E. Boylin, Selly Oak
This Selly Oak brickworks was first worked by Edward Boylin then after his death Edward's wife Eleanor took over until she sold the works to Marshall Raybould & I have wrote about Raybould in Birmingham Brickworks part 3.
It is unknown if Edward or Eleanor made this brick. Both Edward & Eleanor where born in Shropshire, Edward 1815 & Eleanor 1822 & after their marriage they produced 8 children who were all born in Tipton between 1850 & 1868. I have a 1870 reference recording Edward Boylin as being a coal dealer in Selly Oak. The 1871 census records Edward as a Brickmaster in Northfield, Worcestershire & from the web I have found Selly Oak during the 1800's was within the Parish of Northfield. The only trade directory entry that I have for Edward Boylin is in Kelly's 1872 edition which just records him at Selly Oak. It was from Marshall Raybould's later trade directory entries that I acquired the works address of Frederick Road (coloured yellow on the 1882 OS map above). Edward died in 1873 & from White's 1875 edition Mrs. Eleanor Boylin is listed as brickmaker at Selly Oak. Eleanor's trade directory entries continue to Kelly's 1880 edition. We find in the 1881 census that Eleanor's 3rd son Charles, born 1856, aged 25 is listed as a brickmaker living on Harborne Lane, Selly Oak in the Parish of Northfield. So it appears Charles may have joined his mother in the family brickmaking business as soon as he had left school. With finding Marshall Raybould at this Frederick Road works in Kelly's 1882 edition I am taking it that Eleanor sold the works to Raybould in late 1881 or early 1882. Whether Charles was given the opportunity to take over the brickworks is unknown as we next find from a family website that Charles & his family emigrated to America in 1888.
Hough & Co. Kings Heath
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1883.
I start this entry by telling you about the first owner of the red coloured brickworks at the end of Kings Road (purple) as shown on the 1883 OS map above which later became Hough & Co.'s brickworks. Kelly's 1876 & 1878 editions lists Henry Garner, Kings Road, Kings Heath as brickmaker at this red works. Kelly's 1879 edition then lists Henry Garner as owning a new brickworks on nearby Grove Road (orange) & I have coloured this new brickworks blue on the 1883 OS map above. This blue coloured brickworks later became a claypit to the yellow coloured brickworks & I write about this yellow coloured works later in the post. The green coloured road on this 1883 OS map was only an access lane to the two brickworks at this date.
Now back to the red coloured works & with some new info turning up I can now reveal brickmaker John King together with his business partner A. Washbourne were operating the Priory Brickworks, Kings Road from 1897 to when John King went Bankrupt in October 1893 as recorded in the London Gazette. We next find Tarry & Haydon took over the Priory Brick Works at the side of Carlton House around 1896/7 & this Priory Works is shown on the 1902 map below coloured red. Tarry & Haydon are listed with the address of Priory Estate Brickworks, Kings Heath in Kelly's 1897 edition. Then Kelly's 1899 edition now records the owners of this Priory Estate Brickworks, Kings Road as Hough & Co. It appears Hough & Co. had been establish by the later part of 1898 with a December 1898 newspaper article reporting on an embezzlement charge, charged against one of Hough & Co.'s office clerks.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1902.
I just quickly mention at this point that I have been unable to establish who owned the disused brickworks which I have coloured green on this 1902 OS map.
This is were information from A.H. Stephenson's 1933 Birmingham Brickmakers book is slightly confusing as Albert writes that John Hough had started this Kings Road works & then after his untimely death (date unknown, but I have a reference to him being alive in November 1900), Tarry & Haydon ran the works & traded as Hough & Co.
