... My `Brick` Collection ..

Numerous Brickworks sprung up in the 19th century, due to the rapid growth in industry, combined with the influx of migrant workers and their need for homes; and of course the necessary ingredient to manufacture the bricks - `Clay`

A coal mine coal at Upper Cwmbran, opened in 1837 by Mr. Reginald J. Blewitt and named `Porthmawr` Colliery (`Porthmawr` - Welsh for `Great Gate`) ; whilst extracting coal an excellent quality clay was found within a sub layer, which upon investigation matched that of `Stourbridge Clay` discovered in a region of Staffordshire.

• Subsequently, the `Stourbridge Fire Clay Company` was formed and built by Ebeneezer Rogers on land  leased from Capel Hanbury Leigh of Pontypool by Reginald Blewitt.

• The output, when in full production was 110,000 fire bricks per week.

• !854, the brickworks was owned by John Lawrence.

• 1854, John Lawrence opened the `Mine Slope` (an adit Colliery), Upper Cwmbran.

• 1867, John Lawrence leased the Brick works to Henry Parfitt.

.. I fortunately `stumbled across` this remnant of a `Stourbridge Fire Clay Co.` brick whilst walking along the track adjacent to Ebeneezer Chapel at The Square - Upper Cwmbran ..

 .. For more info click  here  ..

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.. Henry Parfitt ..

 Kelly's Trade Directory 1884 - entry:- Parfitt, Henry Pontnewydd and Cwmbran

Henry Parfitt  - 19th Century Brickmaker - Examples previously found in the structure of  Porthmawr Colliery (Upper Cwmbran) `Mine Slope`- Engine House, Fan House, Reservoir, Air shafts and  cottages near the Main Adit ( adj. Spring Vale Industrial Estate), houses in Pontnewydd,  also in the wall of an outbuilding, in the yard formerly used by the Edlogan Tin Plate works (Chapel Lane).

.. Early examples, have H. Parfitt inscribed in the side wall of the brick ..

.. `Wall remains` of the `Engine House` at `Mine Slope` Colliery - Upper Cwmbran, several bricks are stamped PARFITT CWMBRAN, others stamped with an `H` ..

.. A `yellow` coloured example of a `H. PARFITT CWMBRAN` brick ..

   

This red `PARFITT CWMBRAN` brick was photographed in the damaged wall section adjacent to `Fairces2` Public House (Pontnewydd) and the original `railway bridge` which now spans a section of Cwmbran Drive.

.. This example found near Pontnewydd Golf Club ..

N.b  In this example, the `N` in  Cwmbran is reversed !

For more interesting information on Henry Parfitt click  here

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.. An example of a J.C.E brick which has one long `face` glazed in white ..

Several examples can be viewed in the `wall remains` of the `Engine House` at `Mine Slope` Colliery - Upper Cwmbran

 J.C.E is the initials of  John Coater Edwards (1828-1896) who followed his father into the `clay` business and traded as  J.C.Edwards & Co. of Acrefair (Wrexham);  the Company had works at three sites :-

• The Albert Works at Rhosllannerchrugog  - Brick production, buff coloured.

• Pen-y-bont works at Newbridge - Terra cotta bricks , decorative.

• Tref-y-Nant  Works - Decorative tiles, earthenware pipes and mouldings.

It is reported that J.C.E. products, line the Panama Canal (South America); were used in the frontage of the Ibrox Stadium (Scotland); brickwork and mouldings at Blackpool Tower and  the Pier Head building (built 1895) in Cardiff (used by the BBC as a backdrop for their daily News programmes -2006).

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..  Hanson Fireclay and Retort Works - Two Locks, Old Cwmbran .. Illustrated by Michael Blackmore  ..

.. Cyrus Hanson Brick Works opened in 1853 and used predominately `Fire Clay` from the Henllys mine. ..

 Slater's Trade Directory 1868 - entry:- Hanson, Cyrus (fire brick), Cwmbran

My great grandfather is the gentleman , seated in the centre, with the dark waistcoat and beard.

.. Another photograph around the same time period    . . . .n.b. the lady in the middle is holding the `brick mould `. .

 .. Ebenezer Baptist Chapel (erected 1860),on Two Locks road, Old Cwmbran - built with 500 tons of stone from a quarry above Henllys Mine and donated  by Cyrus Hanson ..

.. Guest Keen & Nettlefolds (G.K.N) subsequently became the owners of the Henllys Mine ..

.. To read more interesting info on G.K.N click  here

An example of a G.K.N. DAHL brick, previously recorded as found beside the Great Western Buildings, near the canal, not far from Guest Keen & Nettlefolds (Now Cwmbran Retail Park ).

The three examples above were found in the Dowlais brook, Two Locks.     

.. Cwmbran Brick Company..

