Benwell, South Benwell Fire Brick Works/The E & M Yard

HER Number:
4313

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Benwell, South Benwell Fire Brick Works/The E & M Yard

Place:
Benwell

Map Sheet:
NZ26SW

Class:
Industrial

Site Type: Broad:
Brick and Tilemaking Site

Site Type: Specific:
Fire Clay Works

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19/20

Form of Evidence:
Documentary Evidence

Description:
South Benwell Fire Brick Works, also known as the E & M Yard. This opened after 1858. Davidson says the yard was working from 1828-1934. Elsewhere he says that it opened in the 1850s. This later date is probably correct. It was run by the Carr family, using clay from their Benwell Charlotte Colliery, and was automated after 1894. It was split into two yards, with 27 Newcastle Kilns, from which firebricks were transported by river and rail to many of the other Tyneside industries. William Cochrane-Carr established the E & M Firebrick Works at Low Benwell a few years after 1850, (possibly after 1858). He had previously taken over the Emmerson and Milner brickyard at Blaydon Burn in 1850 and retained its E & M trademark. Fireclay was supplied from their Benwell Charlotte Colliery. Fireclay goods were still being produced by hand moulding in 1894. By 1912, there was a machine press. The works occupied a river frontage of 430 yards and was split into two areas – East Yard and Old Yard, and between the two was Low Benwell drift and staith. The East Yard had 11 Newcastle kilns; the Old Yard had about 16 Newcastle kilns. Goods were dispatched by ship and railway and supplied firebricks to a number of Tyneside works, as well as exports to Mediterranean and North Sea ports, America, India and China. Dates: 1850s – 1930s? Manufacturer 1869-1934 W Cochrane-Carr

Easting:
2180

Northing:
6338

Grid Reference:
NZ21806338

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 4313 >> 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map, 1899, 6 inch scale, Northumberland, 97, NW P.J. Davidson, pp 68-9,83