Hello Julie,
I was wondering if anybody could tell me if there was ever a brickworks in Liverpool, maybe around the Walton, Vauxhall or Anfield area.
It may sound strange but whilst walking with my 4 year old neice in Stanley Park one day she stated she “used to live around here but there was a brick makers then and horses”.
It would be really interesting to find out if there was indeed a brickmakers within the vicinity. Any information would be much appreciated.
Many Thanks
Julie
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI only have maps that go as far as Sleepers Hill for 1843 and there are no Brick makers or more correctly brick fields in this area.
Regards
Rob Ainsworth
Liverpool History Society
Hi Julie,
ReplyDeleteI used to work in a brickyard making bricks at Cherry Orchard Brick company back in 1950 or so.
Bricks are made from clay, and there is a Kimmeridge clay band running North through England.
Often local places may have clay in the name, or are called Clay for that reason. Looking at google maps the nearest 'Clay' to Liverpool is Clay Lane between Trafford and St. Helens.
Also during 1847 the Liverpool tunnel was built and perhaps brickworks were temporarily erected just for this purpose. Making bricks away from the clay source isn't too difficult, since the furnaces were made of brick and 'pug'(as we called it - a sort of clay slip used as a cement) and the bricks would be fired with coal furnaces.
Most of the references I found on Liverpool subsoil indicate a sand or shale constituency, which makes sense.
To get closer to your nieces intriguing remark, it would be good to look at what's underground there first and how much development would have been in the area - houses, factories etc.
Kind regards - john T.
Julie, a little more information for you:
ReplyDeleteChecking early subsoil & railway documents, one of the areas probably used was what was referred to as Moss Parr, where there was a 20' seam of clay. Parr is on St. Helens' doorstep, and Moss isn't far away.
My personal interest is where were the bricks made for the great Liverpool tunnel of 1847?
Hope this helps a little.
John T
My Great Grandad owned a Liverpool Brickworks back about 100 years ago - possibly longer. It was demolished when the big fly over was built. Not being from liverpool i am not entirely sure where that is.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest that this was probably the Holme family brickworks which were in Vauxhall. If your great-grandfather was Samuel Holme then I have more information about him.
ReplyDeleteneilsturrock@aol.com
A bit late I know but I’ve only just come across this query.
ReplyDeleteThere were numerous brick works and brick fields around Liverpool at one time but particularly in the Kirkdale area to the north, the Dingle/Toxteth Park in the south and Wavertree to the east.
The closest brick field and brick works to Stanley Park were situated along the railway line on either side of Utting Avenue, to the south of Anfield Cemetery.
The brickfields lie beneath what is now the north end of Ince Avenue, Stanley Park Avenue South, Bidston Road and Frankby Road, as well as all of Craine Close, Pine Lodge, Ayrshire Road, Moffatdale Road and Ardrossan Road. South of Utting Avenue the brickfields covered Hildebrand Road, Hildebrand Close, Berwyn Road, Corwyn Road, Sherwyn Road, Hilary Road and Hilary Close.
These brickfields, one including a brick kiln, are shown on the 1893 OS map.
The map also shows 12 dwellings known as Brickfield Cottages on the site of present day 35-65 Hildebrand Road.
Dave