BRICKWORKS & POTTERIES
OF THE IPSWICH (Qld) REGION

  Alister J Cameron       

Rylance Brickworks

ie. Rylance Collieries & Brickworks Pty Ltd

Specialised in refactory bricks, face bricks (house bricks) and steam loco engine blocks

TIME LINE

1902:  Rylance & Hetherington formed based on the coal interests of James Gulland

1931:  Brickyard established.  Company name changed to Rylance Collieries & Brickworks Pty Ltd.  Siding from New Chum 4 mine closed and used to construct siding for the new brickworks

1985:  Taken over by a private group: Claypave

1970s AERIAL RYLANCE BRICKWORKS AREA Red line overlay represents railway sidings Main siding continued south to New Chum 3 Colliery Road skirting the site is Chum Street Bottom right is New Chum Village, now entirely obliterated by open cut mining To the left of the complex a new Cunningham Highway would shortly be constructed.
1951 LINE MAP OF NEW CHUM BRANCH SHOWING LOCATION OF THE BRICKWORKS Diagramme John Armstrong. ARHS Bulletin 391 May 1970, p98
1962 WORKING PLAN OF RYLANCE BRICKWORKS SIDINGS. Some of the buildings are included.
1979 TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP OF BRICKWORKS AREA Shows planned alignment of Cunningham Highway. QSA Item ID 811716
1977 WORKING PLAN OF NEW CHUM BRANCH REALIGNMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH CONSTRUCTION OF CUMMINGHAM HIGHWAY. Of the two branches that formerly serviced a number of mines and other brickworks, only the Rylance Siding is to remain
AERIAL PHOTO OF BRICK COMPLEX LOOKING SOUTH, DATE UNKNOWN Future Cunningham Highway will later pass to the right of the buildings. Top left of photo is the New Chum 3 Mine Photograph of picture at Claypave 2017. Source: Lost Ipswich
BRICKWORKS VIEWED FROM THE EAST 1963 Picture Ipswich: Document ID: 20889
BRICKWORKS LOOKING SOUTH c1970 Photo J. Armstrong ARHS Bulletin 391 May 1970, p101
BRICKWORKS FURTHER SOUTH IN 1978 On the siding is a Rail Motor being used for a ARHS(Qld) tour. Source: Bob Elbourne Qld Govt Rways Days Gone By
LOOKING BACK IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION BEYOND THE OTHER END OF THE TRAIN 1978 Source: Bob Elbourne Qld Govt Rways Days Gone By

House (Face) Bricks

Colour: Brown with black speckles.
Condition: Crumbled with many fissures.
Type: House Brick.
Frog: Angular (one face)
Inscription: “RYLANCE DINMORE” (raised: narrow lettering)
Features: Two tiny screw marks in middle of frog.
Origin: Residence Booval Ipswich
Current Location: My Collection

Colour: Smooth, Pink Brick
Condition:  Much crumbling
Type:  House Brick
Frog:  Shallow, angular (one face)
Inscription:  “RYLANCE DINMORE”  (raised & broad lettering)
Origin:  Embankment east of Hancock Sawmill site.
Current Location:  My Collection

Colour: Light brown with black speckles.
Condition:  Some crumbling with fissures.
Type: House Brick
Frog: Shallow, rectangular (one face).
Inscription:  “RYLANCE DINMORE” (indented lettering)
Origin:  Former Claypave Brickworks site
Current Location:  My Collection

Colour: Light with brown speckles
Condition: Some crumbling. Slightly warped
Type:
Frog: Rectangular, angular with inscription (one face)
Inscription: “RYLANCE DINMORE” (indented: broad lettering)
Origin: New Chum 3 Colliery Area
Current Location: My Collection

Description: Brown & glossy.
Condition: Some crumbling of edges and many fissures.
Type: House Brick
Frog: Small, angular frog with raised inscription.
Inscription: “RYLANCE” “DINMORE”.
Origin: Unknown
Current Location: Ipswich Historical Society Collection.

