Tims a brick
By Emily Pearce - Friday, April 29, 2011
TIM Bristow is a man with a passion for bricks.
One of the founders of the York Handmade Brick Company and owner of Bembridge shop Clay Clay, which sells brick and terracotta items ranging from flower pots to kitchenware, Tim has now launched his own range of miniature clay brick building kits.Believed to be the only such kits manufactured in the UK, designs include a small Georgian house, a castle and a replica of the Albert Barracks - a miniature fort built at Osborne House by Queen Victoria’s children. "Up to the early 1960s one of the most popular toys were building assembly kits, using little bricks, mortar and a bit of patience but the introduction of plastic bricks saw their popularity diminish," said Tim, 51, of Nettlestone."The Clay Clay kits are all made here in the shop and the reaction so far has been very positive," he added."I think parents are sick of their children playing on the computer instead of doing something creative and thats part of their appeal." Every kit has been lovingly put together by Tim, and includes miniature bricks sourced from reclaimed IW bricks and terracotta made by the York Handmade Brick Company, mortar, plans and laminated windows and doors. They range from 50 bricks, for the more simple designs, to 350 bricks for those looking for more of a challenge. The Island is well known for bricks and pottery making and there were more than 80 brickworks on the IW until the 1970s. "I was inspired to make the kits because I spotted a gap in the market but also because I have an absolute passion for bricks," said Tim. "The history of brick making on the Island is very rich and I can’t believe no-one does it any more."
Tim’s kits will be on display at this years Grand Designs Show, in London, from April 30 to May 8.
Reporter: emilyp@iwcpmail.co.uk Isle of Wight County Press 29/4/2011
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Recipe 'Chicken cooked under a brick' by Jamie Oliver
Recipe:
Chicken cooked under a brick
Serves 4
1 Chicken, boned
Extra virgin olive oil
4 stalks of rosemary
2 garlic cloves
1 red dutch or other long chilli, halved
6 red cherry tomatoes, quartered
6 yellow cherry tomatoes, quartered
200g tinned tomatoes
1 tbsp capers
A large handful of kalamata olives
1 Wrap two (York Handmade) bricks in foil. Get a grill pan nice and hot. Place the chickens on a board and oil and season both sides. Divide the chicken into two pieces. With a meat hammer or rolling pin, pummel the rosemary into the flesh to release its oils. Place the chicken halves skin side down on to the char grill and place the bricks on top of the chicken to weigh it down. Grill for 10 minutes each side or until golden and then put in an oven preheated to 200C/ gas 6 for 15 minutes. When the chicken is crips skinned, golden brown and cooked through, place it on a metal try in a warm place and allow to rest.
2 Meanwhile, heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a hot frying pan, then add the garlic and chilli and cook until golden. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes, capers and kalamata olives. Cook for another 2 minutes, then season to taste and freshly ground pepper. /remove the chilli halves.
3 To serve, put the tomato sauce on a platter. Cut up the chicken halves and place on tomatoes, pour over the resting juices, scatter over some rosemary sprigs or chooped leaves, and drizzle with a little olive oil.
Chicken cooked under a brick
Serves 4
1 Chicken, boned
Extra virgin olive oil
4 stalks of rosemary
2 garlic cloves
1 red dutch or other long chilli, halved
6 red cherry tomatoes, quartered
6 yellow cherry tomatoes, quartered
200g tinned tomatoes
1 tbsp capers
A large handful of kalamata olives
1 Wrap two (York Handmade) bricks in foil. Get a grill pan nice and hot. Place the chickens on a board and oil and season both sides. Divide the chicken into two pieces. With a meat hammer or rolling pin, pummel the rosemary into the flesh to release its oils. Place the chicken halves skin side down on to the char grill and place the bricks on top of the chicken to weigh it down. Grill for 10 minutes each side or until golden and then put in an oven preheated to 200C/ gas 6 for 15 minutes. When the chicken is crips skinned, golden brown and cooked through, place it on a metal try in a warm place and allow to rest.
2 Meanwhile, heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a hot frying pan, then add the garlic and chilli and cook until golden. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes, capers and kalamata olives. Cook for another 2 minutes, then season to taste and freshly ground pepper. /remove the chilli halves.
3 To serve, put the tomato sauce on a platter. Cut up the chicken halves and place on tomatoes, pour over the resting juices, scatter over some rosemary sprigs or chooped leaves, and drizzle with a little olive oil.
Saturday, 29 January 2011
Pottery and Clay plus Brickmaking on the Isle of Wight
Pottery makers in the Isle of Wight have been producing ‘burnt earth’ for at least 5,000 years. The Isle of Wight is often referred to as the ‘Garden Isle’ presenting an embodiemt in miniature of almost every variety of English Landscape and scenery. In 1920 John S Flett, director of the Geological Survey Office, London stated that ‘no district of England of equal size is more interesting to the geologist than the Isle of Wight, alike from the variety of its formations, the excellence of the exposures and the abundance of fossls’.