So I can only assume at some point in 1898 that it was the other way round & it was John Hough the elder who joined Tarry & Haydon at the works with this duo being listed at this works in 1897 & Hough & Co. was then formed in 1898 as per newspaper article reporting on the company. Tarry & Haydon then ran the works after John Hough the elder's death. John Hough had a son called John & Stephenson refers to him as John the younger & I write about this John in the Kings Norton Brickworks entry. It is unknown if John Hough the younger had any dealings with this Kings Heath works, but from info found for the Kings Norton Brickworks, I am saying no, but if anything is found to the contrary, I will update the post.
Kelly's list Hough & Co. at the Priory Brick Works, Kings Road, Kings Heath from it's 1899 edition to the last available trade directory in 1940. A photo of Hough's claypit taken in 1921 can be seen at this Link.
Courtesy of the Bil Harding Collection.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1937.
The 1937 OS map above shows a much enlarged brickworks at this date & Carlton House no longer exists. I have found that this works closed in 1960, whether it was still owned by the Dixon's at this date is unknown. Today houses have been built on this former brickworks site with one of the roads being named Hough Road.
Kings Norton Brick Co.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1903.
This brickworks on Wharf Road, Parson's Hill, Kings Norton (marked as Wharf Lane on this map) was first owned jointly by John Hough the elder & John Hough the younger. Father & son are listed in Kelly's 1899 & 1900 editions as John Hough & Son, Wharf Road, Kings Norton. The London Gazette dated 13th of November 1900 gives notice that the partnership of John Hough the elder & John Hough the younger carrying on the business of the Kings Norton Brick & Building Co. had been dissolved by mutual consent on the 16th of October 1900. All debts due to & owing by the said firm would be received & payed by John Hough the younger, who was then going into partnership with Thomas Cooper to operate the Kings Norton Brick & Building Co.
Albert Stephenson writes in his book "that soon after the war (WW 1) Hough & Cooper sold their works to a London firm of house builders who formed it into a limited liability company with Mr. John Hough becoming Manager."
The Kings Norton Brick Co. is listed in Kelly's 1903 to 1921 editions with the address of Wharf Road, Kings Norton. Kelly's 1932 to 1940 editions gives the works address as Parson's Hill, Kings Norton.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1936.
I have added this 1936 map to show how the brickworks had expanded into the neighbouring fields. The works closed in 1959. Today, some industrial units occupy this former brickworks site, but the majority of this land (ex filled-in clay pit) is still undeveloped.
Before I go on to my next brickworks there is another brickworks owned by the Hough family to tell you about which was situated in Staffordshire. Kelly's 1900 edition lists John Hough & Sons, Heath End, Goscote, Walsall. This is the only entry for Hough family at this works as we find a Notice in the London Gazette dated 13th November 1900 reports that the partnership of John Hough the elder, John Hough the younger & Frederick Rowley Hough, carrying on the business of Colliery Proprietors at the Forrest Collieries, Walsall & as Brickmakers at the Heath End Brickworks, Pelsall, operating under the style or firm of John Hough & Sons had been dissolved by mutual consent on the 16th of October 1900. All debts due to & owing by the said firm would be received & payed by John Hough the elder & Frederick Rowley Hough who will carry on the said business at the above addresses, under the style or firm of John Hough & Son. With this new partnership of father & one son not being listed in Kelly's 1904 edition, I am assuming they had either closed or sold this Heath End brickworks by 1904.
W.H. Parton, Kings Heath
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1902.
I kick off this entry with information about the first owner of this yellow coloured brickworks situated just off Grove Road, Kings Heath (orange) as shown on the 1883 OS map above. Kelly's 1876 edition lists John Gardiner at Grove Road, Kings Heath & this entry continues until Kelly's 1892 edition. I have found that this works closed in 1892 or 1893. The reason why is unknown, unless John Gardiner had passed away ? What we do known from my next account of this works is that it stood derelict for several years.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1902.
