Wigan Album

David
The Hewitt industrial estate on Winstanley Road was the brick works.

Orrell Brick and Tile Company: There is some stuff on Google, but not a lot. No doubt one of our learned locals will furnish greater details.

Rev. Long - Orrell Brick & Terra Cotta used to be at the Orrell end of Winstanley Road, about 100 yards from its junction with Lodge Road.
It was on the left, as you travel from Orrell, towards Windy Arbour.

As AP says, it was actually Orrell Brick and Tile Co.

See map at http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/communicate/mb_message.php?opt=f2&msd=917863&offset=&subject=Orrell%201935%20map

I had thought it might be 'Brick & Tile', but another brick I've used is from the 'Withnell Brick & Terracotta Co 1912 Ltd'. The company still exists - in High Wycombe. They seem ultimately to be owned by the waste people Biffa - so presumably bought for the value of any holes in the ground which could be used for landfill.

Rev,

If you look on the map posted by Gaffer, and so helpfully linked by Neil: there is, at the other side of the settled area, a 'Brick and Terracotta' works, though this one is trading under the name 'Bispam Brick and Terracotta'.

You wait all these months for a brick, then three turn up at once. :-)

I must agree with you about the power of the optical illusion: when I saw the thumbnail in the list (before selecting it) I thought someone had posted a photo of the die, (blank) used for pressing the bricks. OK, the lettering would have needed to run right to left: it was just a quick mis-perception not a thought through conclusion.

Hope your woodburner keeps you warm and toasty next winter.

Slightly off topic, but there are two bricks in the front wall of my house bearing the imprint of a boot sole, evidently made by a workman standing on them while they were still in the mould, prior to going in the kiln. The shape of his boot, and the nails in the sole can be clearly seen.
My home was built in 1872, so they must date prior to that year.
Whenever I am feeling cheesed off or sorry for myself, the sight of those two bricks always serves as a reminder that I am a damned sight more fortunate than the man who made the imprints was.

This brick is from the late 20's through mid thirties i believe

Rev, rotate the photo by 180 degrees on your computer and have a look at it!

Yes, Neil - weird, isn't it?

Orrell Brick and Tile co was off Winstanley rd. By the railway line.It originally had its own railway siding with a link to the main railway line.It was part of a group of brickworks which included Pimbo Lane brick and tile co and Bolton Brick co.bolton brick closed in about 1960, Orrell in about 1964 and Pimbo lane about 1971.the MD of all works was Mr W Southern eho lived on Wigan Lane.I joined orrell as trainee manager in about1962 before going onto study Ceramics at Stoke on Trent

I play golf at Blundells Hill golf club in Rainhill and recently found a brick in a wood on our 4th hole with the name Orrell B & T Co Ltd on it! How did it get there I wonder?

For the record, Orrell brick produced approx 100,000 bricks per week.The came originally from its own quarry behind the factory but when this was worked out it bought clay from a quarry at Parbold.It had a rather unusual Bradley and Craven rim discharge pan mill which fed the ground clay onto a dust floor from where it was fed into a Bradley and Craven double repress brick machine . The bricks from the machine were fired in a 20 chamber Staffordshire Kiln which was originally coal fitted but was converted to fire heavy fuel oil in the late fifties. The bricks were removed from the kiln by hand ready to be despatched to the customer..By today's standards orrells weekly production would be less than a days production.