Copyright notice:  Links to this site are welcomed.  However none of the material on the site may be duplicated in any form.  The copyright of the articles is the property of the authors.  Copyright of the web pages is the property of David McClure.

From Ann Amor: Would appreciate any information regarding the business of J and M Craig of Kilmarnock who traded from 1820s up until their liquidation in 1923. The two brothers, James and Matthew formed the firm in 1847 on the death of their father Matthew. They carried on his business of fireclayworks and brickmaking at Dean Quarry in the grounds of Dean Castle and made the large fireclay lions clearly visible in and around Kilmarnock today. They progressed to high class sanitaryware and ornamental pottery, often embossed with gold leaf, notably working from the Longpark Pottery which was bought by Shanks in 1918. Any info gratefully received please. Matthew and James were my GGGrandfather and GGGreat Uncle. Many thanks, Ann Amor.

Brick produced by J & M Craig. This has a white-glazed face.

Photo by David McClure.

From Brock Carson: I found this brick [below] at the site of the Albert coal (Albertite) mines in Albert County, New Brunswick. The mines operated from 1850 to 1882.
Do company records exist which could show transactions with the Albert Mining Company? Brock Carson.

From Ann Amor, 3 Dec 04: Many thanks to Brock for his information and photograph regarding the J&M Craig brick found at New Brunswick. This is new to me so I'm really interested as I continue to compile research about this family business. I do have copies of company records but unfortunately they are not early enough to cover the period quoted. I would like to know more about where the brick was found and then try to link it in with my research. I have also been contacted by a young man studying archaeology in Michigan who has found a similar brick at the site of the Huron mines (copper) in the upper Peninsula at Michigan. Also at the Williamson Tunnels project in Liverpool, UK. Any others? Many thanks, Ann.

From David McClure, 2 May 05: (At Brock's request, I sent his email address to Ann.) If your collaboration results in a contribution to the history of J & M Craig, please consider letting me have a report for the Ayrshire History website.

From Ann Amor, 4 May 05: Certainly David - I'm always happy to plug J&M Craig wherever I can!! I'll send you some more photos too, if that's OK? Many thanks for sharing the contact and I am sure I can feel a story winging it's way to you soon! Many thanks, Ann

PS The site is growing daily and is a wonderful resource for folk like myself with an interest in Ayrshire.

From David McClure, 5 May 05: Photographs are always welcome and most will find their way onto the site. Thank you for your kind remarks - it is good to have some feedback.

From Alistair Stewart, 26 Sep 05: I’ve got 4 J&M Craig Kilmarnock sinks in a wash house at the rear of my house. They must have made a range of products!

From Chris Merritt, 27 July 2006: I am the student that Ann Amor was talking about in her posting on your site [3 Dec 04] regarding finding a brick in Michigan. Right now I am collaborating with a professor in Michigan to publish an article in the Society of Industrial Archaeology's Journal. I am trying to reconnect with Ann, but I lost her email address. If you could pass this note on to her, or possibly provide me with an email address I would be greatly appreciative. I will also guarantee that a copy of our work will be made available to your fine website, so your incredible community of folks can have free access to it. Thanks a lot and I am attaching a photo and sketch of a brick I found if you want to put them on your website. Have a great day and I hope to hear back from you! [I have sent Ann your email address. David.]

From David McClure: Thanks Chris. I have emailed your address to Ann.

The image below is from Chris Merritt.

From Angela Niven, 28 May 2006: I came across this website by chance as my husband and I are digging up our back garden and came across some unusual bricks and did an internet search. They are J&M Craig bricks with what looks to be a white porcelain glaze. They are unusual shapes too. The house we have bought is in Edinburgh and was built in 1931 which is after J&M Craig appears to have closed down. Before our street existed the ground was farmland and I think it was Braid Farm as the street is now called Braid Farm Road. It looks like we may have found the remains of somekind of outhouse. I don't know if this is of any interest to you. If it is I can email you a photo of the bricks and I will hold off before I put them in the skip! (we have found about 12 so far). Glad to find your website, very interesting as we were just curious as we thought these bricks were a bit special.

From Eileen Kilgour, 4 April 2006; my 8 yr old son Graydon and I came across it when trying to find the origin of a bit of old pottery he found washed up on the beach in Bermuda where we live. We only had the word Kilmarnock and the partial phrase "& M. Cra" but with Google's help and your post we managed to figure out the mystery. Thanks!

From David McClure: See also the posting concerning Sliddery Braes, later Asloss Mains, a house adjacent to a freestone mine belonging to the Craigs.