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Bowler’s Brick Works

William Bowler and his family settled on the East Back Line, 2 miles east of Markdale in 1849. They settled on a 100 acre lot that happened to have soil around it’s pond suitable for the production of bricks. In 1868, the brick kiln was in operation and a year later, the first house was built with Bowler bricks.

Before the installation of a Martin Brick Machine, which produced 20,000 bricks a day in 1881, the clay was dug by 8-12 men and mixed by horsepower. It was then placed in molds and transferred to the kilns.

The bricks used to build practically every house in Markdale, including the Markdale Public School, and the surrounding areas before 1915 would have been Bowler bricks. The last brick from these yards went into the construction of the Carnegie Library in 1915.

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C.W. Bowler Brick Yard
1908
East Back Line, Markdale, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
Split Rail Country - A History of Artemesia Township Vol. 1

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A gang of 8-12 men were hired (in addition to the Bowler sons) for about a week to form the bricks.

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Bowler Brick Yards - abandoned
2009
East Back Line, Markdale, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
Grey Highlands Heritage Committee

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The brick in practically every house in Markdale and surrounding area built before 1915, was from the Bowler Brick Yard, as far north as Chatsworth and as far south as Dundalk. The last brick from the Bowler Yards went into the Carnegie Library in Markdale. The Bowler Brick Yard was closed in 1915 and the land has reverted to agricultural use.

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Brick Mold from Markdale Brick Yards
1868 - 1881
South Grey Museum, Flesherton, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
South Grey Museum Collection

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How did the Bowler's make bricks?

A gang of 8-12 men dug "Blue Clay", as it was called, around Mr. Bowler's pond. After the clay came out of the mixer it was placed in molds. A press forced clay into mold forms producing 5 bricks per frame. The bricks had to be kept dry in a "hack", until baked in the kiln. In 1881, Mr. Bowler installed a Martain Brick Machine, molding 20,000 bricks per day, so great was the demand for this building material.

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Markdale Public School
mid-20th Century
Victoria Street, Markdale, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
South Grey Museum Collection

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The Markdale Public School was constructed of bricks from the Bowler Brick Works. This building, was constructed in 1890 and was demolished in 1986 to make room for a larger parking lot for the adjacent, at the time, Grey County Education Centre.