Mount Pleasant Brickworks

Haverhill enjoyed at least six brickworks sites. These are grouped both to the east of the town and to the west. On the west side, but located just out of town, was the works at Mount Pleasant.

Mr Pankhurst listed this works, but stated "Nothing Known", and could provide no map reference.

In fact we can see it on this 25 inch OS revised map from 1902, published 1904. The map reference is TL 664 462. It is not shown on the 6 inch map revised in 1896, published 1899.

One or two of these brickworks along Withersfield Road, and along into Withersfield parish were owned and run by Mason and Sons, possibly from 1850 right up to 1930. In the Directory of Clayworkers for 1904, the Masons have an entry of "Mason and Son, Haverhill, Suffolk" and another for "Mason and Son, Withersfield, Newmarket, Suffolk."

Walter Mason (1833 to 1904) joined his father's carpentry business, then moved to London, before returning to the family works which was soon, by 1869, to grow into the major building firm in Haverhill. Walter Mason would go on to build the Old Independent Church, the West End Church, the Town Hall and the Cangle School, as well as many houses, both grand and small. By 1880 he employed 102 men and 16 boys in the building trade.

He had two surviving sons, leaving Manor House and Farm to Walter (junr) and Sturmer Hall to Thomas.

Walter took over the building and brick making firm, while Thomas was left the farming business.

By this time it seems that the Mt Pleasant Works was sold off, and Walter junior ran the larger works at Withersfield, just over the railway bridge.