That's the findings of local expert and author Andrew Connolly in his book Life in the Victorian brickyards of Flintshire and Denbighshire which includes brickworks from the county of Wrexham which formerly was part of Denbighshire.
His book explains that in the search for coal, clay was being extracted and produced as bricks as a result of the mining process and when other collieries closed the owners turned their companies to clay prospecting and extraction.
Brickworks stretched across the region from Flint in the north to Cefn Mawr in the south and from Gwernymynydd in the west to Marchwiel in the east. Rhyl also had a thriving brick-making business according to former town mayor Diana Hannam.
Meanwhile, Andrew's book says that by the onset of the 1860s mineral speculation had taken off at a serious pace, and the number of brickworks in the area began to grow, initially more so in Buckley which, today, is more commonly thought of as a former pottery-making town.
Whilst coal mining in Buckley goes back to the 12th century, clay-making was not established quite as early as that, but the famous Buckley pottery making business came first.
However, census figures for 1851 show that the number of households whose heads were colliers were shown to number 123, a total of 75 were engaged in farming, 85 in the brickworks and only 15 in the potteries.
Life in the Victorian brickyards of Flintshire and Denbighshire by Andrew Connolly is published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Gwynedd.
your comments
Glyn Hayes (Mold)
Thank you Carolyn Thomas. I read your post about the book of old photographs on sale. I picked one up last week for my father (now 88) who was born and bred in Coed Talon. The photographs are fantastic reminders...priceless!
Mon Nov 24 10:26:44 2008
Catherine McMillan from Oxfordshire
For Chris Madsen. Thank you for the information about the Gamble surname. It is interesting as the Greasley name is in the Chirk area also and my gt grandmother Hannah Gamble married Robert Greasley and lived in Ruabon. Both names are in Leicestershire and I think that the brickworks attracted them to Ruabon for work. Once again Chris you seem to be able to offer me help with my research and perhaps I will pursue this name in the area.
Tue Nov 11 08:23:39 2008
Chris Madsen
For Catherine McMillan, just found this site again. Saw your relation of the name Gamble. Now, my first baby was delivered by a Sister Gamble in Chirk Hospital in 1969. She was about 30ish at the time. As it is such an unusual name in this area of Jones, Evans and Davies! She may have been your relation, although it was 39 years ago, all is not lost as she was a friend of my half sister, Pamela. I will write to her to see what she knows of this. She refuses to have the internet having used computers so long in her job! Best wishes, Christine.
Mon Nov 10 08:50:31 2008
Carolyn Thomas, Pontybodkin
To Annie & Tony, Nant Cottage, Pontybodkin. There is a book with old photos and information of Pontybodkin, Coed Talon and the whole Llanfynydd community plus other leaflets on the area available from Reflections Hairdressers / Pontybodkin post office.
To John Kirby, Connah's Quay. The pub at the bottom of Pontybodkin Hill on the way to Leeswood is now a house called Glanravon house.
Mon Sep 22 08:50:30 2008
Catherine McMllan, Oxfordshire
Can anyone tell me about the job of factory chimney inspector - this was my great grandfather's job - James Evans of Ruabon - I am curious to know what the job entailed.
Mon Sep 8 10:45:43 2008
Trevor Jones (Australia)
There is one brickworks that did not recieve a mention, and that brickworks was called Pen-y-Bont and was situated in Newbridge near Cefn Mawr and was owned by J.C. Edwards, and after leaving school at 15 I worked in the brick making part of the brickworks with the tiles and Teracotta being made upstairs in the same building.The clay used to come up from the claypit and was fed into a big crusher and then it fed into a pug and came out in lengths to be cut up into bricks which were loaded onto a large barrow and then wheeled into a heated shed and offloaded one at a time to dry, and when dry were taken to a kiln to be burned. The foreman at that time was a Mr Gethin Davies and I worked there for 4 years, and when I was stationed in Malaysia I looked up at the roof over the living quarters and the roofing tiles were made in the brickworks that I used to work at.
Mon Jul 28 09:57:28 2008
Annie & Tony from Pontybodkin
We moved to Nant Cottage nearly two years ago and would love to find out anything about the cottage and Pontybodkin. Can anyone help?
Wed Jul 9 10:52:21 2008
Garry from Wrexham
To Keith Davies, Ex Coed Talon. Many thanks for that help. Gives me something to go on in tracking them down. Cheers
Mon Jun 9 08:30:40 2008
Catheine McMillan, Oxfordshire
To Chris Maden: I have just come across your February posting - thank you for your reply. I managed to visit Ruabon and found Foresters Terrace - it was exciting to see the house that my grandfather and great grandparents lived. I have found out that my other grandfather James Evans was a factory chimney inspector in the area and was wondering if anyone had any information on this occupation. He worked in the area in the early 1900s?