So on to Albert Stephenson's account on what happened next at this Grove Road works, coloured yellow on the 1902 map above, which now includes the land on which another brickworks had occupied in 1879 on the other side of the green coloured lane. Albert writes in his 1933 book that Mr. Parton a Birmingham builder who had regularly purchased his bricks made at his Globe Brickworks, first came to him to seek his advice on re-opening a brickworks which had stood derelict for many years at Kings Heath. Mr. Parton then offered Albert an equal share in this brickworks if he reorganised & then worked the plant for him with Mr. Parton raising the necessary capital for the venture. Albert then writes - "Things were very bad at the time & I saw no "market" in the near future at Kings Heath & I was foolish enough to decline the offer. Mr Parton had faith in this venture, found a good manager, vastly improved the plant & for many years did a really capital trade." Albert continues to write that he later regretted this decision. Apparently it was in the early 1900's that Kings Heath started to expand & bricks were needed for the many houses being built at this time.
The 1881 census records William Henry Parton as a Builder & Contractor aged 46, his wife Sarah aged 33 & son William Henry junior aged 6 living at 160, Mary Street, Balsall Heath. The 1891 census records William Henry Parton aged 55 & now a farmer, living with his wife Sarah aged 43 & son William Henry junior aged 16 at Alcester Road, Kings Norton.
Then from Stephenson's account, William Henry Parton purchases & re-starts the brickworks at Kings Heath last owned by John Gardiner in 1892. This appears to have been around 1897/8 as we find that the first trade directory entry listing William as a brickmaker is in Kelly's 1899 edition & the entry reads, W.H. Parton & Son, High Street, Kings Heath (office or home). The same entry is then listed in the Kelly's 1900 & 1903 editions. Although the works address is not listed in trade directories, William's works was the one which I have coloured yellow on the 1902 map above, just off Grove Road.
There is gap in trade directory entries for W.H. Parton & Son at High Street, Kings Heath, with their next entry being found in Kelly's 1912 edition. The answer to this gap may be found in Albert Stephenson book in which he writes - "As long as he lived, the yard was very prosperous, but after his death, his son found it impossible to carry on successfully & the yard was not opened after the war (1st World War). So it appears W.H. Parton died sometime between 1903 & 1912. There are two more trade directory entries for W.H. Parton & Son at High Street, Kings Heath & they appear in Kelly's 1913 & 1915 editions & it will have been William Henry junior running the works at these dates. With the last trade directory entry being dated 1915, this confirms Stephenson's account that the works did not reopen after the war. The 1937 OS map in the Hough entry, now shows Parton's former brickworks site as a Corporation Yard & the claypit was in the process of being filled in.
The green coloured road on the 1902 OS map above which was a lane between Kings Road & Grove Road back then was later named Partons Road & today houses are built on both sides of this road.
A fancy shaped brick just stamped W.H.P which I spotted at Cawarden Reclamation in May 2022.
James Pidgeon, Sparkbrook
Before I write about James Pidgeon, I tell you about his father Samuel Pidgeon who was a brickmaker, brewer & beer seller. From my research I have found that many brickmakers combined the making of bricks in the summer months with beer making/selling in the winter time. Samuel Pidgeon was born in Wellington, Shropshire & the 1841 census records his age as 35. The listing continues with his wife, Mary, aged 30, son James aged 11 & four more boys & three girls, living at Balsall Heath. Kelly's 1849 & 1850 editions record Samuel as a brickmaker on Alcester Road, Balsall Heath (the location of this works is unknown) & brewer/beer seller on Bristol Road/Balsall Heath Road, Balsall Heath. The 1851 census gives Samuel's home address as The Balsall Heath Tavern, Balsall Heath Road; occupation, brickmaker & beer seller, employing 12 men & 4 boys. The listing continues with his wife, Mary; son James aged 20 & listed as brickmaker; & the addition of three more children, numbering eleven in total. Slater's 1852, White's 1855 & Dix's 1858 trade directories record Samuel as a brickmaker & retail brewer with the addresses of Balsall Heath Road (Inn/home address) & Balsall Heath.
