A description of how the bricks were made has been given to Haxby Local History Group by Peter Walls, nephew of Tom Pulleyn who became owner of the North Lane brick works after the death of his father, Francis John Pulleyn. Betty Pulleyn, sister-in-law of the late Tom Pulleyn, has also given us information.
'The clay was dug out with a spit (spade). It was made into a big heap. The pond was flooded and left over winter. It was then emptied and was pumped out. The clay was then dug again to turn it over. The pond was flooded again. Now it was right for bricks. Bob Oliver wheeled it out. The clay was tipped on to a trestle table. It was cut with a knife and shaped and steadied with a lump of wood. Ben Shaw did this. It was put into a mould and Tom Pulleyn carried it off. The 'truck' was carried (using looped handles) 50 yards and then put down.
One mould equals one brick. Sand to prevent sticking again and Tom returned the mould for more clay. Dry them; turn them on a sandy layer and then stack them up. 'Shelter boards' were put up if it was raining.
Layer of coal dust (slack): Then proper coal and wood: Layers of brick and sand. Stacks of bricks were brought to the clamp site by barrow - 30 to 40 bricks in each load.
Wind direction was critical - the shed or shelter was moved according to wind direction. The bricks were built up like a wall to make the clamp (kiln). It was covered over with soil to keep the heat in. When lit it glowed at night.'
A second description of the brick works:
'A second pond was dug beside a first one and the first one was then emptied into it by hand. The good clay was then dug out. This was done in Winter. In Summer it was knocked up like concrete and wheeled to a large table where a man filled the moulds (41/2 in. by 3 in. by 9 in. with two handles on them). He then smoothed the clay. A runner, (another man) would take the moulds and lay them in rows to dry. They were turned approx. every 3 days. When they could be handled they were built into dry walls (clamps) with roofing tiles on top to keep out the wet still further. When ready to be burned in the kiln, they were placed in layers with coal slack in between - about 12 foot high and 20 yards square with a draught hole each side. A fire was then started with coal and wood. The firing took 3 weeks. If there were very strong winds the holes had to be covered otherwise the through draught caused some bricks to burn hard before the others.
Mr Pulleyn employed men to make the bricks. Boys helped. Runners earned about £2.00 a week. Bricks were still being made there in the early 1920s. Houses using these bricks were built in North Lane and Park Avenue.'
A further interesting piece of information was discovered: Francis Pulleyn bought the tin building from the Co-op stores when it was
no longer used as a shop. It was moved to the brick works site. A further description has been given about the brickyard on the east
side of York Road:
'The making of bricks was carried out during Spring, Summer and Autumn. After being made the bricks were placed on pallets to dry. None were produced during the Winter months because of frosts, snow etc.. During this time Tom and his sons would drain ditches particularly down York Road and over fields etc..
There is also another description of the Driffield's brickyard written in the 1960s by a member of the Haxby Women's Institute:
'The clay pits some 40 foot deep are now filled with water and make a good nature reserve. Bricks and draining tiles were made here and on the right hand side of the pond nearest to York the old tile house is still standing. The tiles were made and laid out on trestle tables to dry, then packed into the ' house" for firing. The firing holes are still intact - it was a 5 day and night occupation to keep the fires alight. Water was pumped from one pond to the other and the housing of the machinery was in buildings like a windmill. The one on Mr. Findlay's pond (103 York Road) has been restored and has become quite a feature.'
'The clay was dug out with a spit (spade). It was made into a big heap. The pond was flooded and left over winter. It was then emptied and was pumped out. The clay was then dug again to turn it over. The pond was flooded again. Now it was right for bricks. Bob Oliver wheeled it out. The clay was tipped on to a trestle table. It was cut with a knife and shaped and steadied with a lump of wood. Ben Shaw did this. It was put into a mould and Tom Pulleyn carried it off. The 'truck' was carried (using looped handles) 50 yards and then put down.
One mould equals one brick. Sand to prevent sticking again and Tom returned the mould for more clay. Dry them; turn them on a sandy layer and then stack them up. 'Shelter boards' were put up if it was raining.
Layer of coal dust (slack): Then proper coal and wood: Layers of brick and sand. Stacks of bricks were brought to the clamp site by barrow - 30 to 40 bricks in each load.
Wind direction was critical - the shed or shelter was moved according to wind direction. The bricks were built up like a wall to make the clamp (kiln). It was covered over with soil to keep the heat in. When lit it glowed at night.'
A second description of the brick works:
'A second pond was dug beside a first one and the first one was then emptied into it by hand. The good clay was then dug out. This was done in Winter. In Summer it was knocked up like concrete and wheeled to a large table where a man filled the moulds (41/2 in. by 3 in. by 9 in. with two handles on them). He then smoothed the clay. A runner, (another man) would take the moulds and lay them in rows to dry. They were turned approx. every 3 days. When they could be handled they were built into dry walls (clamps) with roofing tiles on top to keep out the wet still further. When ready to be burned in the kiln, they were placed in layers with coal slack in between - about 12 foot high and 20 yards square with a draught hole each side. A fire was then started with coal and wood. The firing took 3 weeks. If there were very strong winds the holes had to be covered otherwise the through draught caused some bricks to burn hard before the others.
Mr Pulleyn employed men to make the bricks. Boys helped. Runners earned about £2.00 a week. Bricks were still being made there in the early 1920s. Houses using these bricks were built in North Lane and Park Avenue.'
A further interesting piece of information was discovered: Francis Pulleyn bought the tin building from the Co-op stores when it was
no longer used as a shop. It was moved to the brick works site. A further description has been given about the brickyard on the east
side of York Road:
'The making of bricks was carried out during Spring, Summer and Autumn. After being made the bricks were placed on pallets to dry. None were produced during the Winter months because of frosts, snow etc.. During this time Tom and his sons would drain ditches particularly down York Road and over fields etc..
There is also another description of the Driffield's brickyard written in the 1960s by a member of the Haxby Women's Institute:
'The clay pits some 40 foot deep are now filled with water and make a good nature reserve. Bricks and draining tiles were made here and on the right hand side of the pond nearest to York the old tile house is still standing. The tiles were made and laid out on trestle tables to dry, then packed into the ' house" for firing. The firing holes are still intact - it was a 5 day and night occupation to keep the fires alight. Water was pumped from one pond to the other and the housing of the machinery was in buildings like a windmill. The one on Mr. Findlay's pond (103 York Road) has been restored and has become quite a feature.'