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The modernist showroom of the former Tower Garage at Alderley Edge has now been converted into a cafe/eatery. It looks to me as if it has just landed from outer space!

Henry Warrington, Stoke On Trent

This works at Berry Hill, Fenton, first appears in 1889-90 and is last listed in 1912 as Henry Warrington & Son. Henry Warrington, 1838-1907, was born at Cheadle, left school in 1851 to work for William Bowers at Berry Hill and succeeded Bowers in operating the colliery and associated brickworks on his death in 1880. There was also an iron works at Berry Hill, but the forges closed circa 1900. Warrington employed 1000 men, farmed 400 acres and lived at Fenton Manor House. He shot himself on the 2nd March 1907. Henry Warrington & Son seems to have been the name of the business from c1896.

Glebe Colliery was established by the mid nineteenth century and operated for around 100 years. From the 1860s it was operated by Challinor and Co and then by 1900, J Heath and Co. In 1919 it was in the hands of Fenton Collieries Ltd and continued to work into the nationalised era. It finally closed under the NCB in October 1964. The associated brickworks was situated a short distance to the south of the pit and had three round kilns in 1878. The brickworks was stil in business in the 1930s, but had been levelled by 1953.

This example probably dates from before 1919 as Fenton Collieries was stamped on later bricks. It can be seen in the comprehensive displays about the North Staffordshire brick industry at the Apedale Heritage Centre.

Radial stretcher - special brick from the Nori works at Acccrington for building curved structures including chimneys.

Swan Lane Colliery at Hindley was operated by John Johnson in 1864 and passed in 1868 or 1869 to Edward Johnson who commenced sinking new pits and developing the business including brickworks. Johnson was declared bankrupt in 1886 and the colliery was taken over by Moses Morris who traded as the Swan Lane Brick and Coal Company. Swan Lane Colliery was closed in 1893, some of the brickmaking plant was sold on 15th June 1893. The 1893 1:2500 OS Map shows four round kilns and three rectangular kilns adjacent to the colliery.

This square brick paver was picked up on the beach at Crosby.