Monument record MDR9611 - Loscoe Brickworks (site of), Loscoe

Coal-fired brickworks which was still operational in 1974. It contained three Beehive Kilns and one rectangular Hoffman Kiln, all coal-fired. The kilns exhausted into a single flue. Behind the engine house was the original clay pit/shale workings, with a short tub run into the pugging mill. The works was originally steam-powered, and the compound engine was still in the brick engine house in 1974. The bricks made on the site included wire cuts and blues. (1) In December 1973 Loscoe Brickworks was described as having one rectangular downdraught kiln and three beehive kilns. These were all in use at that time, coal-fired but possibly to be converted to gas firing. They were thought to be about 100 years old. (2) At Loscoe brickworks there are four downdraught kilns. Nos 1, 2 and 4 are circular and hold 25,000, 35,000 and 28,000 bricks respectively. No 3 is rectangular and holds 40,000 bricks. The product is a vitrified wirecut facing brick made from a grey Coal Measures shale and which varies in colour from pink to brown or purple depending on the firing temperature. In addition to the kilns there are two tall chimneys, one serving kilns 1 and 2, the other serving kilns 3 and 4. The Loscoe kilns are still in use and are probably the original ones of about 1880, extensively repaired. Jacob Redfern Milward, 'grocer and brickmaker' of Loscoe, was operating the works in 1876 and was still doing so in 1888, although he had concentrated on brick-making by then. (3) A photograph of Loscoe Brickworks, taken in September 1974, was published as a 'Mystery Photograph' in Mining History 1997. There is an identical print at Derby Industrial Museum (ref P31/25) with a note that the brickworks closed in January 1976. The site was cleared and the clay pit infilled and then built over. In due course the fill material led to a build up of methane which eventually resulted in an explosion in which a bungalow was demolished, fortunately without loss of life. On closure of the brickworks, a brick barrow and 22 sample bricks were given to Derby Industrial Museum. (2, 3)