Visited with Mookster and a newbie (like myself). Many thanks to Skeleton Key for the access info. I am ashamed to say the history is ripped straight from Wikipedia:
History
Sir Malcolm Stewart bought the London Brick Company in the town in the 1920s. The site is due to close in 2008 as the owners, Hanson, cannot meet UK limits for sulphur dioxide emissions.[2] The four chimneys remaining were due to be demolished upon closure but these have since been listed for preservation of Bedfordshire's brick-related history. and will remain.
Stewartby brickworks was home to the world’s biggest kiln and produced 18 million bricks at the height of production.
BJ Forder & Son opened the first brickworks in Wootton Pillinge in 1897.
Wootton Pillinge was renamed Stewartby in 1937 in recognition of the Stewart family who had been instrumental in developing the brickworks.
The firm became London Brick Company and Forders Limited in 1926, and shortened to London Brick Company in 1936.
At the height of the industry’s production there were 167 brick chimneys in the Marston Vale.
In the 1970s Bedfordshire produced 20% of England’s bricks.
At its peak London Brick Company had its own ambulance and fire crews, a horticultural department and a photographic department, as well as its own swimming pool inside the factory, and ran a number of sports clubs.
More than £1 million was spent on Stewartby Brickworks in 2005-7 in an attempt to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions.
The factory used Lower Oxford Clay, which is made up of 5% seaweed, formed 150 million years ago when it was on the sea bed. This removed the need to add coal to the fire, as the organic material burned.
The Arches
Kiln and Chimney
Main Enterance
This guy must have been really short (This was no more than 3 foot off the floor)
His mate was really tall though
Swictes got to love them
Lovely old fuse boxes
The obligitory broken window shot
Holes in the floor with their own doors
Cheers for looking and feel free to critise (Be gentle)
History
Sir Malcolm Stewart bought the London Brick Company in the town in the 1920s. The site is due to close in 2008 as the owners, Hanson, cannot meet UK limits for sulphur dioxide emissions.[2] The four chimneys remaining were due to be demolished upon closure but these have since been listed for preservation of Bedfordshire's brick-related history. and will remain.
Stewartby brickworks was home to the world’s biggest kiln and produced 18 million bricks at the height of production.
BJ Forder & Son opened the first brickworks in Wootton Pillinge in 1897.
Wootton Pillinge was renamed Stewartby in 1937 in recognition of the Stewart family who had been instrumental in developing the brickworks.
The firm became London Brick Company and Forders Limited in 1926, and shortened to London Brick Company in 1936.
At the height of the industry’s production there were 167 brick chimneys in the Marston Vale.
In the 1970s Bedfordshire produced 20% of England’s bricks.
At its peak London Brick Company had its own ambulance and fire crews, a horticultural department and a photographic department, as well as its own swimming pool inside the factory, and ran a number of sports clubs.
More than £1 million was spent on Stewartby Brickworks in 2005-7 in an attempt to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions.
The factory used Lower Oxford Clay, which is made up of 5% seaweed, formed 150 million years ago when it was on the sea bed. This removed the need to add coal to the fire, as the organic material burned.
The Arches
Kiln and Chimney
Main Enterance
This guy must have been really short (This was no more than 3 foot off the floor)
His mate was really tall though
Swictes got to love them
Lovely old fuse boxes
The obligitory broken window shot
Holes in the floor with their own doors
Cheers for looking and feel free to critise (Be gentle)