We next find that the entry in the 1862 Corporation of Birmingham directory reads Samuel Pidgeon, brickmaker, Ladypool Lane. So it appears Samuel at some point after 1858 had moved to a new brickworks on Ladypool Lane, Sparkbrook. The 1887 OS map below is the earliest map that I have for this area, so I am taking it that the brickworks was situated next to the marked old clay pit in the area which I have coloured yellow.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1887.
Samuel's son James Pidgeon is listed as a brickmaker in the 1851 census aged 20 & then again in the 1861 census, so it appears that James was working alongside his father. We next find that James is listed as the brickmaker/owner of the Ladypool Lane works in Kelly's 1867 edition. I am assuming James had taken over the running of the brickworks from his father some time between 1862 & 1867. So had Samuel retired from brickmaking or had he passed away ? The 1851 census gives Samuel's age as 51 & not 45 as one would expect ten years on from the 1841 census, therefore he would have been born in 1800. This has got me thinking that Samuel had died in the mid 1860's with there not being a 1871 census listing for him ?
James Pidgeon is listed in Kelly's 1867 to 1879 editions at Ladypool Lane, Sparkbrook (today, Road).
We next find in the 1881 census that James aged 50, is now listed as a builder, with his eldest son, James Arthur being listed as a carpenter, so were father & son in partnership together after the brickworks had closed ? The 1887 map shows no remains of the brickworks, so it appears this Ladypool works closed not long after James' last trade directory entry of 1879. Today Taunton Road runs through the centre of the area which I have coloured yellow on this 1887 map & Balsall Heath Park is to the south of this road, so with this park being at this location it's a good indication that it occupies the filled-in clay pit.
The 1891 census now records James Pidgeon, aged 60, as a brickmaker again & in employment; born in Winchcombe, Gloucs, living with his wife, Mary aged 51 & eight children ranging from 31 to 17 at 49, Wyndcliff Road, Small Heath. James & Mary had a total of ten children in all. With this census recording James as employed, it is unknown who James was brickmaking for at this date, but it may have been at one of the many brickworks in the Garrison Lane area which where on his door step.
Herbert Leamon, Greet
William Evans, Greet
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1887.
Before I write about Herbert Leamon at this green coloured works in Greet, Kelly's 1876 to 1879 editions records John L. Denston as brickmaker at Greet, Yardley with the 1878 & 1879 editions actually listing the works as being on Warwick Road (coloured red), Greet. The 1887 OS map above & all future maps show that the works entrance was on Weston Lane (brown).
Herbert Leamon only owned this works for a short time with him being listed in Kelly's 1880 & 1882 editions with the address of Greet Brickworks, Warwick Road, Greet, Yardley. Albert Stephenson in his 1933 Birmingham Brickmakers book writes about Leamon, saying "he seemed to make bricks by riding on horseback all day long !" I can only assume Stephenson did not think too highly of Leamon, apparently Leamon lived at Greet House (dark green on the map above).
Photo by Angel Rose.
Kelly's 1897 edition now lists Arthur Lewis had taken over this Warwick Road works & with Lewis recorded in Kelly's 1896 edition as owning the neighbouring brickworks which was accessed off Percy Road, I continue with story on both these two works in the next entry titled Arthur Lewis, Greet.
Arthur Lewis, Greet
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1887.
I start this Lewis entry with some info on two brickworks which were operational in the 1860's & 1870's. The first was on Burbury Street in Aston/Lozells & the second is the yellow coloured yard on the 1887 OS map above which was accessed via Bridge Road from Percy Road in Greet.
