Staffordshire blue brick, used here in the construction of a former Presbyterian Church for its appearance rather than its high strength
Viaduct carrying the line and platforms of Birmingham Snow Hill station

Staffordshire blue brick is a strong type of construction brick, originally made in Staffordshire, England.

Brick made by H Doulton & Co. of Rowley Regis, displayed in the Black Country Living Museum

The brick is made from the local red clay, Etruria marl, which when fired at a high temperature in a low-oxygen reducing atmosphere takes on a deep blue colour and attains a very hard surface with high crushing strength and low water absorption.

Brickworks were a key industry across the whole Black Country throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, and were considered so important that they were designated as a reserved occupation during World War Two. The Black Country was a major producer of clay for brickmaking, often mined from beneath the 30 foot Staffordshire coal seam. The industry dates back to at least the 17th century, however brickworks really took off in the 19th century.[1] A key date is 1851 when the Joseph Hamblet brickworks were founded in West Bromwich, which became one of the largest producers of Staffordshire blue bricks. Other sites produced these as well, including Albion in West Bromwich, Cakemore works at Blackheath, Springfield at Rowley Regis, John Sadler, Blades and New Century at Oldbury, Coneygre at Tipton, and Bentley Hall near Darlaston.[2]

This type of brick was used for foundations as well as being extensively used for bridges and tunnels in canal construction, and later, for railways. Its lack of porosity makes it suitable for capping brick walls, and its hard-wearing properties make it ideal for steps and pathways. It is also used as a general facing brick for decorative reasons. Staffordshire Blue bricks have traditionally been "Class A" with a water absorption of less than 4.5%.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Industry & Railways of the South West Black Country" in The Industry and Railways of The South West Black Country, 1903 accessed 25 July 2016; Hammond, Martin, Bricks and Brickmaking. Shire, 1981
  2. ↑ "The bricks that built the Black Country", Black Country Bugle, 12 May 2014 accessed 30 June 2016


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