Originally two Wootton farming settlements, Wootton Pillinge and neighbouring Wootton Broadmead, the Wootton Pillinge LBC village was in 1936 renamed Stewartby, taking its new name from the Stewart family, directors of London Brick Company since 1900. The family's famous son Sir Malcolm Stewart had amalgamated LBC with the Forders Company in the village in the 1920s. The site closed in 2008 as the owners, Hanson, cannot meet UK limits for sulphur dioxide emissions. 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.
Visited this with a non-member, spent a good 3 to 4 hours walking round and looking at different parts, weather was not the best however was please with the results.
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.
Visited this with a non-member, spent a good 3 to 4 hours walking round and looking at different parts, weather was not the best however was please with the results.
On with the photos
We found some photos of the old London Brick lories
The last of the remaing listed chimneys
We then found our way in the Belt shop
Next was this old shed, was apparent there must have been a rave some time ago judging by all the ballons and cartridges left behind
I believe this is where it was all mixed together.
And finally a couple of other photos we came accross of some former workers.
If you have made it this far thanks for looking.