With the demand for bricks to build the many terraced houses in the Aston / Lozells areas of Birmingham in the 1860's, John Lewis & Son established a temporary brickworks on Burbury Street to extract the onsite clay to make the bricks needed for the building of these houses in this area. The 1861 census records Brick Manufacturer John Lewis was born in Erdington in 1810 & aged 51, married to Elizabeth aged 54 & son James aged 23, born in 1838, unmarried & also recorded as a Brick Manufacturer, with the family all living on Great King Street. John Lewis & Son are listed as brick manufacturers in Kelly's 1867 & 1868 editions on Burbury Street, then James Lewis (son) is next listed on Burbury Street in Kelly's 1872 & White's 1873 editions, so it appears James was now running the Burbury Street brickworks. The 1871 census records Brick Manufacturer, James Lewis now aged 33, was married to Elizabeth, aged 37 & they had a three year old boy named Arthur who was born in 1868 in Aston Juxta, Birmingham & the family where living at Aston Manor, Aston. So it appears James was making good living from brickmaking with the family living at such a prestigious address. We then find that James Lewis is listed in Kelly's 1876, 78 & 79 editions at Burbury Street & Greet (coloured yellow on the 1887 OS map above). There are no more listings for James Lewis at either Burbury Street or Greet after 1879, so it appears that James had finished brickmaking & both works had closed after this date with the Greet works standing idle & more than likely derelict until 1895/6.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1902.
We then find in 1895/6 Arthur Lewis son of James Lewis & grandson to John Lewis built a new brickworks on the site of his father's small brickworks in Greet (coloured yellow on the 1902 map above). Arthur named his new works, The Burbury Brick Works, which more than likely was named after Burbury Street in honour of his family's brickmaking past.
The 1891 census records that Arthur Lewis aged 23 was born in 1868 & a Brick Manufacturer. Married to Lillian aged 27 ; abode, Newton Road, Sparkhill & they had a son called James who is listed as being 10 months old.
Kelly's 1896 edition lists Arthur Lewis at The Burbury Brick Works, Percy Road, Greet. The 1902 map above shows that a new Staffordshire Kiln & various drying sheds had been built. The works was still accessed via Bridge Road from Percy Road (coloured turquoise), but by this 1902 OS map a new access road from Warwick Road (red) had been built into the works. From Stephenson's account of this works he says, "at first, bricks were still being hand moulded until a wire-cut machine was installed in the early 1900's & this was quickly followed by the installation of a second wire-cutting machine. "
An example of a Arthur Lewis brick made at the Burbury Brick Works, Percy Road, Greet.
Kelly's 1897 edition now lists Arthur Lewis with two brickworks, Burbury Brick Works, Percy Road & Warwick Road brickworks, so Arthur had taken over the "Greet Brickworks" on Warwick Road previously owned by Mrs. Hannah Evans. The 1901 census records Arthur & Lillian where now living at a house called Willoughby on Stoney Lane, Sparkhill. We then find in the 1911 census Arthur & Lillian had moved again & where living at The Grange, Tyseley. So the move to the "Grange" indicates Arthur was doing well out of making bricks. Today this grand house does not exist, but if you ever go into the Nissan car showrooms on Warwick Road, you are walking over where this house once stood in the car park. Back to Arthur Lewis & he continues to be listed as owning two brickworks at Greet until Kelly's 1912 edition.
Kelly's 1913 edition only lists Arthur Lewis at the Burbury Brickworks, Percy Road. So it appears the Warwick Road works (coloured green on the 1913 OS map below) had closed sometime in 1913 with this map still showing it operational at this date. From studying this map it's closure may have been due to the clay pits being exhausted of workable clay or it may have been with the advent of WW1 ?
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1913.
Kelly's 1915 edition again records Arthur Lewis at the Burbury Works, but we find that Stephenson writes in his book, "at the start of the Great War (1914) the whole plant stopped working & the first consequence of this complete stoppage was, with the pumps not working, the claypit soon filled up with water & the yard became derelict." So was the closure of this works in 1914 or was it still operational as per Kelly's directory in 1915 & closed sometime in 1915 ?