Mon Jun 2 10:25:07 2008
Keith Davies, Ex Coed Talon
To Garry from Wrexham. I was born in Coed Talon in 1950 and lived 2 doors from Peris Williams. He had 2 sons; Colin and Clive. I don't know their whereabouts now. Their grandfather Joseph lived next door to them. The Rev. Harry and Mrs. Cunnah lived about four doors away from us on the other side. They had a daughter Josie. Gwynfryn Williams lived in Pontybodkyn and had a daughter Rhiannon. She and her family still lived in the area (maybe the same house) when I left the UK 10 years ago. Hope that helps.
Mon Jun 2 09:35:20 2008
John Kirby, Connah's Quay
There use to be a pub on the bottom of the hill, going up to Leeswood in Pontybodkin. Does anyone know? I am trying to remember what it was called, it was also a barbers.
Mon Jun 2 08:58:03 2008
Lyn from Australia
Sue Hulme-Williams. Pontybodkin, when I used to visit in the 1950s, was a lovely spot with a roundabout in a field and a covered long shed up the hill with seats in it. The houses where relatives lived have long been demolished and each had a lovely garden and picket fence. There were small shops nearby & my gran used to speak Welsh when shopping. There were many rabbits & foxes around too in those days.
Wed May 28 16:21:15 2008
Garry from Wrexham
Does anyone from Coed Talon remember any of the following? Peris Williams and his wife Ceridwen. And Peris brother Gwynfryn Williams? They were also related to Rev H.A. Cunnah.
Tue May 27 09:26:19 2008
Sue Hulme-Williams from Pontybodkin
We live in Nant Cottages and are trying to find some information on the history. Can anyone help?
Wed May 14 08:41:56 2008
Lyn Williams from Australia
Thank you Carolyn (Thomas) for the information on the Williams. I very much appreciate this. Amazing that the roundabout may be put back after all these years. Yes, I remember the hill at the back very well, and the long shed-like building.
Mon Apr 7 09:11:04 2008
Carolyn Thomas from Pontybodkin
For Lynda Williams in Australia. Williams Williams lived in Coed Talon which is adjoining Pontybodkin and classed as the same settlement area. He had a shop in a place called Stone Cottage next to the Coed Talon Inn, just up from The Railway pub and Station. Pontybodkin park is still going strong and popular with the village children who only yesterday asked for a roundabout at a public meeting! People still talk about the old roundabout which has long since been removed. The miners' cottages you mentioned were condemned and new houses were built in a Crescent behind to house all the residents, many are now elderly but a great source of information about the history of the area.
Thu Mar 20 16:56:24 2008
Carolyn Thomas from Pontybodkin
To David Robert Talon Jones. Your grandparents, Robert and Elisabeth Talon Jones, lived in Liverpool House, Corwen Road, Pontybodkin in the early 1900s. The mentioned saw mill was on the Atlas Yard (now Hardings Commercials) and opened in the 1930s and 40s but I don't think they were connected. Liverpool House is now Reflections Hairdressers with Pontybodkin Post Office situated within. The rooms are let out as flats. In the 60s and 70s Liverpool House became a minimarket and filling station. The filling station area is now Four Girls Coach yard. My house was built in 1906 using Coed Talon brick (looks like Ruabon Red) on land sold by Elisabeth Jones to the other side of Liverpool House.
Thu Mar 20 16:42:05 2008
Bev Akister, Southend, Essex
I understand that My Grandfather Joseph Carrington and his family owned a brickworks in Ruabon, North Wales. I would appreciate any information.
Fri Mar 14 08:11:36 2008
Chris Madsen
To Catherine Mcmillan. Thought it may interest you to know that Foresters Terrace is still there, also the brick works has shut very recently.
Mon Feb 11 10:11:35 2008
Doug Williams, ex Coed Talon
To Keith and Norma the Herb Williams mentioned was my father who I think you both knew regarding the chimney at the Gem. I think it was built by Herb's uncle Ephram Jones from Buckley who died in 1948. Norma would remember his widow (auntie Annie) from top of the Pren. He had a young labourer working with him named Herb Williams and his initials were put on the chimney later. My father and his brother Trevor worked with Ephram Jones as chimney builders.
