12: The Brickworks

Bladstrup Teglværk - ovnhuset i Den Fynske Landsby.

Arbejdere foran Bladstrup Teglværk, der nu er i Den Fynske Landsby.

Bladstrup Teglværk, mens det endnu lå på sin oprindelige nordfynske placering. Nu er det at finde i Den fynske Landsby.

Den Fynske landsby bygger en rekonstruktion af tørreladen til Bladstrup Teglværk. Den stod færdig i 2014.

Intro

The Brickworks from Bladstrup (no. 12) is one of many small brickworks that appeared in the end of the 19th century whereever there was clay in the ground. It was founded at a time when brick-built houses were being constructed everywhere in the country.

Rasmus Rasmussen was a farmer and a brick-maker. Numerous members of his family also ran brickworks. When the brickworks was built in 1889, it was linked to a small farm with 5 tønder land. With time, the farm expanded, until 1940 when the last brick-maker, also called Rasmus Rasmussen, stopped production and concentrated on farming the now 46 tønder land. Up to 10 firings were carried out per year during the season which extended from about 20th April to December. During this period, frost would not damage the bricks which lay drying. Five to six men worked in the brickworks. Two in the clay pit, one by the pug mill, one cut the bricks from the moulding machine and one transported the bricks to the drying shed. About 50,000 bricks were stacked in rows in the kiln, such that the eight stoking holes were not blocked. The openings through which the bricks had been stacked were then walled up and firing could commence. It lasted about 10 days. The products were bricks used for façades and partition walls and drainage pipes. Originally, the clay was transported from the clay pit by horse-drawn cart, but in 1932 a light railway with tipping wagons was established which made the transport much easier. In 1933, a fan was fitted for use during firing. This made the firing even and reduced the amount of fuel required.

Building history and building tradition The brickworks in the Funen Village only comprises the actual kiln. The clay pit, pug mill and drying sheds are missing. Work is in progress to change this. The kiln is built as a thick-walled chamber of yellow bricks. It is supported by two “buttresses” at each end. Around the kiln stands a timber-framed building which provided shelter from wind and weather. The timber originates from a demolished building and is therefore recycled. The building is by no means draught-proof and the backs of the roof tiles are not pointed as the smoke from the firing had to be able to escape. There are two wooden gables uppermost, each of which has a shutter that can be opened if better draught was required. The brickworks building was extended a little at both ends in 1924 to facilitate movement indoors.

The two drying sheds, which are absent from the complex, comprised low buildings, 29 metres long and 6-7 metres wide. Very unusually, they were roofed with a completely new material: roofing felt.