Brickmaking at Martham

This topic is long so I have divided it into two main sections. The first – SECTION A – is a summary that you can read in about ten minutes and the second – SECTION B –  is the full article in detail. You can jump to any section by clicking on it.

SECTION A – Ten Minute Summary

There were at least seven or eight brickyards in Martham, (one is a little uncertain). They are highlighted in different colours on the map below.

History

Brickmaking flourished in Martham, particularly in the 19^th century because of the availability of suitable clay and brick earths⁽³⁾ which were formed millions of years ago in post glacial conditions.  Brick earth could be mixed with estuarine clay that when fired made stronger bricks^(3).

Brick making was brought to Britain by the Romans but fell into decline after their departure.  The earliest known post-Roman bricks date from the early-thirteenth century, when Flemish bricks were imported. Flemish and Dutch people then settled in England bringing their skills with them. Many of these Flemish migrants settled in the East of England; brickmaking flourished and they influenced brick making locally making use of the good supply of suitable clay and brick earth. During this period brickmakers travelled to construction sites to make bricks from the local clay rather than get them from larger production sites.

Mechanisation came to the brickmaking industry in the 1820s and with improved transport infrastructure permanent brickyards became established which could produce many thousands of bricks per day with a smaller workforce than was needed to produce them by the old hand craft system. In 1850 Great Britain abolished its brick tax that had been established in 1784. In and around Martham the industry made good use of the Broadland waterways and wherries for transporting bricks before the arrival of the local railway in 1878. The combination of mechanisation and removal of the brick tax gave rise to a large increase in production. The small country yards, unable to invest in machinery, were either bought out or driven to closure.

Some buildings can be roughly dated based on the brickwork pattern (bond) used .  English bond dates roughly from the mid 17^th century to the 18^th century by which time the more decorative Flemish bond became more popular. 

Making Bricks

Bricks are generally made from tempered clay or brick earth dug from the ground and sometimes mixed with sand. It is picked clear of stones and other unwanted matter and then mixed to the right consistency for brickmaking. The clay is then thrown into wooden moulds to form the shape of the brick. When moulding a brick, it is vital that no air is trapped inside the clay. Excess clay is removed by running over the mould with a wire. The bricks would then be left to dry for at least 48 hours in a shed or south facing field.

When the bricks were dry enough, they were stacked to form a kiln in order to bake them. Flues were set into the stack and timber or coal fires prepared. The fires were lit and the bricks were “burnt” in stacks containing between 800 and 1,000 pieces. Firing usually took two to three days reaching a temperature of around 1,040 degrees centigrade. They were then allowed to cool naturally and the temporary kiln dismantled and the bricks sorted and stacked ready for use. The whole process could take a long while depending on the weather and it tended to be seasonal to avoid frosts.

The colour of a brick is determined by the chemical composition of the clay, the fuel used to fire them and the levels of oxygen available during the firing process. Martham bricks were traditionally burnt red and called Norfolk or Martham reds which were good quality and could withstand frosts.

Martham Brickworks

1.         Bracey’s – Hemsby Road Brickworks.
Grid Reference: TG 4626 1808.
This site belonged to William James Bracey (1847-1922) and is shown in purple on the  map above. The site provided good quality brick earth.

2.        Bracey’s – Windpump Brickfield, near the Thurne Riverside.
Grid Reference: TG 4356 1897.
This is the site that has been questioned by some experts. It is claimed to have been next to and south of the windpump that still exists today. The site is shown in yellow on the map above.

3.        Brickfield Farm Brickworks, Staithe Road.
Grid Reference: TG 4570 1888.
Shown in light blue on the map above, this site was at what is now 25 Somerton Road. The farm and brickfield existed at the time of the 1812 Inclosure Award when they were owned by George Wilson (1748-1834) and they  remained in the ownership of the same family until 1851. The date that brick production came to an end is unknown but it could have been at about this time as no records exist of subsequent owners of Brickfield Farm being associated with brickmaking.

4.        Chapman’s Pit Brickworks (or Bottomless Pit), Ferrygate Lane.
Grid Reference: TG 4508 1944.
Shown in orange on the map above, this site once consisted of a mound 4ft high contained by two concentric 19th century brick walls. The outer one was 20ft in diameter whilst the inner one was 8ft. There was one flue and three rectangles to the north. The site came into use between 1812 and 1842. The date it ceased production is unknown.

5.        Damgate Farm, Damgate Lane.
Grid Reference: TG 457 191.
This site is shown in magenta on the map above. The 1884 OS map refers to two brick yards and a nearby sand pit . Kelly’s Business Directory entries indicate that the site was in use towards the end of the 19^th century but when it ceased production is unknown.

6.        Ferrygate Staithe Brickworks (also known as Martham Pits).
Grid Reference: TG 447 195.
This site is the best known in Martham mainly because its former clay pits have flooded and now provide some excellent fishing. Shown in pink on the map above, parts of the site were easily accessible to Ferrygate Lane Staithe for brick distribution. It was once a large site of about 10 acres with kilns for both brick and tile making. It also had a small railway and temporary skeleton windpump. The eastern section was disused by 1884 probably because the clay there had been exhausted. The brick field was owned by Robert Moore who was very entrepreneurial and it was sold as a going concern shortly after his death in 1885. William Bracey bought the site at auction after the death of Robert  but its eventual closure date is unknown.

7.        Goose’s Brickworks, Repps Road. (Also known as Gowen’s Brickfield).
Grid Reference: TG 449 176 on the south side of Repps Road and TG 447 175 on the north side.
Shown in green on the map above, this site was on the south side of Repps Road roughly where Bosgate Rise is today and opposite on the north side of the road. There was a kiln on the south side of the site. John Goose (1767-1847) owned the land there in 1812 and 1842. There was no mention of it being a brickyard in 1812 but by 1842 part of the site was in use for making bricks. By 1891 brickmaking was still in production and the business was owned by James Gowen (1827-1899). The 1906 OS map marks ‘Old Brick Kiln’ on the north side of the site with pits. The revision of the 1938 OS map shows no sign of the brickworks at either site.

