We have no firm evidence of brickmaking in Haxby before 1771. At this date an Enclosure Award document lists 4 bricklayers /
masons but no names or places are given.
Mr John Arnitt and Mr William Linfoot are named in I823 Raines Directory as living in Haxby but it does not say where they
worked. Another document lists 3 others - William Ellis, Hannah Foster and John Hugill.
In 1840 Thomas Linfoot, bricklayer, is mentioned.
Looking at the old maps of Haxby there are 4 brickfields shown at various dates. There are two on York Road (see map below)- A large concern on the left side looking York and another smaller one on the right side shortly before Eastfield Avenue is reached.
masons but no names or places are given.
Mr John Arnitt and Mr William Linfoot are named in I823 Raines Directory as living in Haxby but it does not say where they
worked. Another document lists 3 others - William Ellis, Hannah Foster and John Hugill.
In 1840 Thomas Linfoot, bricklayer, is mentioned.
Looking at the old maps of Haxby there are 4 brickfields shown at various dates. There are two on York Road (see map below)- A large concern on the left side looking York and another smaller one on the right side shortly before Eastfield Avenue is reached.
There was another small brickfield at the beginning of Station Road behind the terrace houses on the left (see Godfrey Ellis's Brick Works in 1913 map below). There was also a large brickfield on the north side of North Lane situated opposite St. Mary's church hall and originally stretching northwards, possibly almost reaching Crossmoor Lane (see Pulleyn's Brick Works in map below).
Editor's note: Were Pulleyn's and Ellis's Brick Works nearer to each other on Station Road? The pond on the map below appears on the 1854 map too with no reference to a brick works (see 19th and 20th Century Brick Works map for both 1854 and 1913 maps).
Editor's note: Were Pulleyn's and Ellis's Brick Works nearer to each other on Station Road? The pond on the map below appears on the 1854 map too with no reference to a brick works (see 19th and 20th Century Brick Works map for both 1854 and 1913 maps).
The large brick works on York Road was situated behind houses no's. 103 and 105. The works may have been started by Tom Holtby. It is known that he bought some pieces of land in Haxby and had a brick making business. This was in 1833. It is not known whether the business was already there.
Thomas Holtby (left) was a dashing, well-known person. A coachman for over 20 years, he drove the London to Edinburgh mail coach. When the railway arrived and began to put the mail coach out of business, he turned his attention first to horse breaking and then brick making. He ran the business for some time but it was not a success. He lost a lot of money.
The Driffield family had taken over the works by 1851. This family was associated with brick making there until about 1937.
William Driffield was born in Easingwold in 1779 and married his wife Elizabeth circa 1805. She was born in 1781 in Stillington. Her family were brick and tile manufacturers. They had 9 children including Francis born in 1821 and George born in 1823. Francis became a farmer / brick maker and George became a brick maker, drainer and well sinker.
Francis married Lucy. He died in 1876 and Lucy died in 1900. Both are buried in St. Mary's churchyard. George was also buried
in St Mary's churchyard in 1891.
The 1851 census shows 70 year old Elizabeth Driffield was living at Brickyard House on York Road along with her sons Henry and
Francis, both brick makers.
Francis and Lucy's daughter, Hannah born in 1860, married Mark Boldison who was a brick maker.
The 1881 census shows Lucy Driffield a widow of 43 with 6 children, one of them John, aged 14, a brick maker's labourer.
William Herbert, a brick maker's labourer also lived there. George Driffield lived in a separate house with his wife, son and daughter.
His son Tom was also a brick maker. Elizabeth Driffield's other son. Henry, left brick making but his son, John, is shown as a brick
and tile maker.
(Two of George Driffield's granddaughters, Hilda and Rita, were owners of The Hilbra Stores during WW2.)
Thomas Holtby (left) was a dashing, well-known person. A coachman for over 20 years, he drove the London to Edinburgh mail coach. When the railway arrived and began to put the mail coach out of business, he turned his attention first to horse breaking and then brick making. He ran the business for some time but it was not a success. He lost a lot of money.
The Driffield family had taken over the works by 1851. This family was associated with brick making there until about 1937.
William Driffield was born in Easingwold in 1779 and married his wife Elizabeth circa 1805. She was born in 1781 in Stillington. Her family were brick and tile manufacturers. They had 9 children including Francis born in 1821 and George born in 1823. Francis became a farmer / brick maker and George became a brick maker, drainer and well sinker.
Francis married Lucy. He died in 1876 and Lucy died in 1900. Both are buried in St. Mary's churchyard. George was also buried
in St Mary's churchyard in 1891.
The 1851 census shows 70 year old Elizabeth Driffield was living at Brickyard House on York Road along with her sons Henry and
Francis, both brick makers.
Francis and Lucy's daughter, Hannah born in 1860, married Mark Boldison who was a brick maker.
