London Brick 130 Years of History 1877-2007

18771880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2007 The rich seam of Lower Oxford Clay that runs Raw material from the Jurassic era from Dorset to Yorkshire. Over the years The is born! London Bricks Any brand history that goes back Imagine a product made from a raw Locally known as the ‘Fletton’ because of its original place have been 130 years is bound to have faced material 150 million years old, a time when of manufacture, the main market for the product was in dinosaurs walked the earth! Its excavation challenges along the way and produced in London, transported there on the to London so it is with London Brick. has changed the landscape, created thousands of jobs, helped in the their billions. rail line… hence the established name London Brick. of some of our most iconic However, its longevity and adaptation to As a company, London Brick progressed quickly throughout the early 20th century, changing markets is the perfect testament to buildings we so easily recognise today KEY mainly through acquisition and amalgamation and remains to this day the sole the strength of London Brick, its enduring and even created a wildlife reserve. Brickworks that producer of the Fletton. Between 1910 and 1935 there were many hurdles for quality and the companies that have held the Over the years, London Bricks have been have existed along the seam the company to overcome, not least the war years and the disruption it brought produced, quite literally, in their billions. stewardship of the brand throughout the years. to the country in general and the brick industry in particular.

But like so many times of despair and depression, the ending of the war in 1918 brought with it a significant change in fortunes as house building quickly recovered, The auction catalogue of thanks mainly to government subsidies available to builders. This led to a huge demand for The clay workings (Lower Oxford Clay) A story of enterprise the Fletton Lodge Estate. with the huge shale-planer that was London Bricks, satisfied initially by vast stockpiles of Fletton bricks built up in earlier years. devised in 1926. Boys loading bogies from the press, 1920s. It all really started in 1877 when James ovens, a section was scooped out on top McCallum Craig bought a property at of the brick, effectively making the heat auction near Peterborough, known as travel through it more quickly and Fletton Lodge. He decided that the site was evenly. This ‘scoop’ was known as the The 1920s: expansion and a chance to grow 02 ideal for local brick making and started a ‘frog’, a term recognised throughout 03 small company doing just that. As with many the trade as a key characteristic of In the late 1920s a key factor in the development of London Brick appeal. Whilst it served its structural function present day iconic products and brands, London Brick. The term frog itself was the amalgamation of various smaller companies into a larger, extremely well and was the most commercially luck and circumstance played a part in its originally came from the name more efficient business. This in turn brought price stability to the competitive around, it lacked any real style. development. Even the shape, style and name given to the indentation of the market and a more long term view of the business of brick making, So in answer to this problem, the first Fletton of the brick owe much to fate and geography, horses’ hooves left in the soft clay when both from within the industry itself and the markets it supplied. specifically designed to be a facing brick, the although at the time no one knew it! they were transporting the raw material Opportunities were created for ‘Rustic’, was introduced. Initially produced by from pit to oven. machining a zigzag pattern into the surface and When excavation of the surface clay at Fletton expansion together with industry then firing in a special way, production of the 1928 Trade advert for the began, a much harder clay was found deeper Even then, back in the late 19th stability and long term thinking. new ‘Rustic’ facing brick. Rustic has become more automated over down. This was the unique Lower Oxford Clay, century, energy was being saved for This offered a chance to consider a the years as you would expect. The Rustic a rich seam that ran from Dorset to Yorkshire commercial reasons through the unique problem that had until then been was the first in a range of facing bricks, and as a bonus, this clay possessed a unique carbonaceous nature of that seam of rather overlooked. The ‘Rustic’ is still with varying styles, colours and textures. quality, it burned! This was due to the amount Lower Oxford Clay. An industry founded available today, more The Fletton brick was essentially Although updated, it’s still available to buy of carbonaceous material in the clay itself and on a natural, plentiful, yet virtually Opening a new pit a utility brick, used for structural today as one of 25 styles, able to trace their than 75 years later. in order to help this natural process in the firing unique raw material was born! at one of the new Peterborough yards purposes and without any aesthetic 1926 Building Exhibition, Olympia. roots back to the 1920s. Fletton Lodge. in early 1900s. 1929 An aerial view of the works at .

London Brick 130 Years of History 1877-2007 1935 – Over 5.5 million bricks produced every day The post war boom for London Brick The 60s and beyond