Description: Smooth, White
Condition: Some crumbling and fissures
Type:
Frog: Angular frog with inscription and two tiny nobs in the middle.
Inscription: “RYLANCE DINMORE”
Origin: behind former CWA Hostel, Limestone Street, Ipswich
Current Location: My Collection

Description: Light-Coloured, Grainy; but Smooth on surface. One edge highly glazed: cream coloured with specks. 
Condition: 
Type:  Specialised house brick
Frog: Rounded, deep frog with indented inscription. 
Inscription: “RYLANCE”
Origin: Dug out of bank, Claypave site
Current Location: My Collection

Description:  White; except for one edge which is highly glossy blue.
Condition: Fine fissures
Type: Specialised House Brick.
Frog: Eliptical, rounded frog with indented lettering on inside. Tiny indented lettering on one end.
Inscription: “RYLANCE” (frog); “RYLANCE BRICKWORKS” “DINMORE” (on end face).
Origin: Recycled bricks Sapar Landscaping, Chuwar
Current Location: My Collection

Firebricks

A  

B

C

D  Runner Tube

E

F  Water Wall Tile?

G  Runner Tube

H

I  Dog Bone Brick?

J

L

M

N

O

P  Hanging Brick

RYLANCE KILN BRICK DISPLAY 1963

Description: White, smooth
Condition: Slight crumbling.
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Flat faces except for indented inscription one side.
Inscription: “RYLANCE”
Origin: Recycled bricks at Sapar Landscaping, Chuwar
Current Location: My Collection

Description: White, smooth. Brown scorch marks one face.
Condition: Some crumbling & fissures.
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Flat all faces except for indented inscription
Inscription: “RYLANCE”
Origin: Residential block, Booval
Current Location: My Collection

Description: Light-coloured with tiny, black blotches.
Condition: Edges crumbled.
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Flat all sides except for indented inscription one face and length-wise row of tiny, indented dots nearby.
Inscription: “RYLANCE”
Origin: Site of house destroyed by fire, Queen Street, Walloon.
Current Location: My Collection

Description: Light-brown brick with tiny specks. Slightly smaller than normal brick.
Condition: Edges with some crumbling.
Type: Fire Brick?
Frog: Flat all sides; except for indented inscription in shape of semi-circle.
Inscription: “RYLANCE”
Origin: Dug out of bank, Claypave site 
Current Location: My Collection

Description: White
Condition: Many fissures.
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Flat all sides except for broad, indented inscription.
Inscription: “R”
Origin: Ramsay’s Pottery Site, Bundamba
Current Location: My Collection

Description: Light brown with tiny, black blotches.
Condition: Edges crumbled and with many fissures.
Type: Fire brick?
Frog: All faces flat except for indented inscription (narrow lettering).
Inscription: “R”
Origin: Unknown
Current Location: Ipswich Historical Society Collection

Description: Light Brown Speckled & Grainy
Condition: Edges crumbling
Type: Fire Brick?
Frog: Flat all sides except for indented inscription
Inscription: “R” Stylised
Origin: Dug out of bank, Claypave site 
Current Location: My Collection

Description: Light Brown with Darker Patches
Condition: Edges crumbled.
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Two shallow rectangles with indented inscriptions
Inscription: “RYLANCE” “PLASTIC” (wide lettering)
Origin: Within old building complex, Claypave site.
Current Location: My Collection.

Description: Light Yellow
Condition: Very crumbled
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: One side flat with indented inscription. Rear face with two large screw marks.
Inscription: “RYLANCE” “PLASTIC” (narrow lettering)
Origin: New Chum 3 Colliery area
Current Location: My Collection

Description: White-Yellow. Slightly molten one end.
Condition: Very Crumbled
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Flat all sides except for indented inscription.
Inscription: “RYLANCE PLASTIC” (narrow lettering}
Origin:
Current Location: My Collection

Description: Yellow, speckled. Large, molten lump one end. Brown colouring two sides.
Condition: 
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Shallow, angular frog with indented inscription.
Inscription: “RYLANCE PLASTIC”
Origin: Ebbw Vale Brickworks Site
Current Location: My Collection

Description: Smooth, white.
Condition: Crumbled edges.
Type: Fire Brick
Frog:  Inscription indented on slightly raised platform; one face.
Inscription: “RYLANCE” “P”
Origin: Site of house destroyed by fire, Queen Street, Walloon.
Current Location: My Collection

Description: White, Smooth
Condition: Some crumbling on edges
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Flat all faces except for indented inscription.
Inscription: “RYLANCE” (narrow); “P” (small & broad)
Origin: Residential property, North Booval.
Current Location: My Collection.