The 1881 census shows Lucy Driffield a widow of 43 with 6 children, one of them John, aged 14, a brick maker's labourer.
William Herbert, a brick maker's labourer also lived there. George Driffield lived in a separate house with his wife, son and daughter.
His son Tom was also a brick maker. Elizabeth Driffield's other son. Henry, left brick making but his son, John, is shown as a brick
and tile maker.
(Two of George Driffield's granddaughters, Hilda and Rita, were owners of The Hilbra Stores during WW2.)
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William Bunstan was also recorded as a Haxby brick maker in the 1851 census but it does not show where he worked.
The 1881 census also shows another person in the brick trade - James Clifford, tile maker, He may have worked at the Driffield's
brick works or he could have been employed at the brick field on the other side of York Road or even at one of the other two brick fields not far away.
Ton Driffield's relatives still live in Haxby. Helen Carey, who married into the family quotes:
'During a discussion with John Driffield and his brother, I was shown some photographs relating to their Uncle Charley (son of Tom Driffield). On one paper I noticed Charley's address was given as The Brickyard, York Road, Haxby. It appears this had belonged to John's Great Grandfather, Tom, who lived on York Road. I believe this is now, 'The Old House'. At a later date a bungalow was built next door for Tom's daughter, Annie '.
No information has been found about the other brick field on the opposite side of York Road but it is thought that a large pond (see map above) in the garden of 200 York Road was on the site.
The brick works to the north of North Lane (Back Lane in the 1913 map above) were owned by Francis John Pulleyn. The ponds were situated in the field was alongside Hawthorn Ave. The works made bricks until the early 1920s. The brick field situated behind Ralph Butterfield School belonged to Godfrey Ellis (see map above). His name is mentioned in a list of brick and tile makers in the York area in 1909 and again in 1913. (In the Baines Directory for 1823 there is a William Ellis. It is not known whether there is a family connection).
The late Mrs Conning, resident of Haxby, writing in the 1970s stated:
'The other brickyard was on Towthorpe Road and belonged to Mr Godfrey Ellis. It was not nearly such a big affair and eventually it was used as a refuse tip and the land was built upon'.
It is thought that Mrs Comings may have been describing this brick field, unless there was another brick field on Towthorpe Road.
In 1841 William and Jonathan Dobson, Thomas Jackson and George Clark were all bricklayers living in Haxby.
In the 1872 Trade Directory, William Holtby is listed as a brick and tile maker of Greenfield House, Haxby. In another directory, the firm is listed as Holtby and Hinton and in 1871 and 1872 Eliza Holtby was the owner. Tom Holtby left the brickmaking business in 1851 but
there may be a family connection.
The photograph on the left is reproduced by Peter Walls and depicts John Pulleyn. John Pulleyn was the first builder in the Pulleyn family and father of Francis John, who founded the Pulleyn Brickworks.
Two further photographs loaned by Peter Walls show members of the Pulleyn Family:
Below : left to right - Francis John Pulleyn, Mr Copley and Francis John's two sons, Stanley and Verdun.
Two further photographs loaned by Peter Walls show members of the Pulleyn Family:
Below : left to right - Francis John Pulleyn, Mr Copley and Francis John's two sons, Stanley and Verdun.
There were other brick and tile makers connected with the industry in Haxby. Andrew Bulmer lived in Layerthorp in York but he
owned a brickyard in Haxby. When he died in 1883 he left the business to his wife, Elizabeth Bulmer.
In the 1891 census it is recorded that she lived on York Road, Haxby and in 1901 she was still in charge of the business and her
residence was Greenfield House. It is not known whether in fact she was the owner of the other brickfield on York Road or whether
the two businesses of Bulmer and Holtby were connected.
William Goodwin is recorded as a brickyard labourer. He lived on York Road in 1891.
Christopher Peckett is recorded as a Haxby brickmaker in 1871. His son, also Christopher, is recorded as a tile maker. In 1901 George Peckett is recorded as a brick and tile manufacturer (own account) and his brother Christopher a brickmaker labourer.
In the 1881 census James Clifford who lived at Haxby Village, Eastend, York Road was a tile maker.
owned a brickyard in Haxby. When he died in 1883 he left the business to his wife, Elizabeth Bulmer.
In the 1891 census it is recorded that she lived on York Road, Haxby and in 1901 she was still in charge of the business and her
residence was Greenfield House. It is not known whether in fact she was the owner of the other brickfield on York Road or whether
the two businesses of Bulmer and Holtby were connected.
William Goodwin is recorded as a brickyard labourer. He lived on York Road in 1891.
Christopher Peckett is recorded as a Haxby brickmaker in 1871. His son, also Christopher, is recorded as a tile maker. In 1901 George Peckett is recorded as a brick and tile manufacturer (own account) and his brother Christopher a brickmaker labourer.
In the 1881 census James Clifford who lived at Haxby Village, Eastend, York Road was a tile maker.