‘Pottery is a unique and exciting craft; it ranges from the purely aesthetic to the purely functional; in scope from the architectural wall covering to the small and exquisite cup and saucer or statuette. Coarse or fine, large or small, glazed or unglazed, pottery fulfils many functions and reveals at every turn a new beauty, while remaining of the earth, earthy.’ Dora M Billington 1972 IW potter.’ By pottery or ceramics - all objects made of clay with or without the addition of earthy materials must be shaped, dried and then made hard and permanent by the action of heat in a kiln. It is that application of heat that changes clay shapes into pottery or bricks’.
The principal clays of the Island were folded into their present position about 30 million years ago. Clay being the decomposition of igneous feldspathic rock over thousands of years or more technically Silica and Alumina and chemically combined water.
The Oldest clays are the Wealden Clays (Military Rd and Sandown areas); the Atherfield Clay (Atherfield area only); the Gault Clay (line from Yaverland to Brighstone and around the extreme south of Island) and the Tertiary Clays comprising mostly the London Clay (a thin line from Yaverland to Totland) and Hamstead Clay (Top half of Island). The South Of Island being Chalk, downland and Lower Greensand
Not all Island clays are suitable for the making of pottery. ’Blue Slipper’ (so called because the Gault clay in its unfired state is blue in colour - stained by contact with organic matter - the clay type causes land to slip) has been found generally to be unsuitable not because of its impurities bur because labour and time taken to remove impurities is excessive - needing to be weathered, washed, sieved and dried for a suitable period of time. It burns a deep red in colour. Because of the amount of clay preparation required generally Island potters use major suppliers of ready-to-use clays. Nonetheless there is a rich history of brick making from many of the Island ‘common’ or ‘surface’ clays (also known as brick earth). Up to 1975 when the last one closed there were over 81 brickworks dating from the late 18th century - from Northwood in the North to Ryde and St Helens, Newchurch to Rookley to Shalfleet and Freshwater.
Pritchett Pottery
The Pritchett Family has a long historical association with the making of bricks: from the first arrival in the 18th Century (1770 ricks for Parkhurst Barracks) until the last company operating at Rookley (latterly known as Island Bricks Ltd was wound up o in October 1975. Early in the 20th century various’ artistic pottery’ and decorative terracotta wares were produced. During the late 19th Century and early 20th century goods made amd dried at Island brickyards were dependent entirely upon seasonal conditions; brick making generally being difficult during the winter months. This quiet period was used productively by digging and weathering clay .
The Isle of Wight Handcraft Pottery
A Samuel Saundes bought the Gunville and Afton Brick works of Pritchetts. In the 1920s. In 1926 he changed the name tof the Gunville brickyard to the Carisbrooke Brick,Tile and pottery Works. The Isle of Wight Handcraft Pottery was an offshoot from these works.
‘Pottery is a unique and exciting craft; it ranges from the purely aesthetic to the purely functional; in scope from the architectural wall covering to the small and exquisite cup and saucer or statuette. Coarse or fine, large or small, glazed or unglazed, pottery fulfils many functions and reveals at every turn a new beauty, while remaining of the earth, earthy.’ Dora M Billington 1972 IW potter.’ By pottery or ceramics - all objects made of clay with or without the addition of earthy materials must be shaped, dried and then made hard and permanent by the action of heat in a kiln. It is that application of heat that changes clay shapes into pottery or bricks’.
The principal clays of the Island were folded into their present position about 30 million years ago. Clay being the decomposition of igneous feldspathic rock over thousands of years or more technically Silica and Alumina and chemically combined water.
The Oldest clays are the Wealden Clays (Military Rd and Sandown areas); the Atherfield Clay (Atherfield area only); the Gault Clay (line from Yaverland to Brighstone and around the extreme south of Island) and the Tertiary Clays comprising mostly the London Clay (a thin line from Yaverland to Totland) and Hamstead Clay (Top half of Island). The South Of Island being Chalk, downland and Lower Greensand
Not all Island clays are suitable for the making of pottery. ’Blue Slipper’ (so called because the Gault clay in its unfired state is blue in colour - stained by contact with organic matter - the clay type causes land to slip) has been found generally to be unsuitable not because of its impurities bur because labour and time taken to remove impurities is excessive - needing to be weathered, washed, sieved and dried for a suitable period of time. It burns a deep red in colour. Because of the amount of clay preparation required generally Island potters use major suppliers of ready-to-use clays. Nonetheless there is a rich history of brick making from many of the Island ‘common’ or ‘surface’ clays (also known as brick earth). Up to 1975 when the last one closed there were over 81 brickworks dating from the late 18th century - from Northwood in the North to Ryde and St Helens, Newchurch to Rookley to Shalfleet and Freshwater.