Description: Light brown with tiny black specks
Condition: Tiny fissures and some crumbling.
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Indented inscription (narrow lettering} within indented blocks.
Inscription: “RYLANCE” “P”
Origin: Unknown
Current Location: Ipswich Historical Society Collection

Description: Smooth, tan-coloured.
Condition: Small fissures
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Indented inscription (broad lettering} within indented blocks.
Inscription: “RYLANCE” “P”
Origin: Unknown
Current Location: Ipswich Historical Society Collection

Description: Light yellow with tiny black specks.
Condition: Tiny fissures
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: All faces flat apart from indented inscription
Inscription: “RYL” “P”
Origin: South-eastern suburbs of Brisbane.
Current Location: My Collection.

Description: Larger than standard brick size. White and grainy, but smooth on surface.
Condition: Crumbling on edges.
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Indented inscription within large, raised, rectangular line.
Inscription: “RYLANCE” “SEMIPLASTIC”
Origin: Within old building complex, Claypave Brickworks site.
Current Location: My Collection.

Description: White, smooth with dark specks and discolouring.
Condition: Crumbling of edges and fine fissures evident.
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Large, fine rectangular frog with indented inscription inside.
Inscription: “RYLANCE” “SUPER DUTY”
Origin: Next to brick platform: former military siding, Redbank.
Current Location: My Collection.

Description:  Light-Coloured, Grainy Brick.  Patches of mortar all over brick.  
Condition:  Edges crumbled.
Type:  Kiln Brick.
Frog:  None.
Inscription:  “RYL” “AI” (indented).
Origin:  Brick piles on south end of Claypave site.
Current Location:  My Collection.

Description: White & grainy; but with smooth surface.
Condition: Crumbling on edges.
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: All faces flat except for indented inscription.
Inscription: “RYL” “AII”
Origin: Within old building complex, Claypave Brickworks site.
Current Location: My Collection

Description: White paver.
Condition:
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: Flat all faces except for indented inscription.
Inscription: “RYLANCE” “HA” (Broad lettering).  Text blocks also indented.
Origin: Former Suttons Foundry site, Brassall, Ipswich.
Current Location: My Collection

Description: White, angular, irregularly-shaped.
Condition: Broken off and slightly molten one narrow end
Type: Fire Brick
Frog: All faces flat except for indented inscription.
Inscription: “RYLANCE”
Origin: Ebbw Vale Brickworks Site
Current Location: My Collection

Description:  White, smooth, angular brick.  Some discolouring.
Dimensions:  L: 235 cm; W: 11.4 cm; D: 6.0 – 7.5 cm
Condition:  Fully intact.
Type:  Kiln Brick.
Frog:  None.
Inscription:  None.
Origin:  Dug out of bank, NW Claypave site.
Current Location:  My Collection.

Loco Arch Bricks

SPECS FOR ARCH BRICKS TO MATCH A B18 1/2 CLASS LOCO
DRYING BLOCKS AT RYLANCE 1963 The Arch Bricks are middle distance. Source: Picture Ipswich WHD-016-NEG-1711

Description: Large, curved, with protruding, rounded, angled, (male) edges on two sides 
Condition: Edges crumbled.
Type: Steam Loco Arch Brick
Frog: Inscription indented on longer rounded edge.
Inscription: “O > P” 
Origin: Near old railway alignment between Pottery and New Chum Rd, Dinmore
Current Location: 

Description: Large, curved block. One long edge curved and indented {female}. Other long edge angled.
Condition: Broken one end.
Type: Steam Loco Arch Brick
Frog: Indented inscription on top of large, rounded face.
Inscription: “R.40” “AR.”
Origin: Near old railway alignment between Pottery and New Chum Rd, Dinmore
Current Location:

Description: Large, curved block.
Condition: Some edges crumbled.
Type:  Steam Loco Arch Brick
Frog: Indented inscription on top of large, rounded face.
Inscription: “R40” “C”
Origin: Near old railway alignment between Pottery and New Chum Rd, Dinmore
Current Location: