Like us on Facebook

MENU
Europe
England
Bedfordshire
Ampthill
Arlesey
Aspley Guise
Barton-le-Clay
Bedford
Beeston
Biggleswade
Billington
Bletsoe
Blunham
Bolnhurst
Box End
Bromham
Broom
Caddington
Cardington
Carlton
Chalton
Chawston
Chicksands
Clapham
Clifton
Cople
Cranfield
Dunstable
Elstow
Eversholt
Eyeworth
Felmersham
Flitton
Flitwick
Great Barford
Harlington
Harrold
Haynes
Heath and Reach
Henlow
Hockliffe
Houghton Conquest
Houghton Regis
Husborne Crawley
Ickwell
Kempston
Kensworth
Keysoe
Langford
Leighton Buzzard
Lidlington
Linslade
Little Staughton
Luton
Marston Moreteyne
Maulden
Meppershall
Millbrook
Milton Bryan
Milton Ernest
Moggerhanger
Northill
Oakley
Odell
Old Warden
Pavenham
Pegsdon
Pertenhall
Podington
Potton
Pulloxhill
Radwell
Ravensden
Renhold
Ridgmont
Riseley
Roxton
Sandy
Sewell
Sharnbrook
Shefford
Shillington
Souldrop
Stagsden
Stanbridge
Steppingley
Stevington
Stewartby
Stotfold
Streatley
Studham
Swineshead
Tempsford
Thurleigh
Tilsworth
Tingrith
Toddington
Totternhoe
Turvey
Westoning
Whipsnade
Wilden
Wilstead
Wixams
Woburn
Wootton
Wrestlingworth
Wyboston
Wymington
Yielden
Things to do in Stewartby area
Things to do in Bedfordshire


PLACE NAMES




Stewartby


Stewartby is a model village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, originally built for the workers of the London Brick Company. The village was designed and built to the plans of the company's architect Mr F W Walker, laid out on 'Garden City' principle, a later and more modern development than such better-known Victorian model villages as Saltaire. Started in 1926, Stewartby also is a later model than Woodlands which was first planned in 1905. The later retirement bungalow development of the 1950s and 1960s with the pavilion community centre in their midst was designed by the neo-Georgian architect Professor Sir Albert Richardson. Today, Stewartby parish also includes Kempston Hardwick.

Originally two Wootton farming settlements, Wootton Pillinge and neighbouring Wootton Broadmead, the Wootton Pillinge LBC village was in 1936 renamed Stewartby, taking its new name from the Stewart family, directors of London Brick Company since 1900. The family's son Sir Malcolm Stewart had amalgamated LBC with the Forders Company in the village in the 1920s.

Stewartby was the largest brickworks in terms of output in the world. The site closed in 2008 as the owners, Hanson, could not meet UK limits for sulphur dioxide emissions. The four chimneys remaining were due to be demolished upon closure but these have since been listed for preservation of Bedfordshire's brick-related history and will remain.

The brickworks was home to the world's biggest kiln and produced 18 million bricks at the height of production.

BJ Forder & Son opened the first brickworks in Wootton Pillinge in 1897.

Wootton Pillinge was renamed Stewartby in 1937 in recognition of the Stewart family who had been instrumental in developing the brickworks.

The firm became London Brick Company and Forders Limited in 1926, and shortened to London Brick Company in 1936.

At the height of the industry's production there were 167 brick chimneys in the Marston Vale. There are four chimneys in Stewartby.

In the 1970s Bedfordshire produced 20% of England's bricks.

At its peak London Brick Company had its own ambulance and fire crews, a horticultural department and a photographic department, as well as its own swimming pool inside the factory, and ran a number of sports clubs.

More than €1 million was spent on Stewartby Brickworks in 2005-7 in an attempt to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions.

The factory used Lower Oxford Clay, which is made up of 5% seaweed, formed 150 million years ago when it was on the sea bed. This removed the need to add coal to the fire, as the organic material burned.[citation needed]

Stewartby Brickworks closed in May 2008.



leonedgaroldbury@yahoo.co.ukFeel free to Email me any additions or corrections


LINKS AVAILABLE TO YOUR SITE


Leon Edgar Books