Pioneer - Buxton

It appears that these bricks were not made in Buxton although The Pioneer Blue Brick & Fire Clay Co. Ltd. is listed in Kelly's 1904 edition with F. Cowley Smith as secretary & the central offices address of Terrace Road, Buxton.

In 1908. The Pioneer Blue Brick & Fireclay Co. is listed as operating the Thornlee mine (fireclay) at Grotton, Lees near Oldham with Thomas Jones as manager. although by that time the mine is recorded as discontinued. The Grotton brickworks started in 1854, and operated in the 1880s by Messrs Shaw & Heyes as the 'Lancashire and Yorkshire Blue Brick and Fireclay Works'. By 1900 it was known as the 'Pioneer Glazed Brickworks'. From 1943 the production of drainage pipes commenced and this kept the works running until closure in 1983 at which time it was owned by local guilders G & S Bloor.

Quite why the Pioneer Company stamped Buxton on the bricks rather than Grotton or Lees will have to remain a mystery.

Thanks to Martyn Fretwell for finally sorting out the source of these bricks.