Huddlesford Brickyard

Reference	Year	Name	Occupation	Location
Census	1841	Thomas Gilbert	Brick Maker	Brickiln Lane	Age 44
Census	1841	Edward Pass	Brick Maker	Whittington
Census	1861	John Bickernall	Brick Maker	Whittington	Age 37
Census	1861	William H Thomas	Master Brick Maker emp 5 men and 3 boys	Whittington	Age 32
Post Office Directory	1868	William Thomas	Brick Maker
Census	1871	Charles E Baggally	Proprieter of Brickyards	Whittington Hall	Age 37
Census	1871	Charles Payne	Brick Maker	Sparkes Square, Whittington	Age 32
Census	1871	John Bickernall	Brick Maker	The Green, Whittington	Age 48
Census	1871	William Bagnall	Brick Maker	Deans Wharf, Whittington	Age 42
Census	1871	James Evans & Father	Brick Makers	Brick Yard, Huddlesford	Ages 39 & 70
Kellys Trade Directory	1872	William Thomas	brick ma. & frmr	Huddlesford
Kellys Trade Directory	1876	Charles Edward Baggaley	Brick Maker	Huddlesford
Kellys Trade Directory	1876	William Alfred Thomas	Brick Maker	Huddlesford
Kellys Trade Directory	1876	John Owen & Co..	brick mas	Huddlesford
Kellys Trade Directory	1880	William Alfred Thomas	Brick Maker & farmer	Huddlesford
Census	1881	Harry Hodgkins	Brick Maker	Whittington (Huddlesford?)	Age 31
Census	1881	Joseph Hodgkins	Brick Maker	Whittington (Huddlesford?)	Age 33
Census	1881	John Herbert Untham	Brick Maker	Whittington (Huddlesford?)	Age 15
Census	1881	Charles Leake	Brick Maker	The Hurst Whittington	Age 21
Kellys Trade Directory	1888	Harry Hodgkins	brick ma	Huddlesford
Census	1891	William Chapman	Brick Maker	Noridon, Whittington	Age 27
Census	1891	Mary Hodgkins	Brick Manufacturer	Huddlesford Brickyard	Age 36
Kellys Trade Directory	1892	Mary Hodgkins (Mrs.),	Brick Maker,	Huddlesford
Kellys Trade Directory	1896	George Bates	Brick Maker	Huddlesford
Kellys Trade Directory	1900	George Bates	Brick Maker	Huddlesford
Census	1901	No reference to Brickmaker
Census	1911	Ernest Gilbert	Brick Kiln Burner	Huddlesford

Huddlesford Brick Yard

There were brickmakers in Whittington in 1840, but the industry did not take off until the 1870’s when William Thomas opened his brickyard at Huddlesford. Clay was dug out of the local pits that are still in evidence today and the coal would have been shipped in by the recently completed railway line to the Cannock Chase coalfield.

The bricks were needed to build the barracks at Whittington. William remained the master brick builder until 1880. He moved to Mill Street, Walsall, wher he died on 9th November 1887. The business passed over to Harry Hodgkins and his family until its eventual closure in the 1890’s.

Bob houghton

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