Monument record 7197/2 - The Metropolitan Brick & Tile Co.

{2} This works, the Metropolitan Brick & Tile Co. (Irthlingborough) Ltd., was erected during 1899 at the instigation of G.C.W. Fitzwilliam, the landowner in the area. His reasons for doing so, apparently-included helping to alleviate the unemployment in the area at the time. The works was built under the direction of the then manager, J. Pascall.

The equipment installed included, a tram line to the clay pit, an edge runner grinding pan, a patent 9" diameter stiff-plastic clay mixer (£210), two patent stiff-plastic brick making machines 010 each), an endless hauling gear (presumably a conveyor belt), dryer with fans to create a draught, and a steam engine (a slide valve type) with two attendant boilers. The stiff-plastic machines were obtained from Thomas C. Fawcett Ltd. of Leeds, and the kiln was a Sercombe's Patent Improved Perfect Barrel kiln. This is a rectangular continuous kiln containing 18 chambers each 15' x 15' x 8'6" and was supplied with a chimney 15' x 15' in section, 120' tall. The brickworks had to supply all the bricks and the contract, for
£1640, was to be completed in 20 weeks. It could hold 220,000 bricks.

In July 1900 21 people were employed, but all were still working on new works it appears. By May 1901 25 men and 5 boys were employed and making bricks, the man working the brickmaking machine getting £1.15.0. per week plus a penny per thousand produced. The other 24 men employed were: 1 engine driver, 2 burners, 2 setters, 1 carpenter, 1 bricklayer, 1 loading bricks, and 16 labourers. The wage bill was approximately £30 per week.

In 1903 the buildings and kiln were in need of repair and during the earlier part of 1904 reconstruction took place, the capacity rising from 60 to 10Q000 bricks per week. This capacity never appeared to be reached, the bricks dispatched by rail being only 100 to 270,000 per month during 1905, the total production being of the order of 2 million in the year. The works continued to lose money and up to 1905 the loss had reached £5,000. How long the works survived after this is not known but probably not beyond 1910. The site was taken over in 1918 by Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron & Coal Co. When iron ore mines were opened here.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1900, Ordnance Survey 2nd Edition Map Series, (checked) (Map). SNN55943.

<2> O'Rourke R., 1970, Some Northamptonshire Brickworks, p. 17 (Article). SNN103347.

Record last edited

Jan 12 2017 2:38PM