By the early 1930s production had increased and in 1931, 1,000 million bricks a year were being Below ground millions of The post war period marked produced, which if you placed them end to end would be more than enough to encircle the manhole earth 5 times! By 1935 this figure had risen to over 1,500 million a year, that’s 1,500,000,000! housings were the heyday of the company. constructed from . Demand far outstripped The dominance of London Brick in the market during this period gave rise to some of this country’s supply and by the early most well known landmarks, all built using the ubiquitous Fletton. 1950s many workers were 1929 New Empire Hall, Olympia. being recruited from as far Although many iconic afield as Italy to satisfy the need for London Bricks. The Duke of Edinburgh visits buildings were clad in the Stewartby brickworks in 1963. Production increased as a result and By the early 1950s daily production stone and rendered, records were broken when daily output the underlying structure reached 16 million! Some workers from of bricks reached 16 million a day. overseas went back home at the end of remained brick and steel. their contracts but many settled here A typical 1950s house built and to this day has a thriving using London Bricks. 1929 Astoria Variety Cinema, Brixton. 1930 Thames House, Millbank. Italian population of some 14,000, a legacy of the post war production Government policy has for the last 50 years been the boom at Stewartby. catalyst for growth in the brick industry. Today with 04 A typical 1930s 05 WWII and its inevitable impact delivery vehicle. 1948 Hopper Room, around 180,000 new housing starts a year (although Stewartby. this is set to rise), the market has fragmented. 1939 and the outbreak of war brought huge By 1942 London Brick However, demand is changes for the brick industry and the country as had 100 million bricks in still there, notably in a whole. Bricks were ordered by the government stock. This was exceeded the RMI market where in vast quantities for the war effort, notably for at Stewartby, , London Brick can supply the construction of airfield buildings and other where by at the end of the matching bricks for a important civil and wartime projects. war, reserves totalled a record 500 million bricks. The popularity of London Bricks for new legacy of around 5 million housing faded in the late 1960s as new However by 1941, this trade had declined and men Although in 1945 output was a fraction of homes built in original construction techniques evolved using and resources were laid off or switched elsewhere what it could be, with massive stocks, the London bricks. timber framing and concrete and steel. to service the war effort. Many more women were company was in an excellent position to begin However, as late as the 1980s the London employed in production roles at the brickworks as the drive to re-supply the large scale rebuilding Brick Company was still the largest brick There are over 5 million houses today that men were called up and sent to war, but production, of a shattered infrastructure in both commercial 1951 The entrance to The Research Department manufacturer in the world. albeit on a reduced scale was continued throughout. and domestic markets. at Stewartby. have been built from London bricks.

Women are first employed at Peterborough & Stewartby, 1941.

London Brick 130 Years of History 1877-2007 1877 1895 1923 1929 1935 1947 1951 1954 1969 1984 2007

James McCallum Craig The London Brick Olympia’s new hall, the 1954 proves to be The first ‘new generation’ A momentous year in buys Fletton Lodge and Company and B J Forder Empire Hall, was opened On September 3rd - Sir Malcolm another record brick works is opened at London Brick’s history as The Festival of Britain opened in brick making begins. and Sons Ltd combine to create a in 1929 for the British Campbell set a new world land speed breaking year for Kings Dyke, Whittlesey. the company is acquired by 1951, a showcase at the time for much larger, more efficient company. Industries Fair. Its record of brick production There’s increased automation, , heralding the start of 301mph in Always at the forefront of modern art, design and industry. January 1st 1877 This merger led directly to the underlying construction of with 2 billion a new layout and structure an investment programme that In 1893, the Manchester, ‘Bluebird’ innovation, London Brick trials Some criticised the event as a waste saw Queen Victoria production of the first ‘facing’ brick steel and bricks, (London bricks produced in and everything is designed to is still continuing today. As a Sheffield and Lincolnshire on the a new device from the US called of public money but it attracted a first proclaimed giving a much more aesthetic appeal bricks of course), made just 12 months. achieve the greatest possible ‘couple’ the partnership of Railway received Royal Bonneville a Fork Lift Truck! It’s an instant record number of visitors in the first Empress of India and marking a significant rise in it at the time, one of the efficiency in manufacture at Hanson and London Brick 06 Assent to construct a new Salt Flats, success and the brick industry five months of opening. 07 by the Royal the company’s fortune. This first largest exhibition venues And talking of records, the lowest possible cost. brings new opportunities for the mainline from Annesley, Utah, USA. becomes the first UK heavy Titles Act 1876, another significant north of Nottingham, to facing brick – the ‘Rustic’ is still in in Europe. brand in a changing market place. introduced by Prime Minister, industry to adopt fork lift event took place this London Marylebone. Parts of production today, over 75 years later! London Brick begins an overseas Benjamin Disraeli. handling on a major scale. year. Roger Bannister, the line are still in use today, The three main exhibition In that same year with increased Another partnership recruitment drive, in southern a 25-year-old British as a tourist attraction. halls are still open today, of note was also in Government spending and many Italy, to bring workers over to the medical student, although traffic issues in Another illustrious event the news at the 1984 This year saw commercial building opportunities, Bedfordshire brickworks. The aim became the first man London threaten their took place that same year Olympics, Torvill and Dean the birth of one The London Brick Company broke was to meet the unprecedented to run a mile in less Another first that year was the future, especially as car - Princess Elizabeth, then 21, were crowned Olympic The London Brick of our greatest its own production record demand for new commercial and than four minutes. maiden flight of Concorde! parking is so married Philip ice skating champions Company played a screen legends, by producing nearly domestic construction as well His record On 9 April 1969, Brian Trubshaw difficult and Mountbatten. after scooping gold in vital role in the Lord Richard 1.6 billion bricks. as repairing damage from time of made the first flight in the British- The first official test match Olympia is not Sarajevo. 24 million viewers Attenborough. An actor, producer The BBC was held in1877. England and construction If you placed them the war years. Bedford still 3mins 59.4 built prototype. The 22 minute on a direct covered the watched the British and growth of the and driving force behind British cinema, end to end, seconds, flight left from Bristol and landed Australia played at Melbourne underground remains home to the largest couple on TV score maximum points for he still plays a crucial role in British film ceremony in Cricket Ground, where the railways, delivering they would concentration of Italian families was a world at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire. line. 42 languages. their slow, sensuous performance culture today. first! Australians won by 45 runs. 25 million bricks stretch more than 5 in the UK - 14,000 people! of Ravel’s Bolero. by rail in 1895. times around the earth!