It's at this point that I tell you that Arthur Lewis died on the 14th of June 1917. His Probate Notice dated 31st August 1917, found on Ancestry, records his abode as Rugged Elm Cottage, Yardley Wood, Moseley. A sum of £12,696 pounds 6 shillings was left to his wife, Lillian. Today (9.3.2019), this equates to around £880,000 pounds or for my readers on the other side of the Pond, it equates to 1 million,1 hundred & 45 thousand dollars. Wow !
A "For Sale by Private Contract Notice" in the Birmingham Daily Post dated 4th of October 1917 advertises that the Executors of the Estate of Mr. Arthur Lewis deceased, had instructed the Auctioneers to sell both the Burbury Brickworks & the Greet Brickworks as one Lot & as a going concern. This newspaper article & the following two newspaper notices in this entry were found on this website, British Newspaper Archive.
We then find that Albert H. Stephenson, owner of the Globe Brickworks & writer of the later 1933 Birmingham Brickmakers book, purchases the Burbury Brickworks off Arthur Lewis's Executors in 1917. This information came from Stephenson's 1933 book.
With this For Sale Notice saying both works would be sold as one Lot, it is unknown if Stephenson purchased both works with him saying in his book that he purchased the Burbury Brick Works. What I can tell you that another For Sale Notice in the Birmingham Daily Post dated nearly a year later on the 6th of August 1918, advertises the "Sale of Ripe Valuable Freehold Land suitable for large factories, known as the Greet Brickworks Estate of about 15 acres, an excellent site with good main road frontage. Special attention to buyers, there is a large marlhole with 30 years free tip. Would sell in Lots to suit Purchasers." Apply Fred Screen, Bancroft House, Dudley Road, Oldbury. So was this Fred Screen selling the Greet Brickworks on behalf of Albert Stephenson or had he purchased the works directly from Arthur Lewis' Executors ?
We then find that a Notice in the Birmingham Daily Mail dated 31st October 1918 advertises that on the 20th of November 1918 there was to be a "Dismantling Sale" at the Greet Brickworks on Weston Lane off Warwick Road, Greet & everything was to be sold. There is a long list of items for sale & it included, two horizontal steam engines, plugmill, a Lancaster boiler, a Grinding Machine & four 150 feet long drying sheds. I have to note that this works had stood idle since 1914/15, so I don't think that some of the Lots up for sale would have been in tip-top condition.
Burbury Brick Co.
With Albert Stephenson taking over Lewis's Burbury brickworks in October 1917 we find in early 1919 Mr. C.H. Barrows & Mr. Ernest Swain, both of the Midland Brick Co. joined Albert Stephenson at this brickworks to form the concern into a private limited company called The Burbury Brick Company, with the aforementioned taking up rolls of Directors & Managers.
Stephenson recollects in his book that "The big task of freeing the clay hole from the enormous quantity of water was tackled with energy; the whole of the "open" kilns were pulled down; a large continuous kiln was erected, & in a few months time the plant was running again.
The clay is well ground & pugged & delivered to the machine by a travelling belt. The bricks are cut off by a Bennett and Sayer cutter, which delivers them straight into zinc-covered and rubber-tyred barrows, to the floors of the drying sheds, which are heated solely by the exhaust steam from the engines. From thence they are conveyed, after some forty-eight hours, to the kiln - one of sixteen chambers of 25,000 each.
The whole plant - clay hole included - is now lighted by electricity, and shelters are provided for the clay "getters" in case of bad weather, thus ensuring the same quantity of bricks being produced, summer and winter alike.
The motive power is steam, provided by a range of three large boilers.
The grinding mill and machinery are by Messrs. Brookes, Ltd., Oldbury.
The Works Manager is Mr. Thomas Smith, who has had a long experience in the production of red bricks, both in Birmingham & Leicestershire."
The first trade directory entry listing the Burbury Brick Co. appears in Kelly's 1921 edition with the address of Warwick Road, Greet & the 1938 OS map below shows that the works was now only accessed from Warwick Road.