Pritchett Pottery
The Pritchett Family has a long historical association with the making of bricks: from the first arrival in the 18th Century (1770 ricks for Parkhurst Barracks) until the last company operating at Rookley (latterly known as Island Bricks Ltd was wound up o in October 1975. Early in the 20th century various’ artistic pottery’ and decorative terracotta wares were produced. During the late 19th Century and early 20th century goods made amd dried at Island brickyards were dependent entirely upon seasonal conditions; brick making generally being difficult during the winter months. This quiet period was used productively by digging and weathering clay .
The Isle of Wight Handcraft Pottery
A Samuel Saundes bought the Gunville and Afton Brick works of Pritchetts. In the 1920s. In 1926 he changed the name tof the Gunville brickyard to the Carisbrooke Brick,Tile and pottery Works. The Isle of Wight Handcraft Pottery was an offshoot from these works.
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
The ClayClay Shop in Bembridge, Isle of Wight now open
Clay Clay, the Shop that displays and sells clay products such as York Handmade Bricks, Handmade Pavers, Terracotta Floor Tiles, Flower pots, Reclaimed Terracotta Finials, Wine stackers, Brick Toy Kits and Clay Cooking Utensils. In High St, Bembridge Isle of Wight.The York Handmade Brick Sales Southern Office, with full product displays, of
The York Handmade Brick Co Ltd -.
UK’s Largest privately owned Genuine Handmade Brick Co.
Established in 1987. The Company manufactures over 100,000 (8 houses worth)‘old looking’ handmade bricks per week from clay out of their own quarry just north of York. They make a full range of metric and imperial bricks with specials for new build and brick matching. The ‘oldest looking’ brick on the Market with York Handmade Brick houses and projects which you can see in Brading, St. Lawrence, Seaview, Newton, Ningwood, Springvale, Godshill, Roud, and Yarmouth.
Also on Display and Sale:
York Handmade Pavers,
Terracotta Floor Tiles in various sizes and textures
Hand thrown Flower Pots.
Toy brick kits including re-useable mortar. Construct different buildings from real bricks and cement with bowl and trowel, plastic doors /windows.
Chicken Bricks for the oven -Terracotta clay is a porous material which, when soaked in water and then heated in the oven, provides a slow evaporation of steam from the pores, creating a steamy enclosed environment - Perfect for achieving succulent, tender and full-flavoured roasts
Clay Garlic Graters, Pizza Bakers, Herb Markers, Egg racks, Salt pigs, Wine Coolers and Wine Stackers
Reclaimed Finials, Roof Tiles, Garden Edgings, Terracotta Balustrading from Acer Reclamation in West St, Ryde.
The York Handmade Brick Co Ltd -.
UK’s Largest privately owned Genuine Handmade Brick Co.
Established in 1987. The Company manufactures over 100,000 (8 houses worth)‘old looking’ handmade bricks per week from clay out of their own quarry just north of York. They make a full range of metric and imperial bricks with specials for new build and brick matching. The ‘oldest looking’ brick on the Market with York Handmade Brick houses and projects which you can see in Brading, St. Lawrence, Seaview, Newton, Ningwood, Springvale, Godshill, Roud, and Yarmouth.
Also on Display and Sale:
York Handmade Pavers,
Terracotta Floor Tiles in various sizes and textures
Hand thrown Flower Pots.
Toy brick kits including re-useable mortar. Construct different buildings from real bricks and cement with bowl and trowel, plastic doors /windows.
Chicken Bricks for the oven -Terracotta clay is a porous material which, when soaked in water and then heated in the oven, provides a slow evaporation of steam from the pores, creating a steamy enclosed environment - Perfect for achieving succulent, tender and full-flavoured roasts
Clay Garlic Graters, Pizza Bakers, Herb Markers, Egg racks, Salt pigs, Wine Coolers and Wine Stackers
Reclaimed Finials, Roof Tiles, Garden Edgings, Terracotta Balustrading from Acer Reclamation in West St, Ryde.
Advice on re-pointing of old brickwork
Question : Some of the brickwork in my home needs re-pointing. I’m not sure of the exact age of my home, but I do know that the walls are solid with no cavity and that the bricks are fairly soft. A tradesman suggested a cement-based mortar, but with the addition of some lime, which apparently gives the mortar greater plasticity. And it will help it blend in with those areas that don’t need any pointing. Are they right? PJ, Glocs
Answer: Possibly the worst thing you could do would be to re-point using a cementatious mortar. Even one with lime added.