               The Brick Works is shown on a Cwmbran Street plan dated 1958 as being situated on land now occupied by the T. A centre (100 Field Squadron( Militia)) - Ty Coch Way

  Does  anyone have a `memory` or know when it closed?

.. An example of  Houses built of `Little Mill Pontypool` bricks can be found at  `The Crescent`- Old Cwmbran ..

..Three examples  from `WHITEHEAD`s of CWMBRAN ..

 Worrall's Trade directory 1875 - entry:- JC Hill & Co. Limited (and Fire Brick, Cwmbran)

 Whitehead Hill &  Co. Ltd took over from J.C.Hill & Co. in 1925

 Click on the poster to see an enlargement of a WHITEHEAD advertisement that appeared in a Trade Directory dated 1950 

* The Whitehead-Hill Brick Works also known as Llandowlais Brick Works was situated at the bottom end of Ty - Coch Way

• The clay found here was `red marl`.

• The main product was a red brick, predominately used for as a `facing brick` but `sand-faced` and rustic finishes in various colours, special shapes were also supplied.

• The Brick Works incorporated two kilns each having having eighteen chambers; each chamber holding approximately 19,000 bricks.

• Approximately eight chambers were burned per week in each kiln.

• Therefore approximately 304,000 bricks were produced each week.

.. The Brick Works is shown on a Cwmbran Street plan dated 1958 ..  Does  anyone have a `memory` or know when it closed?  

... Photographed circa 1971 ..

Andrew Cruickshanks :- I lived opposite the entrance on Two Locks Road; Bowkett`s lorries took the bricks from the yard all over the country starting about 6.30 in the morning.

In the background you can see the "Iron Bridge" which carried the railway from the `white` yard, pass the cottages and Doble`s wood yard, over Llandowlais street into the Wire works.

.. The Railway Bridge ..

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.. Whitehead Football Team - 1949/50 ..

Back Row (Left to right): Dennis Jones, Doug Eyre, Ron Moore, Paddy Donovan, Fred Price, Ken Eyre

Front Row (Left to right): ? . Dennis Davies, Don Compton, Albert Kembrey, Terry Owen

Team Colours: Red and White

.. Photograph contributed by Doug Eyre ..

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• Date: 7th March 2007

Malcom Howlett relates:- `WHITEHEAD` is pictured waiting to cross Llandowlais Street, heading for the brickworks; my uncle, Jack Treherne, is nearest to the engine.

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A unused Railway `wagon  label` that would have been attached to a 16 Ton, wagon of coal, transported from Hafodrynys to it's destination at Star Brick Co. Llantarnam Works.

 The `coal wagon` would have been transported to Pontypool Rd. Station and hitched up to the `Cwmbran Pilot`, the local pickup/drop off train, for next day delivery.

This `Yellow` brick from the works of the Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Co. Limited,  can usually be found embellishing `window surrounds` or as a `decorative line feature, within the outside wall of a house or shop in Pontnewydd, Pontrhydyrun or Old Cwmbran

 

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.. SOUTHWARD JONES - A former Brickworks at Pontnewynydd ..

.. This brick came from a derelict building at the bottom of Chapel Lane, Croesyceiliog ..

An example of this `S J GRAIG DDU BRITISH MADE` brick, previously recorded as `found` at Upper Cwmbran.

Peter Southwood Jones who resides in Canberra , Australia  relates:- The brick was a fire brick manufactured by Southwood Jones and Co. Ltd.  The company owned the Graig Ddu Works near Pontypool and also the Danygraig Works at Risca near Newport, as well as the Graig Ddu fireclay mines.

Your brick would have made produced at the Graiggdu Works as the bricks produced at the Danygraig Works had SJ RISCA stamped on them.

As you may know, firebricks were used to line blast furnaces, kilns etc.

The company was established by my great grandfather, Edwin Southwood Jones, in 1895.  Later, my grandfather, Lionel Southwood Jones ran the company. Following Lionel's death in 1960, the company shut down about two years later.  At that time, it was unable to compete with the much larger manufacturers, particularly those in Scotland.

 Click on the poster to see an enlargement of Southwood Jones advertisement that appeared in  John's Newport Trade Directory dated 1905 

 This Private Owners wagon, in the light grey livery of Southwood Jones & Company Ltd. was allocated to the Graig Ddu Works, Pontnewynydd and served by the Great Western Railway.

.. Does anyone know where this Brick Works once stood ? ..

.. Both sides  shown  ..

N.b  The first `N` in PONTNEWYDD is reversed !

.. This brick came from a chimney stack that was being removed at the Apollo Television Shop 58-60 Victoria Street- Old Cwmbran ..

Another example found in the area adjacent to Pontnewydd Golf Course ( Jan. 2007 ); it would appear that either Davies Co. succeeded A.H.James & Co. or vici verci

.. Both sides  shown  ..

