A brickworks, also known as a brick factory, is a factory for the manufacturing of bricks, from clay or shale. Usually a brickworks is located on a clay bedrock, often with a quarry for clay on site.
Alderley is a northern suburb of the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
The City of Brisbane is a local government area that has jurisdiction over the inner portion of the metropolitan area of Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia. Brisbane is located in the county of Stanley and is the largest city followed by Ipswich with bounds in part of the county. Unlike LGAs in the other mainland state capitals, which are generally responsible only for the central business districts and inner neighbourhoods of those cities, the City of Brisbane administers a significant portion of the Brisbane metropolitan area, serving almost half of the population of the Brisbane Greater Capital City Statistical Area. As such, it has a larger population than any other local government area in Australia. The City of Brisbane was the first Australian LGA to reach a population of more than one million. Its population is roughly equivalent to the populations of Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory combined. In 2016–2017, the council administers a budget of over $3 billion, by far the largest budget of any LGA in Australia.
The Newmarket Brickworks Chimney was constructed in 1912. At this time, it formed part of the new complex constructed by Aleck Anderson, a former Clerk of Works, known as the Brisbane Brick and Builders Supply Company Ltd - or Brisbane Brick, as it was widely known.[2]
Brickmaking has been practised in Queensland since the days of the Moreton Bay penal settlement in the 1820s. Local clay was used for making bricks, firstly in Redcliffe, and then in Brisbane Town. The clayfield in the later case was situated near the stream at the back of the convict settlement. A kiln was first built near the river but a new kiln was built at the field. Brick production was well under way by the beginning of 1826. A boost was given to the use of brick in Queensland, following a disastrous fire in Queen Street in 1864. Changes made to Local Government Ordinances in response to this encouraged the use of brick for building, although the costs involved meant that brick were mainly used for commercial and public buildings.[2]
The Moreton Bay is a bay located on the eastern coast of Australia 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from central Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources. The waters of Moreton Bay are a popular destination for recreational anglers and are used by commercial operators who provide seafood to market.
Redcliffe is a coastal residential suburb of the Moreton Bay Region in the east north-east of the Redcliffe peninsula, approximately 28 kilometres (17 mi) north-north-east of the Brisbane CBD. It serves as the Central Business District for the Redcliffe Peninsula and its surrounding suburbs.
The Town of Brisbane was a local government area for Brisbane in Queensland, Australia from 1859 to 1903.
The development of the brick manufacturing industry, given the wide availability of timber in Queensland, has been faced with obstacles. A group of Brisbane builders and architects, led by Aleck Anderson, a former Clerk of Works, and also an experienced builder, formed Brisbane Brick and Builders Supply Company Ltd in 1911 to obtain good quality bricks, which were then not plentifully available in Brisbane. The Company based its design on the Hoffman method of brickmaking. The main kiln was known as the "Hoffman Kiln".[2]
Chimney in 2015
Mechanisation of brickmaking began in the 1870s. By 1896 the successful Hoffman mechanical method of brickmaking was established in Australia, and for the first time, quality mass-produced bricks could be bought at prices well below those of the hand-made equivalent. The Hoffman method was named after Friedrich Hoffman, an Austrian, who invented the technique in 1859. The Hoffman method enabled drying and firing to take place simultaneously. Known as continuous firing, one chamber would be stacked with "green" bricks, other chambers contained bricks in increasing degrees of dryness, in another chamber firing may just have been commenced, while another may be in full firing, other chambers might be in various degrees of cooling while one chamber might remain empty.[2]
The Hoffmann kiln is a series of batch process kilns. Hoffmann kilns are the most common kiln used in production of bricks and some other ceramic products. Patented by German Friedrich Hoffmann for brickmaking in 1858, it was later used for lime-burning, and was known as the Hoffmann continuous kiln.
Brisbane Brick made its first appearance in the Queensland Post Office Directory (Trades Directory) in 1912-13. As Queensland was essentially a timber state, the building industry developed mainly by the use of timber and the demand for bricks fell below production. Brickyards, quickly piled high with large stocks of unsold bricks, were often forced during those early years to close down for from six months to two years. After one of these closures the Brisbane Brick issued new preference shares to obtain capital to refit and modernise its original plant at Newmarket, and resume manufacturing. From then until the outbreak of World War Two, the company stopped production for one or two brief periods. During the war, the Defence Department utilised the Newmarket sheds, kilns and yards to store goods such as clothing, boots and other equipment. The company's engineering staff were engaged to maintain Liberty ships and other defence work. World War Two set the brick manufacturing industry back many years, and forced the closure of the company's works at Newmarket.[2]
The Queensland Post Office Directory was a series of publications listing people and businesses in Queensland, Australia.
Newmarket is an inner north-west suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is an older, mostly residential suburb containing pre-war and post-war homes, including many fine examples of the Queenslander style of home. Over the last few years, some medium-density townhouses and unit blocks have appeared as well. In the 2016 census, Newmarket had a population of 4979 people.
