Staffordshire

I have been seeking a brick from this works for a long time, and I am extremely grateful to Tim Lawton for spotting this in a housing demolition area of Hanley. This is Tim's photo and he has kindly allowed me to use it here. The Wall Grange Staffordshire Brick Co. Ltd. had their works off Park Lane, Wall Grange near Longsdon, Leek. It appears to have operated from the mid 1890s to the early 1950s. I believe that the works used Foden steam lorries at one time and would love to see a photograph of one of those in action, preferably loaded with bricks.

The Stafford Coal and Iron Co Ltd operated extensive collieries just south of Stoke-on-Trent. Stafford was one of the Great Fenton collieries which the company established in 1873 to obtain the blackstone ironstone and coal in the upper seams. The brickworks was situated north-east of the colliery towards Great Fenton.

Churnet Valley winter steam gala action between Consall and Cheddleton.

5197 between Consall and Cheddleton at the winter steam gala.

W Palmer & Sons' brickworks is listed in the 1904, 1924 and 1940 Kelly's trade directory at Leek New Road, Cobridge, Burslem. I think that this may be a product of their brickyard

Peering across the ochre mud towards the narrow section of the 1847 Caldon Tramway Tunnel.

Another tramroad tunnel to explore, this time on the 1847 rope and gravity line carrying limestone from the Caldon Low quarries down to the canal wharf at Froghall. Out of use since 1920 this tunnel is notable for the sheer quantity of ochreous mud that threatens to suck the boots off unwary explorers.

Churnet Valley Railway winter service is ready for departure from Cheddleton on a cold winter morning.

Morning service departing from Consall on the Churnet Valley Railway.

A bit of a mystery behind this brick as I have been unable to identify the location of the brickworks or even the correct name of the company. Bricks of this sort lettered 'P B Co Ltd' and with a further letter(s), 'A C' in this case, are very common across North Staffordshire and south-east Cheshire. The sheer numbers suggest a substantial operation, so does anyone know who and where? Answer finally provided through great research by Capitol 203 who found a list of brickworks made in 1943 by the Ministry of Supply. This makes it clear that the Potteries Brick Co. Ltd acted as a selling agent for at least eleven brick companies in the area. The assumption is that each brickworks used a different letter on their bricks, but all stamped them with the PB Co label. The works involved in 1943 were: Beans Brick & Marl Co, Tunstall Berry Hill Brickworks Ltd, Fenton & Cheadle Birchenwood Brick & Tile Co Ltd, Kidsgrove Cobridge Brick & Marl Co. Ltd, Cobridge D. Duddell, Fenton J. Hewitt & Son (Fenton) Ltd, Fenton Low J. Leigh & Sons, Burslem Wm. Palmer, Exors of, Cobridge Sneyd Collieries Ltd, Burslem The Stafford Coal & Iron Co. Ltd, Great Fenton Thos. W. Ward Ltd, Apedale, Chesterton Further information received suggests that the code A C refers to Berry Hill, Clanway Works.

A seriously hard brick from the Stafford Coal and Iron Co works adjacent to their collieries in Fenton.

More details from the bottle ovens at the Acme Marls site in Burslem.

Hednesford brickworks was originally owned by the Cannock Chase Colliery Company. It was taken over from the NCB in 1974 by the Butterley Brick Company and closed some years later.

John Slater purchased the Berry Hill Collieries after 1914 and in 1918 set up John Slater Ltd to operate Berry Hill and New Haden (Cheadle) Collieries. The brickworks at Berry Hill came as part of the deal and I wonder how pleased Mr Slater was with the misunderstanding regarding the stamps for the brick press. :-)

Another Cheddleton yard view from the evening of the winter steam gala. Ring Haw and the Jinty.

Thomas Bolton copperworks at Froghall, Staffordshire.

Typical conditions in the narrow section of the 1847 Caldon Tramway Tunnel. At least some of the trackbed is clear of the gloop in this bit.

S160 USA 5197 departing Consall for Froghall and crossing the Caldon Canal outside the Black Lion pub.