Wigan Album

Orrell Brick & Terracotter Co Ltd.
See item number 22859.

Colin. When I was on the Marsh Green beat, on night duty, in the very early sixties, I called in on the watch man, of a brick company. It was down a country lane, near to a farm.
It is so long ago now, the actual location is vague. I was wondering if this was this particular brick company?

Albert, the brickworks you remember was situated between the Heinz factory and Martland Mill on the road that now has a barrier accross it. I don't remember the factory standing, but it was always known as the brickworks road.

Albert - the brick company you mention was most likely at the bottom of Walthew House Lane, Marsh Green.
The company that made the bricks in the photo had their works in the Lancashire Constabulary area, on Winstanley Road at Orrell.

Thank you Colin/Mick. The location of the brickworks that I mentioned, must have been where you both have stated. It was always a welcome stop-off, on a cold winter's night. If the ground was frozen, my bicycle didn't get covered in mud, otherwise it did. If I remember correctly, you had to walk through a portion of the farm yard, to get to the entrance of the brickworks.

I apologize for referring to you as Colin, Gordon.

The brickworks in Walthew Lane belonged to the Orrell Brick and tile company.

Are these common, facing or engineering bricks?

House bricks has Mike said!

Dont be smart, lad!!

Giovanni, your question got me looking on the Internet. Wonder if a bricklayer on the forum can identify a common, facing and a engineering brick by looking at a picture. The enginnering brick I would imagine is heavier or is it. Going by the other picture it looks like it was used as a common. I welcome insight from the forum. Thanks for the picture Mike, good point Giovanni, education on anything is always good to know

Their just a common house brick!

Happy trowelling, lads!

Nice to know that Monty Phython is alive and well on Wiganworld.

One cannot tell if a brick is an engineering brick by looking at it as an engineering brick is defined by its physical properties ( ie compressive strength and water adsorption ) not by looks.

Is it possible that the brick company at the bottom of Walthew House Lane, Marsh Green, was originally "Partington and Howard Brickworks" run by Walter, Albert E. and Oliver Partington? They lived in Scots Lane and were brick maker. Walter was the last of the three brothers. He died in 1919.

Yes u can distinguish between commons, facings and engineering bricks by looking at them. Although, we do have semi- engineering bricks which generally aren’t as dense.

Orrell Brick & Terracottta company was on Winstanley Road and is now the site of Hewitt Business Park

Companies and people took enough pride in their work to put their names on things, even a simple brick. Hope it's kept safe for future generations.