Thu Nov 29 08:44:34 2007
Catherine McMillan from Oxfordshire
I am researching the family history of Robert Greasley married to Hannah Gamble. They lived in Ruabon and Robert worked at the brickworks along with his son Alfred (my grandfather). They lived at Foresters Terrace in the early 1900s. I know that my grandfather Alfred had a sister Elizabeth. I would be pleased to hear from any relatives or anyone who has heard of this family.
Mon Nov 19 08:49:01 2007
david jones, Hobart, Australia
Would appreciate any information on brickworks in Llanysys in North Wales in the late 1890s. My great grandfather David Jones worked there before passing away in 1900.Thanks
Wed Oct 24 08:59:05 2007
For Ron Brown, Equa Guinea
Re the Brown family. The area that we knew of was near Bowling Bank. They lived in what they called a tied cottage because my grandad worked on the farms before joining the army. Dates of their time in Marchweil would have been around early 1900s-early 1950s. FW, Porirua.
Mon Aug 13 09:59:48 2007
For Ron Brown, Equa,Guinea
Hi Ron. I will check with my sister where the Browns lived in Marchwiel. F.W. Porirua.
Wed Aug 8 09:47:04 2007
Ron Brown, Equatorial Guinea
To F Williams, Porirua, NZ: Where in Marchwiel did they live as I also lived there from 1951 to 1973 but don't recall any other Browns in the village.
Mon Jul 30 07:54:45 2007
Norma from Lodge
To Keith Davies (BC Canada ex Coed Talon). Sorry I have not replied sooner - forgot about the subject. The 1911 initials on the chimney stack in Coed Talon may relate to a Herbert Williams but it has nothing to do with the Herbert Williams that was the builder in the 1960s. You are right that this Herb was the father of Gillian, Gwyneth, Ross and Douglas, but his father was a Joseph Williams whose father was a John Williams farmer from Cymau. So I am afraid you will have to look elsewhere for your Herbert Williams, 1911.
Thu Jul 26 08:47:52 2007
Chris Moseley
I purchased a 1947 Triumph Roadster last year and started to restore it. The restoration is nearly complete and I am trying to find as much history about the car as possible. The last owner purchased the car in 1947. The last owner was from Llannerch Hall, St Asaph. He owned the car from new until he passed away last year as far as I know.Any information would be welcome, Thanks Chris.
Mon Jul 9 14:31:47 2007
David Robert Talon Jones from Manchester
My grandfather (Robert Talon Jones) and my gt. grandfather Jonathon Jones who married Elizabeth Bellis originated from Coed Talon and I believe used to own a lot of land around there. Does anyone have any information about them? I know that they used to own a big house in Coed Talon (probably around 1900 or so) on the main road which I think they used as a sawmill. I would love to hear from anyone who might know something about them.
Tue May 29 10:02:57 2007
Lynda Williams from Australia
Visited Pontybodkin many times before going to Australia in 1955. Glynn Williams and parents Lizzie and Williams Williams lived there. Used to play on the roundabout in the park. Does anyone remember the Williams family? The roundabout swing as well. Remember the lovely cottage gardens in front of the terrace houses too.
Tue May 22 10:28:45 2007
F Williams, Porirua, NZ
Does anyone from the Marchwiel area remember my Grandad Richard Brown (Dick Brown).. he passed away about 1973-75 his wife was Rhoda they split up when they were quite young, their children were brought up by my great grandmother. My mum was Iris Brown and her brothers were Peter, Cyril and I forget the other brothers name I think he moved to Australia years ago. I can recall only meeting my grandad once but I was only young. He seemed a really nice bloke but family problems seemed to have split the family up years ago. My sister still keeps in touch with my mum's younger brother Peter who lives in Gobowen but he doesn't remember much. My Mum died about 10 years ago but I use to love listening to her stories about growing up in Marchwiel during the war, telling me about the POWs working on the farms, the Germans and Italians, sitting on the farm gates they would tease and shout at them. She would then tell me about my grandad coming home off leave from the Army and whinging about how good the POWs had it in Britain. PS. I know my great great grandad worked as a farm foreman in the Plassey in 1905. His picture is on the wall in the minig museum. Mr G Brown. Any info would be good. Thanks
Fri Jan 19 08:05:50 2007
Rob Jones
My Gt.Gt Grand father Was John Brough Cook, he was JC Edward's Manager at Pen Y Bont Brickworks, Newbridge, Denbighshire during the last part of the 19th century. He apparently wrote a history of this brickworks under the name "Gothic". Has anyone information as to the whereabouts of this history? Many Thanks.
