of Kingston Hall who owned gypsum mines on his land at Kingston on Soar opened a brickyard at New Kingston in 1886 (coloured yellow on the 1899 OS map below) & it was operational until 1913. The works is listed in Kelly's 1895 & 1900 editions as the Kingston Gypsum Mines & Brick Works, R. Woodfield manager, Kingston on Soar. The works consisted of a boiler house, chimney stack and three clamp kilns. The yard manufactured bricks stamped with the letter ‘B’ (for Belper) & they were mainly used at Lord Belper's gypsum mine at New Kingston. Old maps show that the Kingston mineral railway line connected Lord Belper's gypsum mine & brick works to the Midland Mainline, situated on the west side of Kingston on Soar. The brickworks is shown as disused on the 1919 OS map. In 1979 the clay pit was filled in & by 1987 the site was levelled and all trace of the works removed.
Some of this info came from this site. http://www.trentstation.com/gypsum-mining---kingston-on-soar.html
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1899.
Photo by Phil Burgoyne.
I wish to thank the following people in helping me bring this post to the web.
Mike Chapman
Jeff Sheard
Nigel Furniss
Phil Burgoyne
Nottingham Museums & Galleries
Derby Museum
NCC & NLS for the use of their maps
Britain from Above
Nottingham Museums & Galleries
Derby Museum
NCC & NLS for the use of their maps
Britain from Above