8.        Linford’s Brickyard, Black Street.
Grid Reference: TG 4537 1834.
Shown in red on the map above, this site is better known to many locals as the former Kirby’s Yard that is now Oak Tree Close. In 1822 Moses Linford owned the site and made good use of the land that had a 15ft thick seam of brick earth of the same quality as that at Bracey’s Hemsby Road site. Moses’ son James had taken over production by 1842.  There was a brick kiln in use at the site in 1852. The site was purchased by James Edwin Kirby in 1911.  He had started out as a brick and salvage merchant and when the brick earth became exhausted it was his descendants that turned the remaining pit into Kirby’s haulage and farming contractors yard.

Martham Properties Built of Norfolk Red Bricks

In the past many buildings could be found in the village built with ‘Norfolk Reds’ made in Martham. Not many remain but those that do provide the best evidence of the industry and some show high quality workmanship. The following are just a few examples:

• 60 – 70 White Street.
  These are some of the oldest surviving cottages in the village dating to the 16^th century. They were originally timber framed homes and were brick faced in the 17^th century. The south end gable to No60 is in the traditional English brick bond which alternates between stretcher and header courses. The front of No60 has a mixture of English and Flemish bond but was rendered until recent years and the original pattern may not have been particularly stylised if it was going to be covered in render.

• Baptist Chapel, The Green.
  The existing chapel in the north west corner of The Green was built of red bricks donated by Robert Moore (1825-1885) the owner of the Ferrygate Lane brick ground. The chapel was opened in 1880.

• Barn Rear of 23 Black Street. This much overlooked small barn has been subject to many repairs over the years but original Norfolk red brick parts have been faithfully copied in English bond.

• Bell Yard Cottages, White Street.
  If you want to see a grand mix of styles, including flint work, look at the rear of these cottages on the Church side where you can see not only early 18^th century English and Flemish bond patterns but a mixture of both.

• Brickfield Farm Barn, Staithe Road.
  This ancient red brick barn has a mixture of brick patterns, predominantly English bond and some Flemish bond. 

• Hemsby Road Barn. (Mill Barn)
  There were plans at one time for this barn to be uprooted and moved a few hundred yards west but it did not happen. One wonders what they would have done with a barn that has gable ends in the old English bond but (probably repaired) Flemish bond on the east side facing the road.

• Martham House, Threshing Barn, Pratts Loke.
  This early built threshing barn originally belonged to Martham House and still stands at the time of writing (2023) in Pratts Loke, off Somerton Road. A closer look at the barn indicates that it was probably built in around 1700 of bricks made in Martham as can be seen from the English bond bricklaying style.

• Moregrove Barns.
  Another early example of red brick barns is the pair at Moregrove. They stand on the north side of the site and are Grade II Listed (1987) probably built in the very early 19th century. High up inside the west gable end the name Benjamin Rising (1775-1835) is inscribed giving a good indication of the age of the buildings. The north east side of the barns has distinctive Flemish bond brickwork.

• Norwich House.
  This elegant early 19^th century house stands on the north side of The Green. In its time it has also been a shop. Built in Flemish bond.

• Staithe Road Cottages (9 & 11), near Clarke’s Farm.
  Not much is known about these cottages built in the mid 19^th century as labourers cottages. In 1842 they were owned by Robert Beverley. They have clear Flemish bond brickwork.

• The Lodge Gatehouse, White Street.
  This former gatehouse to Martham House shows fine Flemish bond craftsmanship and window arches. Built c1870.

• Westgrove, 9 Rollesby Road.
  Built of Norfolk red bricks Westgrove is a substantial early Edwardian house set back from the east side of Rollesby Road. It was built in 1915 for Oliver Starling by local master builder Henry Futter. 

People Associated with The Trade 

At the very end of the longer section below is a table of people that worked in or were associated with the Martham brickmaking trade. It is not a comprehensive list of everyone involved as it was drawn up based on various records representing snapshots in time. We have seen that brickmaking was seasonal and this is illustrated by the large number of people that worked in the trade also having other jobs.

The list also shows that a large number of men in the trade did not come from Martham. People followed the availability of work or better pay and this is particularly so in the second half of the 19^th century when building was at its peak in the village.

For full details about the people that worker in the industry see Part D below.

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SECTION B – the full report in detail.

There were at least seven or eight known brickyards in Martham (one is uncertain) and they are highlighted on the main map below. They are coloured for identification and more details are given in Part B below.

This section is divided into four parts. You can jump to any part by clicking on it.

Part A – General History and Methodology of Making Bricks.

Part B – The Brickworks of Martham.

Part C – Martham Properties Built of Norfolk Red Bricks.

Part D – Some Martham people associated with the trade.

Part A. General History and Methodology of Making Bricks.

Brick making was brought to Britain by the Romans but fell into decline after their departure and it was not unusual for bricks to be reused from rundown buildings or excavations. The earliest known post-Roman bricks date from the early-thirteenth century, when Flemish bricks were imported. Many Flemish and Dutch people then settled in England bringing their skills with them, these were mainly in textiles but they were also highly regarded for their brick making and laying skills. Consequently, English brick production increased and the numbers of imported bricks declined. Many of these Flemish migrants settled in the east of England and they influenced brick making locally making use of the good supply of suitable clay and brick earth. The distinctive Flemish brick pattern they brought with them can still be seen in some buildings in Martham to this day, for examples see part C below.

Mechanisation came to the brickmaking industry in the 1820s and with improved transport infrastructure – first canals and then railways – permanent brickyards became established which could produce many thousands of bricks per day with a smaller workforce than was needed to produce them by the old hand craft system. In and around Martham the industry made good use of the Broadland waterways and wherries for transporting bricks before the arrival of the local railway in 1878. In 1850 Great Britain abolished its brick tax, a tax per brick used in construction that had been established in 1784 to pay for the American Revolutionary War. The combination of mechanisation and removal of the brick tax gave rise to a large increase in production. The small country yards, unable to invest in machinery, were either bought out or driven to closure and itinerant craft brickmakers could not compete. These factors must have affected brick production in Martham in much the same way as other parts of the country but there may have been a delay factor due to its remoteness.