London Brick 130 Years of History 1877-2007 London Brick with Hanson London Brick today

In 1984 the company was acquired by Services & support Hanson resulting in massive investment in new production facilities, site infrastructure London literature and dedicated sales and marketing support. The A5 London Guide (shown opposite), illustrates the full London range, complete with various project shots.

Some 23 years later the investment continues 20th century, to new yellows and greys, such as The compact Brick Matching Guide is an easy to use reference tool with with Hanson. The breadth and variety of the Saxon Gold, Brindle and Dapple Light. fan-out pages. Each page illustrates an individual London brick from the product range has been extended and the range, enabling you to find and match an existing brick style and colour. There’s likely to be a shade, style and colour manufacturing and marketing side of the to match many of the 5 million homes built Today there are business has become stronger and more in the UK using London Bricks, as many There’s a range of information, samples, brick 25 different bricks focused. London banner 08 people prefer to improve and extend their guides and matching guides available from 09 making up the Today in the 21st century with a very diverse and homes rather than move. the marketing department on 08705 258258. A banner for stockists to competitive market, London Brick continues to be indicate that London bricks London Brick range. The product services department is available the first choice for the RMI market with builders are available. and specifiers confident of the product’s ability on 08706 097092 if you have any questions to colour match existing dwellings and provide concerning brick specifications, mortar London A4 photocards quality and reliability founded on over 100 years information, or indeed any technical queries. of brick making expertise. Photographic card panels are ideal Today there are 25 different bricks making up the for shortlisting products, giving an London Brick range, varying in colour and style And don’t forget that there’s now a whole indication of colour, texture and with from Rustic, a classic red brick, symbolic of the host of information available on our website technical information on the reverse. housing boom in the second half of the www.hanson.com/uk. An example of an extension matching London bricks to existing ones.

London Brick 130 Years of History 1877-2007 The London Brick range

Reds Browns Buffs Yellows Blues/Greys/Blacks

Chiltern F1, S2 Claydon Red Multi F1, S2 Dawn Red F1, S2 Autumn Leaf F1, S2 Hereward Light F1, S2 Honey Buff F1, S2 Golden Buff F1, S2 Brecken Grey F1, S2 Brindle F1, S2

Georgian F1, S2 Heather F1, S2 Regency F1, S2 Rustic F1, S2 Rustic Antique F1, S2 Milton Buff F1, S2 Ironstone F1, S2 Cotswold F1, S2 Dapple Light F1, S2

10 11

Sandfaced F1, S2 Sunset Red F1, S2 Tudor F1, S2 Windsor F1, S2 Nene Valley Stone F1, S2 Saxon Gold F1, S2 Longville Stone F1, S2

London Brick 130 Years of History 1877-2007 Hanson Plc – a global business Hanson is one of the world’s largest suppliers of heavy building materials to the construction industry, with a turnover in 2006 of £4.1bn. Our products fall into two categories: Aggregates (crushed rock, sand and gravel, ready-mix concrete, asphalt and cement related products) and Building Products (clay bricks, pre-cast products and concrete pavers, blocks, tiles and pipes). We employ 26,000 people, operating primarily in North America, the UK and Australia with further operations in Asia, Pacific and Continental Europe. Hanson Building Products UK incorporates London Brick, Thermalite, Red Bank, Cradley and Formpave.

Hanson Building Products – a sustainable business Hanson Building Products is committed to being a sustainable business and contributing to sustainable development. We achieve this by continuous improvement of our manufacturing and extraction processes and by providing products which contribute to sustainable construction. Made at factories certified to ISO 14001, our clay and concrete products have many features which assist our customers in constructing attractive, sustainable buildings which enrich the built environment. These include durability; low maintenance; flexibility; flood resistance; and ability to be recycled. Providing insulation and thermal mass, our products are ideal for zero carbon developments. We advise on how best to use our products in sustainable buildings and how they contribute to high ratings under the Code for Sustainable Homes and BREEAM.

Hanson Building Products Stewartby Bedford MK43 9LZ Tel: 08705 258258 Fax: 01234 762040 Email: [email protected] Website: www.hanson.com/uk Printed on part recycled paper.