Kelly's 1932 to 1940 editions continue to record the Burbury Brick Co. at this Warwick Road, address. The brickworks closed in the 1950's when the clay ran out & the site was taken over by Langley's the builders. In 1962 the brickworks was demolished & the clay pit was then filled in with rubbish & capped with clay. Today, industrial units & open green spaces occupy both the former Burbury & Greet brickworks sites. Also to note on this 1938 map is that Greet House had been demolished since it was last shown on the 1913 map & the 1912 Electoral Register records Ernest Robert Bridgens was living at Greet House. Finding Mr. Bridgens at Greet House was a "Brucie Bonus" with me finding this entry when looking for Arthur Lewis's home address.
Kelly's 1878 & 1879 editions first list Doody & Co. as the owners of this Warwick Road, Tyseley brickworks & is coloured yellow on the 1887 OS map above. We next find that in late 1879 / early 1880 Henry Doody goes into partnership with Silas Lees & Ebenezer Trueman & they form the Tyseley Brick Co. & this company is recorded in Kelly's 1880 edition with the address of Warwick Road, Tyseley, Acocks Green.
This partnership had a very short existence as a notice in the London Gazette dated 26th October, 1880 records that on the 29th of June 1880 the partnership of Henry Doody, Silas Lees & Ebenezer Trueman trading as the Tyseley Brick Co. had been dissolved & the said company, The Tyseley Brick Co. would then be carried on by Silas Lees & Ebenezer Trueman alone, by whom all debts due & owing to & from the said late firm will be paid & received. Dated 13th of October 1880.
Kelly's 1882 & 1883 editions list Lees & Trueman at Warwick Road, Tyseley, Acocks Green. Again this new partnership was short lived & the London Gazette dated 14th August 1883 records that the partnership of Silas Lees & Ebenezer Trueman, brick manufacturers of Warwick Road, Tyseley & operating under the style or firm of the Tyseley Brick Co. then as Lees & Trueman was dissolved on the 9th of August 1883 by mutual consent. The business from this day would be then run by Ebenezer Trueman who will pay all moneys owing by & receive all moneys owing to the late partnership.
How long Trueman continued to run this Warwick Road works is unknown as we find in Kelly's 1888 edition that it now records Jesse Smith at this works with the address of Tyseley, Acocks Green. Kelly's 1890 edition now records Mrs. Catherine Smith previously recorded as brickmaking on Stockfield Road, Acocks Green is listed with Jesse Smith at this Tyseley works. Mother & son continue to be listed brickmaking together until Kelly's 1900 edition & it appears that soon after 1900, this Warwick Road works closed, as it is shown as disused on the 1902 OS map. Today, the sports fields of Yardleys School occupy this former brickworks site.
I wish to thank the following :-
Stephenson recollects in his book that "The big task of freeing the clay hole from the enormous quantity of water was tackled with energy; the whole of the "open" kilns were pulled down; a large continuous kiln was erected, & in a few months time the plant was running again.
The clay is well ground & pugged & delivered to the machine by a travelling belt. The bricks are cut off by a Bennett and Sayer cutter, which delivers them straight into zinc-covered and rubber-tyred barrows, to the floors of the drying sheds, which are heated solely by the exhaust steam from the engines. From thence they are conveyed, after some forty-eight hours, to the kiln - one of sixteen chambers of 25,000 each.
The whole plant - clay hole included - is now lighted by electricity, and shelters are provided for the clay "getters" in case of bad weather, thus ensuring the same quantity of bricks being produced, summer and winter alike.
The motive power is steam, provided by a range of three large boilers.
The grinding mill and machinery are by Messrs. Brookes, Ltd., Oldbury.
The Works Manager is Mr. Thomas Smith, who has had a long experience in the production of red bricks, both in Birmingham & Leicestershire."