Bricks are generally made from tempered clay or brick earth dug from the ground and sometimes mixed with sand. It is tested for suitability and picked clear of stones or other unwanted matter and then mixed to the right consistency for brickmaking. Historically, the clay would be tempered by the weather and water under foot in open pits for two to three days. The clay is then thrown into wooden moulds to form the shape of the brick. When moulding a brick, it is vital that no air is trapped inside the clay. Excess clay is removed by running over the mould with a wire. The mould would be coated with sand to act as a release agent for the clay. The clay would be compacted by hand or a piece of wood and any excess would be skimmed off level with the top of the mould. The brick would then be removed onto a thin board and taken to the drying shed or a flat, south-facing field and laid out to dry for two days and two nights, being turned during that time to assist initial drying, then turned again on edge and stacked in rows, one on top of the other, to dry for a period usually extending between one and three months depending on the weather and time of year. 

When the bricks were deemed to be dry enough, they were fettled (trimmed of “flash”) and stacked to form a kiln in order to bake them. Flues were set into the stack and fuel was then prepared, usually timber or coal. The fires were lit and the bricks were “burnt” in stacks containing between 800 and 1,000 pieces. The firing usually took two to three days including nights of continuous firing and reached a temperature of around 1,040 degrees centigrade. They were then allowed to cool naturally and once cooled were dismantled and the bricks sorted and stacked ready for use. This process of using temporary stack kilns and traditional firing methods was called “clamp firing” from which clamp bricks were produced. It allowed for the production of durable and reliable bricks without the need for advanced kiln technology. We will come across the term clamp bricks again in part B.

The whole process of digging the clay, drying and firing could take a long while and if drying time depended on the weather rather than taking place in a drying shed it could take many months. The process tended to be seasonal. The year progressed as follows:- February to April the clay was dug. May to August the bricks were made and left to dry once frosts were less likely. September and October the firing time. During the winter brickmakers were often unemployed which shows why many of those listed in Part D had second jobs as well as brickmaking.

The colour of a brick is determined by the chemical composition of the clay, the fuel used to fire the bricks and the levels of oxygen available during the firing process. Iron oxide gives the brick a red colour, very high levels of iron oxide gives a blue colour, limestone and chalk added to iron gives a buff/yellow colour, magnesium dioxide gives a deep blue colour, and no iron or other oxides gives a white colour. Martham bricks were traditionally burnt red and called Norfolk or Martham reds which were good quality and could withstand frosts.

Although the sizes of bricks varied from area to area through the centuries, by the early-nineteenth century bricks were manufactured to a statute which required that they should be twice as long as they were broad, normally being 8 by 4 inches or 9 by 4.5 inches.

Part B. The Brickworks of Martham

Martham had several brickworks in the 19^th century and before that bricks would probably have been made on common land alongside the River Thurne as well as on individual sites but the following were production brickworks.

1.         Bracey’s – Hemsby Road Brickworks.
Grid Reference: TG 4626 1808.
Norfolk Historical Environmental Record (NHER) No 16665.⁽⁴⁾
This is the site of a brickworks that belonged to William James Bracey (1847-1922) and is shown in purple on the main map above and in the same colour pinpointed on the more detailed map No1 below. The site provided brick earths⁽³⁾ which are eriglacial loess of wind-blown dust deposited under extremely cold, dry, peri- or postglacial conditions. The name arises from its early use in making house bricks without additional material being added and unlike clay the bricks can be hardened at lower temperatures. Later it was found that brick earth could be mixed with estuarine clay that when fired made stronger bricks^(3). NHER⁽⁴⁾ reports from 1980 say the footings of brick kilns survive on the site.

The site is shown on the 1880 hand drawn map No9 shown below.
It also existed in 1909 because it is included in the Inland Revenue Duties on Land list as being liable under the Finance Act (1909/10) along with the Ferrygate Staithe brickworks both of which were owned by W & W Bracey at that time.

2.        Bracey’s – Windpump Brickfield, near the Thurne Riverside.
Grid Reference: TG 4356 1897.
Norfolk Historical Environmental Record (NHER) No 14964^(4). The site is shown in yellow on the main map above and pinpointed in the same colour on map 2 below.

There are four former ponds visible as earthworks on aerial photographs which could be construed as being associated with brickmaking at the site but the NHER⁽⁴⁾ says this is  uncertain. Bracey’s Wind Pump is adjacent. It was built in 1908 by the Commissioners for Drainage and two of them were William James Bracey (1847-1922) and his son, also William (1870-1949). William senior had been a builder in his early career and was well placed to build the windpump. It seems obvious that any nearby clay resource would have been utilised for making the bricks to build the windpump but the NHER⁽⁴⁾ reports cast some doubt on this. Other NHER⁽⁴⁾ reports talk about both three and four ponds being there as well as changing its grid reference, so there may be some confusion with the nearby Ferrygate Staithe pits brickworks.

Archaeology Society’s files on brickmaking at Martham in the 19th century identify two yards owned by William Bracey: one at Hemsby Road (NHER 16665) and another to the west of Ferrygate Staithe (NHER 16663). This site is not mentioned in the Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society⁽⁷⁾ notes on brickmaking, nor is it shown as a brickfield on any historic Ordnance Survey maps.

3.        Brickfield Farm Brickworks, Staithe Road
Grid Reference: TG 4570 1888.
Norfolk Historical Environmental Record NHER⁽⁴⁾ No 16667.
Shown in light blue on the main map at the top of this page this site is on the south side of what we now call Staithe Road directly across the road from Brickfield Farm. It was on the plot that is now occupied by 25 Somerton Road. In the days when the brickfield was in use Staithe Road was called Damgate Road. Records of the Norfolk Archaeological Unit say there was once a kiln here that was like the one at Chapman’s Pit brickworks but smaller. The brickfield gave its name to the farm and is inextricably linked to the history of it.

William & Elizabeth had a son called Charles in 1811 who had taken over the brickmaking side of their interest by 1842 when he was the owner of the “brick ground” that was listed as plot No10 as shown on the Tithe map below. His father was listed in the Tithe Document of 1842 as the owner of the farm (on plot No15).

