WB #12 - Then and Now - Smart's Brickworks, Melton Road
A ariel view of the brickworks in the 1930's
The area today -the green line in the bottom right hand corner
T & J Smart are recorded in Kelly s 1900 edition at Ludlow Hill Brick Works, with offices at 21 Radcliffe Road, West Bridgford, Nottm. In the 1904 edition the works are listed as Melton Road & then in the 1916 to 1925 editions the entry is Trent Bridge (Offices) & Ludlow Hill, Melton Road, West Bridgford. From the 1928 edition the Ludlow Hill works address only continues until the last available directory in 1941. The location of The Brickworks is shown on the 1912 OS map above.
The works provided the majority of the bricks needed for the ever expanding West Bridgford both for housing & industrial use. The exact date when the works closed is unknown, but it is recorded in a web article that it was sometime during the 2nd World War. This was due to the glow from the kilns which compromised the blackout regulations. It appears that the works did not reopened after the war as the works is marked disused on a 1952 map & houses have now been built all round the edge of the site. The kilns were demolished in the early 1950's & today this former brickworks site is an industrial estate.
A Stanier Class 5 heads a London train past Smart's Brickworks at Ludlow Hill north of the cutting at Edwalton sometime during the 1950's (2) 1M88 1520 Leeds-St Pancras passing Smart's Sidings on 15th April 1966. Smart's Sidings was controlled from a ground frame and at this time was used by Mason's Timber
Note the difference from the previous photo at this location. The gate has been thrown aside and there is a new building on the north side of the site and stacks of timber in the yard.
The house of T J Smart on Loughborough Road West Bridgford.
