Lane End Brickworks"

Lane End Brickworks, Buckley

1980

from "An Industrial and Pottery Walk round Buckley", which is in the library.

LANE END BRICKWORKS and WILLIAM HANCOCK AND COMPANY LIMITED.

William Hancock was a joiner who lived in Liverpool. He was a cousin of Jonathan Catherall (1761 - 1833). He married Jonathan's father's sister, Martha. He founded, along with iron master, John Rigby, a brickworks at Lane End, viz. "William Hancock and Company" in 1792.

He built a tramway to the River Dee at Queensferry from Buckley in 1801. He also, with Rigby, owned Ewloe Colliery. Wiulliam Hancock was agent.

Piggott's Directory of 1828 - 1829 lists:

"William Hancock, Aston Bank. William Hancock Junior, Aston Cottage. James Rigby, iron founder. William Rigby and Sons, iron founders and merchants and manufacturers of fire bricks. Hawarden Iron Works. Argoed Colliery. Mr William Hancock, manager."

Other directors were Leigh Rigby and William Rigby. The company was associated with the adjacent Buckley Foundry on 20th Dec 1941. Castle Fire Brick Company bought Hancock's in 1956. It was modernised in 1962 and the "Junction" works closed.

Lane End produced about 140,000 to 150,000 Jacobean bricks per week. The accent was on quality, not quantity.

IMPRINTS ON HANCOCK'S BRICKS

"W. Hancock of Chester Fire brick"

"Junction"

"W. Hancock and Co. Hawarden"

"W. Hancock and Co. (Hawarden) Buckley"

"W. Hancock and Co. Buckley"

Author: Bentley, James

Lane End Brickworks"

Lane End Brickworks, Buckley

Tags