Charles also owned the adjoining plot No11 which may have been part of the works and the two plots measured one acre and one perch. No 10 was the brick ground. Both plots are shown outlined in red on the map above and are opposite Brickfield Farm. Like other brickfield owners Charles had other jobs and was also a brewer and a cooper. He was also listed as a brickmaker in three Martham business directories between 1846 and 1850. The date that brick production came to an end is unknown but the Braddock family association with Brickfield Farm came to an end when Charles died in 1851.

4.        Chapman’s Pit Brickworks (or Bottomless Pit), Ferrygate Lane.
Grid Reference: TG 4508 1944.
Norfolk Historical Environmental Record NHER⁽⁴⁾ No 16664.

Shown in orange on the main map at the top of this page and in the same colour pinpointed on the map above this site was part of the Moregrove Estate owned by the Chapman family since 1919. A report by the Norfolk Archaeological Unit dated June 1980 says that it once consisted of a mound 4ft high contained by two concentric 19th century brick walls. The outer one was 20ft in diameter whilst the inner one was 8ft. There was one flue and three rectangles to the north. It may also have been a tile works and had a tile kiln. There are no visible remains of these today.
It does not appear in the 1812 Martham Inclosure Award or its accompanying map. It is listed in the 1842 Tithe Award as plot No 426 measuring one rood and twenty perches and described as a “clay pit and pasture, ploughed”. This perhaps indicates that it first came into use as a clay pit between 1812 and 1842. As part of the small plot was ploughed pasture in 1842 clay extraction must have been minimal and any brickmaking came later. A copy of that portion of the Tithe map is shown below.

In 1842 the plot was owned by William Henry Garnham as part of the Moregrove Farm but he was only an investor in the estate as he was a wealthy silk draper living in London. The tenant farmer there was Silvanus Grove Hillersdon (1816-1891) who was born in London.

5.        Damgate Farm, Damgate Lane.
Grid Reference: TG 457 190.
There is no Norfolk Historical Environmental Record for this site.
This site is shown in magenta on the main map at the top of this page and pinpointed in the same colour on the more detailed OS map of 1884 below. The map refers to two brick yards and nearby sand pits. The boundaries and access point(s) to this site are uncertain as very little exploration has been carried out. The hatched areas to the east (right) are speculative. Local lady Karen Brooks says (on Facebook 2023) that there was a kiln at Damgate Farm where her relative Eldred Edgar Brooks lived in 1901. Eldred was born in Martham in 1865. By 1891 he was a master bricklayer and is listed in the 1892 and 1896 copies of Kelly’s Directories as a bricklayer. 

6.        Ferrygate Staithe Brickworks (also known as Martham Pits)
Grid Reference: TG 447 195.
Norfolk Historical Environmental Record NHER⁽⁴⁾ No 16663.
This site is the best known in Martham mainly because its former clay pits have flooded and now provide excellent fishing pits. Shown in pink on the main map at the top of this page and pinpointed on the more detailed map below parts of the site were easily accessible to the east of Ferrygate Lane Staithe.

It was once a large site of about 10 acres which not only had kilns but a small railway and its own temporary skeleton wind pump. Local man William Buck says (on Facebook 2023) that he can remember the narrow railway track which went from the nearby works to the riverbank where wherries were moored up and took bricks to destinations like Great Yarmouth and Norwich. This is also mentioned by Tom Williamson^(3).

The above map indicates that the clay pits were used over time as the eastern section was disused by 1884 after the clay there had been exhausted. The map shows kilns next to the staithe which must have assisted easy loading onto wherries^(3). Being next to the river the site must have been subject to flooding because a skeleton wind pump was in use at one time⁽³⁾ which is shown in the photo on the left below. Just beyond the south eastern end of the staithe there was a house which was a ruin by the early 1960’s. It was occupied by William Samuel Starkings (b1867) who was a bricklayer’s labourer in 1881.

The brick field was owned by Robert Moore (1825-1885) who was very entrepreneurial. He was a coal, corn, seed, hop merchant and farmer as well as a brick merchant. His father, of the same name, was a grocer at the building that would much later become known as Clowes Stores on The Green. Robert Jnr. had taken over from his father at the store but  diversified into a wider range of business interests.  He was producing a wide range of clamp bricks and associated items which we know about because in 1882 he opened a yard at Great Yarmouth selling all manner of brick and tile related items that were probably made at his Martham Ferrygate brick field. Below is his advert listing the things he had for sale from which we get a good idea of what he was producing. His agent, Boardman Silcock, was his son-in-law, the husband of his daughter Mary Ann.

Tragedy struck on 29^th May 1885 when Robert was drowned in the River Thurne next to his brickfield. The circumstances were reported in The Norwich Mercury on 6^th June and the report is shown below.

Following his death auction sales were held for the brick ground and his household goods and farming stock. These are shown below. The adverts give us more information about the brick ground saying it was about ten acres in size, had a coal store (for the kilns) and a very large tile shed of about 100ft x 27ft as well as a drying shed. We get an idea of the brick production from the advert dated 3^rd October 1885 when 40,000 red clamp bricks were put up for auction.

The Yarmouth Mercury of 10^th October 1885 reported that Robert’s brick ground and premises were sold for £400. A dairy he owned consisting of 28 acres, 2 roods & 22 perches sold for £610 but the report did not say who purchased the two lots. The buyer is believed to be William Bracey (1847-1922) who was a dairy farmer who already owned two other brick grounds – see above. Tom Williamson⁽³⁾ says that William Bracey ran carts back and forth between his three sites taking brick earth from the Hemsby Road site to the others and estuarine clay from his Ferrygate Staithe site so the two could be mixed and fired at both sites which produced stronger bricks.  

The site is shown on the 1880 hand drawn map No9 shown below.
It also existed in 1909 because it is included in the Inland Revenue Duties on Land list as being liable under the Finance Act (1909/10) along with the Hemsby Road brickworks that were both owned at that time by W & W Bracey.

7.        Goose’s Brick Works, Repps Road. (Also known as Gowen’s Brickfield)
Grid Reference: TG 449 176 on the south side of Repps Road and TG 447 175 on the north side.
Norfolk Historical Environmental Record NHER⁽⁴⁾ No 16668.
Shown in green on the main map at the top of this page this site was on the south side of Repps Road roughly where Bosgate Rise is today and opposite on the north side of the road. The large site is shown more clearly on the 1884 OS map below. Note: the railway opened in 1878 that seems to have provided a natural boundary on the north side.

