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Welcome to the John Russell Story

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Employees working at the AB Brick Press in the 1960's
1960
Claybank Brick Plant Site

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JOHN RUSSELL STORY
(Pictured far left)
I was born on March 20, 1929 and raised in Avonlea Saskatchewan. After working on various farms I became employed by the Dominion Fire Brick and Clay Products at Claybank in 1947.

I stayed at the Bunk House during the week and then caught a ride home for the weekend with Ed New Sr. My first job at the Plant was making T. P. Moka building brick with Wenzel Wostrodowski.

One day the foreman, Charlie Arthur, handed me a shovel, gave me a wheelbarrow and told me to unload five cars of coal with Tom Ludwar.

Believe me we were glad when Saturday noon came and we could go home.

Like many young men I believed far away pastures looked greener. I left the Plant and worked in B. C. in the flooded areas and then as a hired man for Roger Miller but the Plant seemed to draw me back. During my years at the Plant I did many jobs. I wheeled brick with Eric Nieswandt and Walter Harlos. Everett Lee and I took turns tossing or setting brick while loading the kilns for firing.

I ran the Front Press with Alfred Funke, Norbert Dombowsky, Alex Getzlaf, Rich Ludwar or Jim Duncan and ran the Back Press by myself. Work at the Plant was hard but we made our own fun to keep things lively. One of my favourite tricks was putting grease in various places such as mitts, wheel barrow handles or shovel handles. In retaliation for a few grease tricks Eric and Walter tied me to a post one day. I was held with steel strapping that was used around the pallets of brick. After a while the foreman started to look for me and Eric had to cut me down with a pair of snipers.

During the noon break while the others usually played cards I would take my little naps. On the occasions when someone new started at the Plant, we would always send them for a speciality tool a 'brick stretcher'.

In the Spring and Fall after my shift of work at the Plant or during lay-offs I would work for farmers doing field work. I married Dolores Haubrich in 1952 and we had three children, Brenda, Blair and Tom.

I worked at the Plant for thirty eight years and retired in 1989 when the Plant closed. My wife and I still live in Avonlea. I really enjoyed working at the Plant and have many good memories of my days there.

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L to R: John Russell and Neil Miller working at the AB Brick Press
1970
Claybank Brick Plant Site

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Thank you