After ‘apprenticeship’ in the family building and contracting business John Petrie assumed increasing responsibility for its management after his father’s blindness in 1848 forced him to retire. John became sole proprietor and the firm was changed from Petrie & Son to John Petrie. Petrie purchased the land that became his brickworks on the corner of Oriel and Sandgate Roads, Clayfield, on 31 May 1858 Deed of Grant 58/373 (ATS No.19509064). The brickworks can be seen on McKellar’s 1895 map of the area, Sheet 2.

The enviable repute for fine workmanship under his father was sustained by John. His skill can still be seen in many buildings in Brisbane, but he lacked his father’s drive and business acumen.
In 1860 Petrie opened a brickyard at the corner of Brunswick and Water Sts, Fortitude Valley.
In 1882 Petrie’s son, Andrew Lang Petrie, became manager of the reconstructed firm, John Petrie & Son. The business was then centred on cabinet making and joinery, brick and tile making and monumental masonry. In 1884, Petrie was manufacturing bricks using the extrusion wire-cut process, as evidenced by a detailed account of his Albion operations in The Brisbane Courier. He also employed a Penfolds patent revolving machine press to form up to 5000 bricks per day.