The Norfolk Archaeological Unit say there was a kiln on the south side of the site like the one at Chapman’s Pit brickworks but smaller. John Goose  (1767-1847) was listed as the owner of the plot on the south side of Repps Road in 1842 according to the Tithe Award of that year. In 1842 the plots were numbered 149 & 150. Plot 149 measured four acres and 32 perches whilst plot 150 was listed as being a cottage and brick ground. John Goose was also listed as being a brickmaker in the 1836 & 1845 White’s Directories. By 1841 John was 74 and had retired and was living in Great Yarmouth. It is therefore possible that his son (1792-1879), of the same name, was living in the cottage and managing the brickworks although he is listed as a farmer in the 1841 census and his name may be the one listed in the 1845 White’s Directory.  

In 1842 the plot on the north side of the road, No145, was owned by George Rising (1812-1860) a farmer and one of the landowning Rising family dynasty. The plot was not recorded as being in use as a brick field so perhaps this site was only developed after 1842. The map below shows a closer look at the land as recorded in the 1842 Tithe Award. The odd marks running through the plots are merely folds in the original map that is held in the Norfolk Records Office.

John Goose Jnr. died in 1879 and interestingly the 1891 census introduction page for District one mentions a brickyard called Gowen’s (Gown’s sic) on the south side of Repps Road. The business had changed hands and was owned by James Gowen (1827-1899) who had lived in Repps Road for many years and was listed as a brickmaker in the 1892 & 1896 editions of  Kelly’s Directory. His main occupation was a market gardener so, like so many others, brick making was not his only job. 

The site is also shown on the 1880 hand drawn map No9 shown below.

The 1906 OS map marks ‘Old Brick Kiln’ on the north side of the site with pits. The revision of the 1938 OS map shows no sign of the brickworks at either site.

8.        Linford’s Brickyard, Black Street
Grid Reference: TG 4537 1834.
Norfolk Historical Environmental Record NHER⁽⁴⁾ No 16666.

Shown in red on the main map at the top of this page and pinpointed in the same colour on the map above, this site of a former brickworks is better known to many locals as the former Kirby’s Yard that is now Oak Tree Close.

Moses Linford (1777-1839) inherited this land from his father, William Linford, in 1822. In his younger days Moses was a wheelwright and later became a carpenter and after 1822 he made good use of the land that had a 15ft thick seam of brick earth of the same quality as that at Bracey’s Hemsby Road site. In 1836 Moses appeared in White’s Directory as a brickmaker. Moses had a son called James (1815-1877) and he is listed in the 1842 Martham Tithe Award as being the owner of plot No691 a brick ground of 2 roods and 39 perches.  James was also listed in White’s Directory of 1845 and the Post Office Directory of 1846 as being a brickmaker. And, again he features in the deeds of the cottage at 71 Black Street as being a brick manufacturer from 1847 to 1854. Although this must have kept him busy it was not his fulltime job as he was also a shop keeper in White Street. There was a brick kiln on the site in around 1852 when it was mentioned in an abortive auction advert. It seems likely that the bricks used in the restoration of St Mary’s from 1855/61 were made here as it was so close but no actual evidence has been found.  After James died in 1877 the land was owned by a succession of absent investment owners but in the early years of the 20^th century was firstly rented, and then purchased in 1911, by James Edwin Kirby (1863-1942). He had started out as a brick and salvage merchant and when the brick earth became exhausted it was his ancestors that turned the remaining pit into Kirby’s haulage and farming contractors yard.

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It is not always clear when the various Martham brick grounds closed. The railway opened in 1878 and it has been suggested that this led to a decline in local brick making because cheaper mass-produced bricks could be brought in by rail. Conversely the biggest brick ground – at Ferrygate – was sold as a going concern in 1885.  Other people say yards closed between the wars. Local man Bertie Murrell, who often contributes to the Facebook page ‘Memories of Martham’, told me that he worked for Harriss Builders of White Street in 1953 and can recall being sent to collect bricks from both Martham and Hemsby railway stations that had been made in Peterborough because none were made in Martham by that time and the mass produced bricks were cheaper than those that had been made locally.

Part C – Martham Properties Built of Norfolk Red Bricks.

In the past many buildings could be found in the village built with ‘Norfolk Reds’ made in Martham. Not many remain but those that do provide the best evidence of the industry and some show high quality workmanship. There are examples that go back to the 18^th century when, as we have heard earlier, itinerant bricklayers would have visited a site to make the bricks and build a house or a terrace. The following are just a few examples of properties in the village that were built with local red bricks:-

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Baptist Chapel, The Green

The existing chapel in the north west corner of The Green was built of red bricks donated by Robert Moore (1825-1885) the owner of the Ferrygate Lane brick ground next to the Staithe. The foundation stone was laid in 1879 and the chapel was opened in 1880. The bricks are laid in a Flemish pattern and are 9″ x 4.5″ x 2.5″ as shown below.

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Elmside, White Street

This was a fine example of a former listed 19^th century yeoman farmer’s house built of quality Norfolk red bricks that were made in Martham. The house fronted the east side of White Street but sadly was allowed to be demolished in 2009 and was replaced by a completely incongruous terrace of eleven cottage-style tiny houses.

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Farm Houses

The ready supply of quality bricks made in the village meant that a small number of  farmers could show off their wealth by building or extending their homes with the use of Martham bricks in  the mid 19^th century. Examples that still stand are Manor Farm, Back Lane (Flemish bond); Grove House, Black Street (Flemish Bond) and Grange Farm, Common Road (older parts in English bond).

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Repps Road

Many of the houses on the north side of Repps Road including Nos 26, 30, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 58, 60, 62 & 64 were built using Martham red bricks. The terrace numbered 34 to 38 has particularly clear Flemish brickwork as have several others. Those from Southerly (No48 ) westwards are in reds but in the more modern continuous stretcher bond pattern. 

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Part D – Some Martham people associated with the trade.  

Below is a table of people who worked in or were associated with the Martham brickmaking trade. It is not a comprehensive list of everyone involved as it was drawn up based on snapshots in time from census returns from 1841 to 1921; the 1939 Register; Trade Directories from 1836 to 1937; St Mary the Virgin baptism records from 1813 to 1920 that give the fathers’ employment details and similar marriage records; miscellaneous wills; Methodist Chapel baptism records from 1883 to 1902; the 1842 Tithe Award list  and some personal reminiscences.

One example is John Page (1817-1873) who was the foreman of the bricklayers during the 19^th century restoration of St Mary’s Church and is listed in both the 1868 Harrolds Directory and the 1869 Post Office Directory as well as the 1871 census as being a bricklayer of Black Street.

The list shows that a large number of men in the trade did not come from Martham. It is clear that they followed the availability of work or better pay and this is particularly so in the second half of the 19^th century when building was at its peak in the village. Given their short stays in the village the numbers I have been able to record could well be understated because they came and went quickly and particularly between census years. Note how some were lodgers at the village pubs.

Martham Brick Workers List
Surname	Forename	Date and place of birth	Address	Occupation	Source(s)*	Notes
Allison	Isaac William	1856 at Norwich	Martham House Lodge, White Street, Martham	Bricklayer	91c
Blyth	Charles	Abt 1865 at Caister-on-Sea	Repps Road, Martham	Bricklayer's labourer	81c	Brother of George William Blyth
Blyth	George William	1847 at Caister-on-Sea	Repps Road, Martham	Bricklayer & Brick maker in 1883	81c; 83K & 01c	Brother of Charles Blyth
Bracey	William James	1847 at Great Yarmouth	Cess, Martham	Brick manufacturer & merchant	90K; 92K; 96K; 04K & 08K	He was also a builder & farmer
Braddock	Charles	1811 at Martham	Somerton Road, Martham	Brick Maker	46W; 46PO & 50Hu.	He was also a brewer and cooper.
Braddock	Daniel George	1819 at Martham	Damgate, Martham	Bricklayer	64W; 68Ha; 77K & 79K.	He was also a farmer and thatcher.
Brooks	Eldred Edgar	1865 at Martham	Repps Road, Martham	Master bricklayer	91c; 92K & 96K.
Broom	Arthur William	1868 at Martham	Damgate, Martham	Bricklayer's labourer	81c	Aged only 13 in 1881
Brown	Edward	Abt 1832 at Winterton-on-Sea	Trowel & Hammer PH, Repps Road, Martham	Brick maker	51c
Chase	John	Abt 1826	Black Street, Martham	Bricklayer	41c	Aged about 15
Cunningham	Charles Ives	1855 at Ludham	Providence Yard, Black Street, Martham	Brick maker's labourer	81c & 87bap
Curtis	John Joseph	1869 at Ingham, Norfolk	Martham House Lodge, White Street, Martham	Brick maker	91c	Lodged with Allison family.
Dack	Alfred James	1864 at Sheringham, Norfolk	Martham	Brick maker	86mar & 98bap
Dack	George Robert	1842 at Hevingham, Norfolk	Providence Yard, Black Street, Martham	Brick maker	73bap & 81c.	Father of Robert George Dack (1864)
Dack	Robert George	1864 at Hevingham, Norfolk	Bracey's Buildings, Cess Road, Martham	Brick maker	86bap & 91c	Son of George Robert Dack (1842)
Dack	William	1840 at Hevingham, Norfolk	The Green, Martham	Brick maker	71c
Dawson	Edward	1823 at Clippesby	Cess (1841 & 1851). Braddock's Cottages (1871).	Bricklayer & Brick maker	41c; 51bap; 51c: 71K & 79K	Son of John Dawson
Dawson	John	1785 at Filby	Cess, Martham	Bricklayer	27bap; 41c & 51c	Father of Edward Dawson
Deary	John	About 1826 at Martham	Damgate, Martham	Brick maker	90K	He was also a coal agent and thatcher.
Dove	Robert	1862 at Martham	Repps Road, Martham	Brick maker	86bap & 90bap.
Duffield	Frederick Jellicoe	1916 at Bradwell, GY	Rollesby Road, Martham	Bricklayer	39r
Durrant	Sidney	1886 at Martham	Cess in 1921 & Damgate in 1939	Bricklayer	21c & 39r	Worked for Kirby Haulage Contractor
Empson (or Smith)	Esau William	See Smith, Esau William
Felmingham	James	1840 at Hemsby	Hemsby Road, Martham	Journeyman bricklayer	61c; 62bap & 64bap	Son of John Felmingham b1804
Felmingham	John	1804 at Acle	Hemsby Road in 1861. Black Street in 1871.	Bricklayer	31bap; 33bap; 35bap; 61c; 64W; 68Ha; 69PO; 71c; 77K & 79K.	Father of John & James Felmingham
Felmingham	John	1838 at Hemsby	Providence Yard, Black Street, Martham	Bricklayer	61c; 62bap; 68Ha; 69PO & 70bap.	Son of John Felmingham b1804.
Felmingham	Robert	About 1830 at Martham	Martham	Bricklayer	59bap	Son of John Felmingham b1804.
Futter	George Edward	1859 at Martham	Providence Yard, Black Street in 1871. Somerton Road in 1911	Bricklayer's labourer	71c; 04K; 08K; 11c & 12K.	Aged only 12 in 1871.
Futter	John	1888 at Matham	Damgate, Martham	Bricklayer	11c
Goose	John	1767 at Hempstead, Norfolk	Cess, Martham	Brick maker	36w, 45w, 42t
Gowen (or Gown)	George William Thomas	1858 at Billockby.	Repps Road & Bosgate Hill, Martham	Brick maker	90K	Son of James Gowen. Had a brick yard off Repps Road.
Gowen (or Gown)	James	1827 at Clippesby	Repps Road, Martham	Brick maker	92K & 96K	Father of George Gowen. Had a brick yard off Repps Road.
Grimmer	Edward Eingall	1823 at Martham	Damgate in 1851. Cess 1871. White Street in 1891.	Jobbing bricklayer	51c; 71c, 81c & 91c	Brother of Richard Grimmer
Grimmer	Richard	1840 at Martham	Repps Road in 1871, Cess in 1881 & Black Street in 1891 & 1901.	Bricklayer's labourer	71c; 81c, 91c & 01c	Brother of Edward Eingall Grimmer.
Gymer	Elijah	1855 at Martham	Damgate, Martham	Brick maker	81c
Harriss	Phillip F. S.	1913 at Fleggburgh	White Street, Martham	Bricklayer	39r
Haywood	Robert Richard	1850 Martham	The Green, Martham	Bricklayer's labourer	61c	Aged only 11
Hillersdon	Silvanus Grove	1816 at Barnes, Surrey	Moregrove, Martham	Clay pit tenant	42t
Julier	Albert Samuel	1880 at Caister-on-Sea	Damgate, Martham	Bricklayer	39r
Kirby	James Edwin	1863 at Martham	Black Street, Martham	Brick maker, builder & salvage merchant.	71hd & 11c
Knight	James	Abt 1811 at Acle.	Black Street, Martham	Master bricklayer	51c
Knights	John	Abt 1836 at Martham	The Green, Martham	Bricklayer's labourer	51c
Larner	George	Abt 1820 at Winterton-on-Sea	Repps Road, Martham	Bricklayer	41c
Leverick	Herbert Erasmus	1863 at Nottingham	Bracey's Buildings, Cess Road	Journeyman bricklayer	91c & 92bap
Linford	James	About 1815 at Martham	Black Street, Martham	Brick maker & merchant	45Wh, 46PO & 76hd.	Son of Moses Linford
Linford	Moses	1777 at Martham	Black Street, Martham	Brick maker	36w & 71hd.	Father of James Linford.
Linford	Samuel	1812 at Martham	Cess, Martham	Brick maker	51c & 54bap
Mason	Frank Oswald	1886 in Martham	Cess & Black Street, Martham	Brick maker	1908bap; 1910bap & 21c	Worked for Julius Starling brick maker of Repps.
Monsey	Ernest	1868 at Ormesby St Michael	Lodged at Cess, Martham	Journeyman bricklayer	01c
Moore	Robert	1825 at Martham.	The Green, Martham	Brick maker	77K & 83K.	He owned Ferrygate Staithe brick ground.
Myhill	Robert	Unknown	Unknown	Brick maker	92K & 96K
Nichols	Jonathan	1860 at Hemsby	Black Street, Martham	Bricklayer	01c
Page	John	About 1817 at Great Yarmouth	Black Street, Martham	Bricklayer	68Ha; 60PO & 71c	Father of John & Nathaniel Page
Page	John Charles	1842 at Great Yarmouth	Black Street, Martham	Bricklayer	71c	Son of John Page (1817)
Page	Nathaniel Richard	1850 at Great Yarmouth	Black Street, Martham	Bricklayer	71c; 71bap & 73bap.	Son of John Page (1817)
Palmer	Herbert Ernest	1871 at Stokesby	Clarke's Farm, Staithe Road, Martham	Bricklayer	01c
Palmer	Herbert Ernest	1871 at Stokesby, Norfolk	Martham	Bricklayer	1900bap
Piggin	George	1823 at Ormesby St Margaret	Martham.	Bricklayer	55bap
Piggin	John	1817 at Ormesby St Margaret.	Repps Road, Martham	Bricklayer	41c & 50bap	Son of Thomas Piggin
Piggin	Thomas Dawson	1796 at Filby	Repps Road, Martham	Bricklayer	41c; 45PO; 46PO; 50Hu; 51c; 54W; 61c; 64W; 68Ha & 69PO.	Father of John Piggin
Pitchers	Charles Albert	1872 at Martham	Black Street, Martham	Bricklayer's labourer	01c
Platten	William Jonathan	1869 at Rollesby	Damgate Corner, Martham	Bricklayer	39r
Powles	Walter Charles	1874 at Winterton-on-Sea	8 Somerton Road, Martham	Bricklayer	39r
Proctor	Thomas Bartlett	1826 at Martham	Somerton Road, Martham	Bricklayer	51c
Reeve	Henry Webster	1834 at Repps	Trowel & Hammer PH, Repps Road, Martham	Bricklayer's labourer	51c	Brother of John Reeve b1830.
Reeve	John	1830 at Repps	Cess, Martham	Bricklayer	51c	Brother of Henry Webster Reeve b1834.
Ribbands	Samuel Charles	1857 at Horsford, Norfolk	Martham or West Somerton	Brick maker	79bap, 80bap; 86bap & 88bap.
Riches	William	1852 at Surlingham, Norfolk.	Bracey's Buildings, Cess Road	Brick maker	91c
Rouse	John William	1857 at Hemsby	Bracey's Buildings, Cess Road	Brick maker	88bap & 91bap
Secret	Charles	1804 at Heatherset	Damgate, Martham	Brick maker	41c	From Heatherset
Self	Frederick Robert	1882 at North Walsham	White Street, Martham	Bricklayer	11c & 21c
Shreeve	Arthur William	1871 at Hemsby	Somerton Road, Martham	Brick maker	01c
Shreeve	James	1844 at Rollesby.	Martham.	Brick maker	84bap & 86bap
Smith	Henry	1846 at Ashby Sy Mary, South Norfolk	Black Street, Martham	Bricklayer	91c	Stepfather of Esau W Smith (Empson)
Smith (born Empson)	Esau William	1865 at Sea Palling	Black Street, Martham	Bricklayer	91c	Step son of Henry Smith
Starkings	William Samuel Anguish	1867 at Ludham.	Cess, Martham	Bricklayer's labourer	81c; 1903bap; 1904bap & 1907bap.	Aged only 13 in 1881
Sutton	George Robert	1917 at Martham	Fern Cottage, Staithe Road	Bricklayer	39r
Tooke	Albert Ernest	1874 at Fleggburgh	Mustard Hyrn, Cess, Martham	Bricklayer	01c
Tooke	Albert Ernest	1874 at Fleggburgh	Lodged at Mustard Hyrn	Bricklayer's labourer	01c
Trivett	Harry Augustus	1872 at Hevingham	The Green, Martham	Bricklayer	11c
Turner	Robert	1817 at Upton, Norfolk	Providence Yard, Black Street	Brick maker's labourer	71c	Father of Robert Joshua Turn b1854
Turner	Robert Joshua	1854 at Upton, Norfolk	The Green, Martham	Brick maker	81c	Son of Robert Turn b1817
Tyce (or Tice)	John	About 1806 (place unknown)	Black Street, Martham	Bricklayer	41c
Tyce (or Tice)	John	1775 at Martham	Black Street, Martham	Bricklayer	45Wh & 46PO.
Utting	Jack	1921 at Martham	Ivydene, The Green	Apprentice bricklayer	39r
Utting	Richard Wilson	1892 at Great Yarmouth	'Bruce Rock', Repps Road	Bricklayer	39r
Watson	Elijah John	1865 at Martham	Repps Road, Martham	Bricklayer's labourer in 1881. Brick maker in 1887.	81c & 87bap	Brother of George Samuel Watson
Watson	Ernest Albert	1896 at Martham	Repps Road, Martham	Bricklayer's labourer	39r
Watson	George Samuel	1863 at Martham	Repps Road, Martham	Brick maker's labourer	81c	Brother of Elijah John Watson
Watson	Walter Robert	1891 at Martham	1 Hemsby Road, Martham	Bricklayer	91bap & 39r	Nephew of Elijah John Watson
Watson	Walter William	1866 at Martham	Cess, Martham	Brick maker	97bap
Wright	James	About 1789 at Ringland, Norfolk	Repps Road. Linford Cottages in 1871.	Bricklayer	16bap; 20bap; 26bap; 36W; 41c; 46K; 50Hu; 51c; 54W; 61c; & 71c.	He was also the landlord of the Trowel & Hammer PH
Wright	James	About 1811 at Acle.	Black Street in 1851. White Street in 1861.	Bricklayer	50Hu; 54W; 64W; 68Ha & 69PO.
Youngs	Edward	1831 at Moulton St Mary	Repps Road in 1868. Rollesby Road in 1877.	Bricklayer	68Ha; 69PO; 71c; 77K; 83K & 91c.	He was also the landlord of the Victoria Inn.
Youngs	James Alfred	1858 at Martham	The Green in 1881 & 1891. Black Street in 1911.	Bricklayer	81c, 90K; 91c & 11c	By 1890 he was also a builder.

*Sources:
16bap	1816 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
20bap	1820 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
23bap	1823 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
26bap	1826 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
27bap	1827 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
31bap	1831 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
33bap	1833 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
35bap	1835 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
36W	1836 White’s Directory
41c	1841 census
41c	1841 census
42t	1842 Tithe Award
45PO	1845 Post Office Directory
45W	1845 White’s Directory
46K	1846 Kelly’s Directory
46PO	1846 Post Office Directory
46W	1846 White’s Directory
50Hu	1850 Hunt’s Directory
50bap	1850 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
51c	1851 census
51bap	1851 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
54bap	1854 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
54W	1854 White’s Directory
55bap	1855 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
59bap	1859 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
61c	1861 census
62bap	1862 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
64bap	1864 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
64W	1864 White’s Directory
68Ha	1868 Harrold’s Directory
69PO	1869 Post Office Directory
70bap	1870 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
71c	1871 census
71K	1871 Kelly’s Directory
71bap	1871 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
71hd	House Deeds for 71 Black Street
73bap	1873 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
77K	1877 Kelly’s Directory
79K	1879 Kelly’s Directory
79bap	1879 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
80bap	1880 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
81c	1881 census
83K	1883 Kelly’s Directory
84bap	1884 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
86bap	1886 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
86mar	1886 St Mary the Virgin marriage register
87bap	1887 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
88bap	1888 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
90K	1890 Kelly’s Directory
90bap	1890 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
91c	1891 census
91bap	1891 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
92K	1892 Kelly’s Directory
92bap	1892 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
96K	1896 Kelly’s Directory
98bap	1898 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
1900bap	1900 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
01c	1901 census
1903bap	1903 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
04K	1904 Kelly’s Directory
1904bap	1904 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
1907bap	1907 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
08K	1908 Kelly’s Directory
1908bap	1908 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
1910bap	1910 St Mary the Virgin baptisms register
11c	1911 census
12K	1912 Kelly’s Directory
21c	1921 census
39r	1939 register

The table below is based on the number of people working in the trade that were born in Martham or elsewhere by decade. It also highlights the peak in the numbers involved over the decades.

No of Brick Industry Workers by Decade
Decade	Martham born	Born elswhere	Total
1810's	0	1	1
1820's	0	2	2
1830's	1	3	4
1840's	3	9	12
1850's	6	10	16
1860's	2	7	9
1870's	8	10	18
1880's	9	13	22
1890's	8	12	20
1900's	4	10	14
1910's	5	2	7
1920's	2	1	3
1930's	5	6	11

References:

1. 1812 Martham Enclosure Award and Map. Norfolk Records Office. Ref PC125/9.
2. 1842 Martham Tithe Award. Norwich Records Office. DCN 127/38. Copy of tithe map, in 2 parts.
3. Tom Williamson. The Norfolk Broads – A Landscape History (1997).
4. Norfolk Historical Environmental Records. Comprehensive records of the historic environment of the county of Norfolk.
5. This map is based on the 1884 Ordnance Survey six inches to the mile map but zoomable as an overlay courtesy of the National Library of Scotland (www.nls.uk).
6. This map is based on the 1907 published Ordnance Survey six inches to the mile map but zoomable as an overlay courtesy of the National Library of Scotland (www.nls.uk).
7. NIAS – Norfolk Industrial Archaeological Society.  www.norfolkia.org.uk.

Other sources, help and advice:

• Ann Meakin – Martham historian. The Mystery of the Martham Flint Houses.
• Yarmouth Archaeology 2005, page 60. Plus, other advice and help.
• Benfleet Community Archive.  www.benfleethistory.org.uk
• Brick Making History. www.historicengland.org.uk
• History of Bricks and Brickmaking in Britain. Brick making / Heritage Crafts.
• Norfolk Archaeological Unit.
• Norfolk Records Office.
• Peter Henry Emerson (1856-1936). British writer and photographer. 

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