Tue Jan 9 08:37:39 2007
Keith Davies (BC Canada - ex Coed Talon)
My apologies to Norma from Lodge, but I haven't checked back to this site for some time. I believe that the grandchildren of the builder of the 'Gem' chimney were Ross and Douglas Williams and their two sisters Gwyneth and Gillian. I really don't know their current whereabouts though.
Mon Oct 16 09:34:25 2006
Norma from Lodge
Could Keith Davies have more information on the Herbert Williams's he mentions, do you know who else was in the family. I would be most interested in any information you may have on these people.
Mon Sep 11 09:12:49 2006
Dave H in Ewloe
John from Bolton:
Yes the brickworks are still there, now owned by Dennis Ruabon. The actual brickworks are nearer Johnstown than Ruabon though.
Tue Jun 6 09:23:48 2006
John Round, Bolton
is there still a brick works in ruabon my grandfather worked there also my uncle and i have plack made of clay with lord kitchener on it
Wed May 31 07:38:58 2006
Andrew Connolly -- the author
In reply to Carolyn Thomas' remarks on the kilns at Pontybodkin Brickworks, she is quite right. The remains are indeed fascinating......unfortunatly I only became aware of them after publication when I was contacted by a man in Connah's Quay whose father worked there. My study of the site was undertaken during the summer months and the kilns were easily missed from the direction I approached, as they were hidden by dense undergrowth. Apparently the works closed circa 1924. It's Sod's Law that you find these things out after you have gone to publication !
Mon May 15 07:51:50 2006
Martin
Can anyone tell me about a brickworks with initals JCH, nr Mold? My taid, William Davies, worked there for 50 years. I have his gold watch. Curious to learn more about this business.
Fri Apr 28 09:23:16 2006
Jason from Trefnant
I've recently purchased a cottage in Trefnant and am desperate to start searching into its history. There doesn't appear to be much readily available but I know it's there! Would appreciate any useful information anyone could provide.
Mon Feb 20 18:43:38 2006
Keith Davies (Ex Coed Talon)
The date in relief at the top of 'The Gem' chimney at Coed Talon actually reads 1911, along with the initials 'HW'. I was always told that those initials stand for Herbert Williams, who built it. Apparently he was the grandfather of Herb Williams who still carried on work as a builder in Coed Talon in until the 1960's. During 'The Gem's'life as a silica works, the silica dust was diverted to the chimney where water sprays captured it. It was then piped to the nearby 'Oil Works' pond near Coed Talon CP school, which eventually solidified and reclaimed the pond and marsh back into land.
Fri Feb 3 17:32:02 2006
Carolyn Thomas from Pontybodkin
In Andrew Connelly's book on page 179 it states that all there is presently left of the Pontybodkin brick works is rubble. I would like to add that there are some good and interesting remains of beehive kilns which could be rebuilt with the surrounding brick. They would be a good and rare example to the area if restored as most kilns in nearby Buckley have been knocked down for development and these are easily accessible off a public footpath and should not be ignored. I would also like to add that the nearby brickworks factory in Coed Talon (reference page 174) still known today as The Gem and has only just closed as an industrial site. The chimney was still being used until recently. The original buildings and magnificent chimney which is still in good condition with a topping date of the late 1800s is at threat as outline planning permission for a residential development has been submitted. The works was originally liked to the quarry above it at Hope Mountain, the material being carried down on an overhead cable which ducked under the road at Tri Thy; the turning house gables and part of the gear is still standing on the valley ridge below Tri Thy. It is a concern at the loss of industrial chimneys throughout the area and as the number of chimneys decreases, so the value of the unspoiled examples is increasing, as is the need for care in their treatment and preservation.
Wed May 25 22:19:07 2005
Rachel Bowen, Cannes in France formerly of Ruabon
I would like to get in touch with Andrew Connolly as I am researching information about the brick and terra cotta industry in Wales.
Rachel Bowen
Tue Apr 5 10:02:21 2005
Craig from Llannerch
I am looking for information about Trefnant / St Asaph brickworks. There are some cottages built in 1902 that are now called Llannerch crossing but used to be called Loundry cottages that are situated around the site. I believe they may have been part of the Llannerch hall estate formally Trefnant Hall. Any information on any of this would be useful.
Thu Jun 24 11:02:19 2004
Mand from Trefnant
There used to be a brickworks in Trefnant a long time ago which has left a deep lake surrounded by woodland. The remains of the kilns can still be seen in the ground. It is a beautiful place to walk around and to go fishing (with a licence)
Sat Jan 10 18:16:31 2004
