Stewartby "London" Brickworks - October 2008 - REPORT

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ukmayhem

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May 29, 2008
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Location
Bicester , Oxfordshire
Visited with Rookinella and Speed

Had a good few hours on a lovely Sunny day at Stewartby Brickworks and what a fasinating site it was, So much to see over such a wide area. Really cant believe it closed in February 2008 looks like its been derelict for years just the tell tale signs of Newspapers dated 2007/2008 and Calenders still on the walls. We were eventually spotted by security who were showing a couple round that wated to take pictures. They were nice enough and said if we had asked they would have showed us around just not inside the buildings.

Brief History

Stewartby brickworks was home to the world’s biggest kiln and produced 500 million bricks a year at the height of production. BJ Forder & Son opened the first brickworks in Wootton Pillinge in 1897. The firm became London Brick Company and Forders Limited in 1926, and shortened to London Brick Company in 1936. Wootton Pillinge was renamed Stewartby in 1937 in recognition of the Stewart family who had been instrumental in developing the brickworks. At the height of the industry’s production there were 167 (one hundred and sixty seven!) 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. In 1984, the London Brick Company was taken over by the Hanson Trust. There were just 230 people employed at the Stewartby brickworks, and only 2 kilns and 3 chimneys in use, producing a total of 135 millions bricks a year. Then more than £1 million was spent on Stewartby Brickworks in 2005-7 in an attempt to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions. Feburary 2008 it was finally shut down when they couldnt reduce sulphur dioxide emissions.

Some Pictures

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All photos can be seen here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30941421@N06/sets/72157607959155773/

Matt
 
Last edited:
A quality day out and a good giggle! It was great to meet you:) Pics look great in B&W!
 
I particularly like the first one, looking down the line of kilns from undercover, well done!
 
Great report! Love the photos in B & W, it gives the pics a better feel to them. That chimney with the platform is superb. :)
 
Wow, what a fabulous site! It looks humungous. Excellent photos and info. :)

Thanks Foxy :D

It is massive missed loads of stuff to see, we didnt even get it all in in 3 hours.

Great report! Love the photos in B & W, it gives the pics a better feel to them. That chimney with the platform is superb. :)

Thankyou :D
 

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