The first trade directory entry listing the Burbury Brick Co. appears in Kelly's 1921 edition with the address of Warwick Road, Greet & the 1938 OS map below shows that the works was now only accessed from Warwick Road.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1938.
Kelly's 1932 to 1940 editions continue to record the Burbury Brick Co. at this Warwick Road, address. The brickworks closed in the 1950's when the clay ran out & the site was taken over by Langley's the builders. In 1962 the brickworks was demolished & the clay pit was then filled in with rubbish & capped with clay. Today, industrial units & open green spaces occupy both the former Burbury & Greet brickworks sites. Also to note on this 1938 map is that Greet House had been demolished since it was last shown on the 1913 map & the 1912 Electoral Register records Ernest Robert Bridgens was living at Greet House. Finding Mr. Bridgens at Greet House was a "Brucie Bonus" with me finding this entry when looking for Arthur Lewis's home address.
The Tyesley Brick Co.
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with permission of NLS/Ordnance Survey 1887.
Kelly's 1878 & 1879 editions first list Doody & Co. as the owners of this Warwick Road, Tyseley brickworks & is coloured yellow on the 1887 OS map above. We next find that in late 1879 / early 1880 Henry Doody goes into partnership with Silas Lees & Ebenezer Trueman & they form the Tyseley Brick Co. & this company is recorded in Kelly's 1880 edition with the address of Warwick Road, Tyseley, Acocks Green.
This partnership had a very short existence as a notice in the London Gazette dated 26th October, 1880 records that on the 29th of June 1880 the partnership of Henry Doody, Silas Lees & Ebenezer Trueman trading as the Tyseley Brick Co. had been dissolved & the said company, The Tyseley Brick Co. would then be carried on by Silas Lees & Ebenezer Trueman alone, by whom all debts due & owing to & from the said late firm will be paid & received. Dated 13th of October 1880.
Kelly's 1882 & 1883 editions list Lees & Trueman at Warwick Road, Tyseley, Acocks Green. Again this new partnership was short lived & the London Gazette dated 14th August 1883 records that the partnership of Silas Lees & Ebenezer Trueman, brick manufacturers of Warwick Road, Tyseley & operating under the style or firm of the Tyseley Brick Co. then as Lees & Trueman was dissolved on the 9th of August 1883 by mutual consent. The business from this day would be then run by Ebenezer Trueman who will pay all moneys owing by & receive all moneys owing to the late partnership.
How long Trueman continued to run this Warwick Road works is unknown as we find in Kelly's 1888 edition that it now records Jesse Smith at this works with the address of Tyseley, Acocks Green. Kelly's 1890 edition now records Mrs. Catherine Smith previously recorded as brickmaking on Stockfield Road, Acocks Green is listed with Jesse Smith at this Tyseley works. Mother & son continue to be listed brickmaking together until Kelly's 1900 edition & it appears that soon after 1900, this Warwick Road works closed, as it is shown as disused on the 1902 OS map. Today, the sports fields of Yardleys School occupy this former brickworks site.
I wish to thank the following :-
National Library/Ordnance Survey - maps
https://maps.nls.uk/index.html
The London Gazette & Kelly's Trade Directories.
Chris Thornburn & John Baylis - for allowing me to photograph their brick collections.
Bil Harding - Hough photo.
The London Gazette & Kelly's Trade Directories.
Chris Thornburn & John Baylis - for allowing me to photograph their brick collections.
Bil Harding - Hough photo.
I have gathered some information from a book called Workshop of the World - Birmingham's Industrial Heritage by Ray Shill to whom I am indebted.
Acocks Green History Society - who's articles have pointed me in the right direction in finding the necessary information. https://aghs.jimdo.com/brick-and-tile-making/greet-and-tyseley/
Acocks Green History Society - who's articles have pointed me in the right direction in finding the necessary information. https://aghs.jimdo.com/brick-and-tile-making/greet-and-tyseley/