With the end of the war, the brick manufacturing industry then faced the introduction of price controls. At this time, the modernisation of many plants was slowed considerably. With the lifting of price controls many companies, Brisbane Brick included, began a concerted drive to make up for what was considered "lost time". Plants were improved and production methods were streamlined. Demand for bricks for homes and new commercial buildings soon outstripped production and the new industry faced a new, though welcome obstacle, keeping up with growing demand. Brisbane Brick opened Strathpine Bricks Pty Ltd in 1961, at this time the development of new processes, such as the new tunnel kiln equipment to produce bricks, gradually overhauled the shortage. At the time, Newmarket Bricks Pty Ltd, was a subsidiary of Brisbane Brick and Builders Supply Company. The design of the new Strathpine site was considered "as modern as tomorrow - the concept in brickworks design completely removes the traditional image of the old-type works with its towering smoke stack and unattractive factory".[2]
Operation of the Newmarket brickworks were continued by PGH. By 1985, the Newmarket site had frontages to Alderley, Wakefield and Yarradale Streets and Mina Parade. In 1987 the brickworks were demolished and the site subdivided. Buildings demolished included the Hoffman kiln, drying kiln, sorting sheds, dome kiln buildings and an extruder presses building. Over the last decade, the site has been fully redeveloped for industrial purposes. At the time of demolition, the chimney was excluded from the demolition permit on the basis of its rarity as a remaining example in Brisbane of a load-bearing brick chimney stack.[2]
Description
View of Newmarket with the brickworks chimney on the left, circa 1925Chimney in 2015Chimney in 2015
The brick chimney is located along Mina Parade, approximately 40 metres (130ft) from the road. Access to the site is via an easement. The chimney rises to a height of approximately 55 metres (180ft), and is, consequently, a prominent landmark. The square base is approximately 4.7 metres (15ft) long. The chimney rises about 10 metres (33ft) before tapering uniformly to about 3 metres (9.8ft) square. On each face of the bottom section of the chimney there area a number of arched recesses, which appear to be decorative elements. One of the recesses, on the south side of the chimney, facing Mina Parade, has been enclosed with concrete. Several bands of brick as the top of the chimney flue provide further decorative elements to the structure. A metallic band running the length of the chimney on its eastern side, appears to be related to deflecting lightning strikes. Similarly, on the upper section of the chimney, a number of metallic bands are attached around the structure.[2]
The chimney is in reasonably good condition, though there is some evidence of rising damp on the eastern side and a crack running the width of the structure, about 7 metres (23ft) from the base, on the northern side. Mortar is breaking up and falling away in various sections on all four sides.[2]
The whole of the area formerly occupied by the brickworks has been redeveloped and the chimney now stands in its own space.[2]
Heritage listing
Newmarket Brickworks Chimney was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 24 March 2000 having satisfied the following criteria.[2]
The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.
The Newmarket Brickworks Chimney is significant as a rare, surviving example of the brick manufacturing industry in Brisbane, and Queensland, in the early part of the 20th century. At this time, brick makers often struggled for patronage in a state which, predominantly, utilised timber in building construction.[2]
The Newmarket Brickworks Chimney is associated with Brisbane Brick and Builders Supply Company Ltd, or Brisbane Brick as it was widely known. Brisbane Brick, in particular, the Newmarket brickworks, provided bricks for buildings within the University of Queensland, including residential colleges and the MLC building on the corner of George and Adelaide Streets.[2]
The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage.
The Newmarket Brickworks Chimney is significant as a rare, surviving example of the brick manufacturing industry in Brisbane, and Queensland, in the early part of the 20th century. At this time, brick makers often struggled for patronage in a state which, predominantly, utilised timber in building construction. In 1987, when the Newmarket Brickworks was demolished, the chimney was excluded from the demolition permit on the basis of its rarity as a remaining example in Brisbane of a load-bearing brick chimney stack.[2]
The place is important because of its aesthetic significance.
At a height of over 50 metres (160ft), clearly visible from Newmarket Road, Mina Parade and surrounding areas, the Newmarket Brickworks Chimney is significant as a well known Brisbane landmark, recognised by both local and wider communities.[2]
The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
At a height of over 50 metres (160ft), clearly visible from Newmarket Road, Mina Parade and surrounding areas, the Newmarket Brickworks Chimney is significant as a well-known Brisbane landmark, recognised by both local and wider communities.[2]
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Marston Vale is an area of Bedfordshire. It lies to the south west of Bedford and Kempston, near Junction 13 of the M1 motorway. Historically it was one of the main brickmaking districts in England, home of the London Brick Company, now a division of Hanson plc. The brickmaking activity left scars across the landscape of the Marston Vale as large tracts of land were dug for clay. Most of the claypits are now exhausted, and most of the brickmaking chimneys have been demolished. The legacy of the abandoned brickworks also adds to the impression that the Marston Vale has been despoiled by decades of industrial activity and it is now searching for a new identity. In more recent years the local authorities have taken the opportunity to reuse the clay pits for landfills at Stewartby and Brogborough, both of which are recently capped and closed down.
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Bradley & Craven Ltd was a manufacturing company specializing in brickmaking machinery in Wakefield England. It was founded in 1843 by two young engineers, William Craven and Richard Bradley to manufacture what was then revolutionary machinery for automating clay brick production. Their 1853 patented ‘Stiff-Plastic Brickmaking Machine’ in combination with the Hoffman continuous kiln were responsible for changes in the industry which eventually saw a shift from hand craft to mechanized production. Their machines were manufactured at the Westgate Common Foundry in Wakefield and were sold throughout the United Kingdom as well as many oversees markets such as Australia, South Africa and Germany.
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