Older, softer bricks and stones were always laid with a lime mortar. This allowed any moisture within the wall to evaporate through the mortar rather than the walling medium. Inevitably, over time, the action of the weather would mean that the mortar would recede and therefore need re-pointing. But this was by design.
If you replace the lime mortar with a cement mortar, then it will be stronger than the bricks. It will also block the egress of any moisture and, instead of the mortar dying back it will be the bricks or stones that flake off and spall.
Traditional lime mortar is made by mixing one part lime putty, which is available in 55lb (25kg) tubs, with 3.5 parts well-graded sharp washed sand. Adding a pozzolan of burnt dry clay, one part to eight of mortar, can aid the setting in an exterior situation. The tubs will cost about £8.70, and a semi-skilled person could expect to re-point about two square metres a day.
David Snell Daily Telegraph 14th October 2010
Answer: Possibly the worst thing you could do would be to re-point using a cementatious mortar. Even one with lime added.
Older, softer bricks and stones were always laid with a lime mortar. This allowed any moisture within the wall to evaporate through the mortar rather than the walling medium. Inevitably, over time, the action of the weather would mean that the mortar would recede and therefore need re-pointing. But this was by design.
If you replace the lime mortar with a cement mortar, then it will be stronger than the bricks. It will also block the egress of any moisture and, instead of the mortar dying back it will be the bricks or stones that flake off and spall.
Traditional lime mortar is made by mixing one part lime putty, which is available in 55lb (25kg) tubs, with 3.5 parts well-graded sharp washed sand. Adding a pozzolan of burnt dry clay, one part to eight of mortar, can aid the setting in an exterior situation. The tubs will cost about £8.70, and a semi-skilled person could expect to re-point about two square metres a day.
David Snell Daily Telegraph 14th October 2010
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Stopped by a Brick. A Story
An Inspirational Story with Wisdom
Stopped By A Brick
by Author Unknown
About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his sleek, black, Jaguar, which was only two months old. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child darted out, but a brick sailed out and - WHUMP! - it smashed into the Jag's shiny black side door! SCREECH...!!!! Brakes slammed! Gears ground into reverse, and tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown.
Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!" Building up a head of steam, he went on. "That's my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?"
"Please, mister, please...I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!" pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop!"
Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother, Mister," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."
Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat.
Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, Jaguar - a long and slow walk.
Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention.
Don't let the bricks in life hit you, be sensitive to those around you
Stopped By A Brick
by Author Unknown
About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his sleek, black, Jaguar, which was only two months old. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child darted out, but a brick sailed out and - WHUMP! - it smashed into the Jag's shiny black side door! SCREECH...!!!! Brakes slammed! Gears ground into reverse, and tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown.
Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!" Building up a head of steam, he went on. "That's my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?"
"Please, mister, please...I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!" pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop!"
Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother, Mister," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."
Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat.
Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, Jaguar - a long and slow walk.
Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention.
Don't let the bricks in life hit you, be sensitive to those around you
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
News Release - Paver Directory
Paver Directory - now on the web
27th May 2010
http://www.paverdirectory.co.uk/ has been put together by Brick and Paver Man, Tim
Bristow. The Paver Directory (part of the http://www.brickdirectory.co.uk/ Database) is
a comprehensive website of web links which help landscapers/garden designers/self
builders/builders/developers/renovators/architects get in contact with Paver
Manufacturers as well as Garden Centres, Landscape Designers and Architects,
Merchants and Importers. According to Tim Bristow ‘We are not selling anything just
helping people choose the right Clay, Concrete, Slate, Stone paver from the 1,800 or
so oblong, square, triangular, cobble, patterened and other types of paver available in
the UK’. For inclusion in the web site send an E mail with logo and brief description
to info@brickdirectory.co.uk
Ends
For further information, please contact
Tim Bristow, http://www.paverdirectory.co.uk/ Phone 07836 761541. E mail info@brickdirectory.co.uk or brickdirectory@aol.com
27th May 2010
http://www.paverdirectory.co.uk/ has been put together by Brick and Paver Man, Tim
Bristow. The Paver Directory (part of the http://www.brickdirectory.co.uk/ Database) is
a comprehensive website of web links which help landscapers/garden designers/self
builders/builders/developers/renovators/architects get in contact with Paver
Manufacturers as well as Garden Centres, Landscape Designers and Architects,
Merchants and Importers. According to Tim Bristow ‘We are not selling anything just
helping people choose the right Clay, Concrete, Slate, Stone paver from the 1,800 or
so oblong, square, triangular, cobble, patterened and other types of paver available in
the UK’. For inclusion in the web site send an E mail with logo and brief description
to info@brickdirectory.co.uk
Ends
For further information, please contact
Tim Bristow, http://www.paverdirectory.co.uk/ Phone 07836 761541. E mail info@brickdirectory.co.uk or brickdirectory@aol.com
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