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Alexandra Brickworks, Chilton
In 1866 Ipswich brickmaker and builder Edward Gibbons was chosen as sole builder of the 'new' town hall on the Cornhill in Ipswich. For much of the 1800s and early 1900s, Gibbons, who was based in St Nicholas Street, Ipswich, employed hundreds of men in brickmaking and building at Ipswich and across the whole region.
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In 1864 Edward Gibbons was advertising best white and red bricks of his manufacture at the Alexandra Brickworks at Chilton, near Sudbury, Suffolk. This venture was in addition to his successful timber works and building contractors businesses in Ipswich. This advert appeared in Kelly's Directory of 1865, but the announcement by Gibbons was dated August, 1864. This announcement was appended to his advert as a timber, deal and slate merchant, and his sawmills at Ipswich. In the 1879 Kelly's directory, Gibbons had added his Crown brickworks at Aldham near Hadleigh. By 1900 it seems that Gibbons also owned Belhus brickworks, Aveley near Romford; Victoria brickworks at St Margarets in Ipswich; and the White Elm Brickworks at St Clements in Ipswich. Clearly he found it profitable and advantageous to expand as much as possible into brickmaking. By 1912 , however, only the Chilton brickworks seems to have remained within the Gibbons family. |
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Wheelers had been saw millers in Sudbury since 1860. At Chilton, in 1910, they succeeded E. & E.C. Gibbons as manufacturers of red and white Suffolk bricks, which ceased in 1935. During the Second World War, Wheelers opened a timber mill on their former brickworks site at Chilton to help the war effort, when they supplied timber for boats and railways. After the war they continued to supply timber for railways but in addition supplied wedges for mines and wood for furniture making. In 1946 a joinery department began to produce doors, windows and staircases. |
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The area today As noted above, the old brick making works closed down around 1935, and the site was wholly devoted to the timber working business of Messrs Wheelers. The business eventually became Ridgeons, and the area was re-developed as the Chilton Industrial Estate, served by the Eastern By-pass.
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The Alexandra Brickworks is included in the Suffolk Heritage Explorer as monument CHT 027. However, it comments that it is not well located, and includes details of owners and operators which do not agree with those I have included here. There is confusion between the owners of this brickworks and the older Chilton Brickworks (as at 2023.) |
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Summary of the owners or managers
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British Brick Society newsletter "Information No 26, April 2014,
Suffolk Heritage Explorer Reference ELV 174 and ELV 008
Suffolk Review, Vol 5, 1980 - 1988 on ‘Suffolk Brickmaking’ by Robert Malster. (Suffolk Local History Council, Summer 1983, Vol 5, No 4).
Suffolk Industrial Archaeology Society newsletter No 21, September, 1988, "Brick Kilns in Suffolk" by C J Pankhurst
Website - David Kitching's website - Brick Section
Website - Martyn Fretwell's blog on bricks etc
Photos of bricks by Martyn Fretwell unless stated.
Page created on 1st October, 2023
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