 .. Woodside Brick Co. Cwmbran ..

Woodside Brick Works was once situated, where today is the recreational ground at the bottom of Maendy Way, adjacent to Woodside Terrace.

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.. Both sides  shown  ..

.. The example came from a repaired garden wall in Pontnewydd, the house dates from approximately 1900 ..

This example was found in the area adjacent to Pontnewydd Golf Course ( March 2008 )

Another  `Woodside` example also found in the area adjacent to Pontnewydd Golf Course ( Jan. 2007 )

.. Both sides  shown  ..

.. Cross hatched bricks were typical of stable bricks, to give a non-slip footing to horses ..

.. The Brick Works is shown on a Cwmbran Street plan dated 1958 ..  Does  anyone have a `memory` or know when it closed?

.. This example found in the area adjacent to Pontnewydd Golf Course ( Jan. 2007 )

.. Both sides  shown  ..

Worrall`s Trade Directory 1875 shows Henry Bolt Sketch as the proprietor of Woodside Brick Co, Cwmbran

Kelly`s Trade Directory 1884 - entry:- Sketch, Hy. Bolt Newport and at Cwmbran

Kelly`s Trade Directory 1914 - entry:- Standard Brick Co. Ltd, Woodside Road.

 .. W. J. SCOURSE & SON ..

WOODSIDE - CWMBRAN MON.

This example was `discovered`17th February, 2008 on the track that runs up the side of Mynydd Maen, near the Forest Plantation. (Blaen Bran Community Woodland)

 Kelly's Trade Directory 1914 - entry:- Star Brick & Tile, Llantarnam Road

.. This brick came from a demolished wall at the rear of  `Fairces2` Public House - Pontnewydd ..

.. Star Brick & Tile Works Cwmbran ..

Situated on land opposite Cwmbran Cemetery, Llantarnam Road adjacent to the Eastern Valley railway line.

.. The Brick Works is shown on a Cwmbran Street plan dated 1958 ..  Does  anyone have a `memory` or know when it closed?

.. Several contributors examples ..

Kelly's 1906 Trade Directory : CWMBRAN BRICK C0. LTD.  Llantarnam Road

Tile Dimensions: 6" x  6" x 1"

.. GWENT PIPE & FIRE-BRICK CO. LTD, Pontnewydd ..

        This  8 inch/200 mm diameter, glazed earthenware `cap` was found in the gravel along the banks of the Afon Llwyd, near the Oasis Leisure centre- Cwmbran.

.. GWENT PIPE & FIRE-BRICK CO. LTD, PONTNEWYDD ..

 This `complete` example 5 inch/125mm in diameter, was contributed by Grant Muter from Abergavenny

The works  was situated adjacent to the river Afon Llwyd, off Afon Terrace; the site has  recently been redeveloped into a housing estate (2007)

 Webmaster: Does anyone know when the Company closed?

 Ralph Williams responds:  I worked at the Star Brick and Tile Cwmbran for 9 years between 1955 to 1964 as a Moulder; in those days we only made Sewerage Pipes and fittings for the Building Industry. In 1964 it closed down when it was taken over by Hepworth Pipe and the work transferred to the Gwent Pipe Works in Lower Pontnewydd. I and a few others were transferred as well. I stayed until it ceased production in 1974. The Star Brick and Tile had factories in Ponthir (Head Office), Malpas, Allt-yr-yn (Newport), Risca and Morriston near Swansea.

... This example found in the area adjacent to Pontnewydd Golf Course ( Jan. 2007 ) - manufacturer's details unknown ..

.. An example of a `Jones Darran No.1 Risca` brick found near the Cwmbran Retail Park ..

.. An example of a locally manufactured `Common` fire clay brick ..

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.. An example of a Cwmbran Fire Clay Co. brick ..

Both examples were found in the wooded area above Graig Road - Upper Cwmbran

 Has anyone heard of William's  Brick Works ?.... Question: Where was the Brick Works situated?  

 Kelly's Trade Directory 1884 - entry:- Bailhache, Clement & Meacher, Pontnewydd 

Could this be the  link? (source WIKIPEDIA) Sir Clement Meacher Bailhache (2 November 1856 – 8 September 1924) was an English commercial lawyer and judge. Born Leeds; He initially practised as a solicitor in Newport, Monmouthshire.

 .... Question: Where was the Brick Works situated?

 Kelly's Trade Directory 1884 - entry:-Jenkins, A Llanfrechva Lower, Newport .... Question: Where was the Brick Works situated?

.. Please click here if you have any information or memories concerning any of the above ..

    I hope you have enjoyed viewing my `Brick collection` and please believe me folks, when I say "I am not an `Anorak` but I do    confess to owning  an ex- Nato `Parka`

 .. Hmmmm, maybe I'll show you my `Milk Bottle collection` complete with `advertisements` .. sometime ?