BRICKWORKS & POTTERIES
OF THE IPSWICH (Qld) REGION

  Alister J Cameron       

John (Jack) Wright

Period of Brick-Making:  c1850s — c1860s

Brick-makers Employed By Wright:

Thomas Welldon, Harry Wheeler, Harry Crosby, Stonebridge, Thomas Lovegrove

Supervised Brick-making For:

St Paul’s Anglican Church, Sovereign Hotel, One-Mile Hotel, Ipswich Hotel, Old Court House

Location of Wright's Brickyards

VARIOUS PLACES AROUND IPSWICH WHERE WRIGHT HAD BRICKYARDS Wright might also have had further brickyards in West Ipswich as yet not identified. Source: 1880s cadastral map scanned at Ipswich Council Library; Alister J Cameron
CLOSEUP OF WRIGHT'S PROPERTIES IN WEST IPSWICH The star shows location of what was possibly Wright's house. Source: 1880s cadastral map scanned at Ipswich Council Library; Alister J Cameron
1857 TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP OF WRIGHT'S WEST IPSWICH KILN Scanned at Ipswich Council Library; Alister J Cameron
1946 AERIAL PHOTO OF WRIGHT'S FORMER PROPERTIES The kiln site shows evidence of a gully at the rear. Gogg's Terrace was a rare example of terrace housing in the Ipswich area. It has long since been demolished. Source: QImagery
2025 AERIAL PHOTO WRIGHT'S KILN SITE It's now dominated by a large Bunnings complex. Source: Qld Globe (Ausmap)
OLD PUMP YARD (WATER RESERVE) 1877 Cadastral map scanned at Ipswich Council Library; Alister J Cameron
FORMER PUMP YARD SITE IN 1910 At this point in time it was the 'Central Gardens' and a crowd is pictured attending the funeral service for King Edward VII. Later the Soldiers Memorial Hall and Technical College were built here. Source: Picture Ipswich Reference ID WHD-005-gpl-0203p.jpg
1886 CADASTRAL MAP OF THE LOCATION OF THE QUEEN'S PARK BRICKFIELD Yellow symbol marks the approximate area The red overlay was added at a later time. Source: https://geoscience.data.qld.gov.au/map-collection/mr010634
SITE OF QUEEN'S PARK BRICKFIELD IN 1928 BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE GRIFFIN INCINERATOR Note the small waterhole which could either be a former clay pit or water source for the works. Source: https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/
1946 AERIAL PHOTO OF A SECTION OF QUEEN'S PARK The incinerator was constructed on the former brickyard site. Source: QImagery
THE SITE FROM ABOVE IN 2025 The incinerator has now been converted to a theatre. Source: Qld Globe (Ausmap)
REAR VIEW OF INCINERATOR IN 1936 AFTER COMPLETION BUT BEFORE SITE HAD BEEN CLEANED. Raises question as to whether it was constructed making use of the former brickyard workings. Source: Picture Ipswich Reference ID qips-2009-06-03-0010p.jpg
BY THE TIME OF THE OFFICIAL OPENING IN 1936 THE WHOLE SITE HAS BEEN CLEANED UP. Source: Picture Ipswich Reference ID qips-2009-06-03-0008

Bricks

Description:  Red, sandy brick.
Condition:  Extremely crumbled.
Type:  House Brick
Frog:  Large, shallow frog.
Inscription:  “J W” (indented).
Origin:  River bank below Hancock’s Sawmill site.
Current Location:  My Collection.

Description:  Orange, sandy brick.  Uneven side edges.
Condition:  Very crumbled.
Type:  House Brick.
Frog:  Large, shallow frog with inscription.  Flat on rear.
Inscription:  “J W” (indented).
Origin:  Unknown.
Current Location:  Ipswich Historical Society Collection.

Wright's Possible House

HOUSE POSSIBLY BUILT BY WRIGHT: VIEWED IN 2014 The main house is brick, but it includes later additions and possibly a change in roof line. Source: Google Street View
SUBSEQUENT DEMOLITION OF THE HOUSE. Unfortunately the site has been completely redeveloped and nothing remains of what was there previously.