Description and History of Site:-
The extensive fireclay works developed for a century and when it closed it was on both sides of Siddal Top Lane, though there were just sheds on the west side except for a boiler house at the northern end, whilst the east side was mostly large sheds where the various products were made by both machine and by hand and allowed to dry before going to the various kilns, latterly Hoffmann kilns, though earlier there had been numerous round and rectangular downdraught kilns spread through the site. On the hillside behind the works were various adits/drift mines out of which emerged the fireclay from which the many products were made, before dropping down into the clay preparation area at the back of the east side. After closure site became a scrap yard with the kilns demolished and many of the other buildings just allowed to decay. Around the time of his father's death in 1864 Joseph Morton set up the fireclay works which were steadily improved and expanded. By the early 1880s Joseph had been assisted by his brother, John, in running the company for some time when they fell out and John left and set up his own works at High Birks, Queensbury with assistance from Jonas Drake. Joseph died in 1889 and was succeeded by his son, Joseph, who continued to expand the works. In 1897 Joseph sold a controlling interest in the firm to Leeds Fireclay Co Ltd. Leeds Fireclay Co Ltd (Joseph Morton branch) only continued until 1902 when Joseph bought back a controlling interest because Leeds Fireclay joined with Jonas Drake & Sons to set up a gas engineering company, with whom Joseph's estranged uncle was strongly connected. The new operation was Joseph Morton Ltd which continued to expand, albeit much slower than earlier. They acquired G. & W. Halliday Ltd in 1908 with works at Howcans and Holmfield. In the inter-war period there was further expansion of the works, which continued successfully until the around 1960 when the future looked bleak with major contractions in the refractory market with the move away from the open hearth method of steel production, the changeover to natural gas, and the elimination of steam locomotives on the railways. They tried unsuccessfully to make building bricks so the works were virtually closed down in July 1962, apart from special products that included silica bricks that continued to use the part of the works for a while, during which time the existing stock was sold off. All had gone by c1965 when the site became Shackleton's scrap yard. The yard has now been cleared and a recycling business is carried out in the remaining building.

Further Reading and References:-
A Peep at Mr Morton's Fireclay Works, Halifax Courier, 11 June 1887, p. 3.
Industries of Yorkshire Part II, Historical Publishing, London, 1890, p. 150.
Harber, J et al. Siddal: Our memories, our history. Calderdale Workers Education Association, 1989.
https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MWY20133&resourceID=105

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Key Words :- brickworks,brickyard, fireclay works, firebrick works, scrapyard, kiln, Hoffman kiln

Viewing the Site :- A public road runs through the site off which there are several public footpaths from which the site can be seen

Address :- Siddal Top Lane, Siddal, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX3 9JR
Grid Ref :- SE 10183 23694
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.709572 , Long -1.847206
Local Authority :- Calderdale Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site demolished or no longer extant
Site Condition :- Site in alternative industrial use
Site Dates :- c1864 - c1963
Record Date :- 24 February 2015

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Nick Nelson