CLELAND POTTERY-HISTORY
Prior to its destruction by fire, Cleland Pottery was a major part of the village economy, employing about 100 men and women. Following the catastrophic fire in December 1914, stoneware production came to an end and the factory’s demise caused a lot of hardship in the village.
Most of the facts relating to Cleland Pottery have been researched and assembled by George Russell and James Reid- members of the Scottish Pottery Society. James Reid lives in Cleland, therefore has a particular interest in Cleland Pottery stoneware as well as the history of the company. They have jointly written an article on the subject in the Journal of the Scottish Pottery Society (26th historical review 2015); a copy of which is in the reference section of Cleland library. The only known image of Cleland Pottery is a skyline fragment of the factory in an image taken probably in the 1920’s.
Cleland Pottery had three sets of owners in its lifetime.
From 1890 the Omoa Fireclay Company (brickware and [probably] pottery manufacturers). From 1895 the Cleland Pottery Company, and from 1899 John B. Kennedy.
The pottery works site amounted to over 4 acres, and was located on the west side of the Tillan Burn, south-west of Omoa Square. Large deposits of fireclay were nearby. Many of the factory employees were housed in a 2 storey building known as the Pottery Building (possibly part of the small settlement to the south called Easterhouse). Other factory workers were known to live in Omoa Square.
The Cleland Pottery was formed from and by the existing Omoa Fireclay Company, however things did not go well, and Cleland Pottery ended in voluntary liquidation in January 1899.
In 1900 John Barbour Kennedy acquired the Cleland Pottery Company from the liquidation for £1000, and with John Agnew (Brickmaker, Fireclay Manufacturer, Coal Owner and entrepreneur), proceeded to revitalise production. When John Agnew [1862-1914] stayed in Omoa Cottage in 1891, he was a managing brickwork partner of the Omoa Fireclay Company.
There is an extensive inventory of the factory’s buildings and machinery in 1895 which included two steam engines and their associated boilers, circular water well facilities with piping and pump to feed the boilers, blocks and cases for mould making, 5550 moulds, paddle spade drums, 3 throwers wheels, 12 mould stoves, ware drying stove, 6 dripping tubs etc. The main buildings consisted of the engine house, boiler house and boiler seats with an 80 foot high chimney, low shed and railway loading banks. A 20 foot diameter circular kiln with iron hoops and seven stoke holes, 4 kilns complete with hoops. A 40 foot high kiln chimney, office and stores, a 4 stall stable, bogie road with rail and sleepers, points and crossings.
Manufactured products were very diverse and included domestic salt glazed crocks, jugs, bottles, jars for jam and domestic foodstuffs, pharmacy jars, teapots, chimney pots, electrical insulators, and marbles and peevers for children (a flat stone used in the game of hop-scotch).
The Wishaw Press described the fire of 1914:-
WISHAW PRESS – 18th December 1914 - Fire at Omoa Pottery – Damage £4000.
“Omoa Pottery Works, Cleland, were on Saturday night, destroyed by fire. The premises had been closed for the weekend and the outbreak was discovered by passers-by observing sparks rising from the manufacturing department, a large two storey brick building 150 feet long and 72 feet wide. By the time the County Fire brigade from Bellshill appeared on the scene, the fire, fanned by a hurricane wind, was raging fiercely, the conflagration been seen for miles around. From the first it was evident that the main block was doomed, and the efforts of the firemen were directed to preventing the flames from spreading to other buildings. In this they were for the most part successful, the direction of the wind temporarily aiding them in saving the stores, stables and offices…..the manufacturing part of the works was completely gutted and a great quantity of machinery and material in process of manufacture was destroyed. The origin of the fire is not known, but is supposed to have been due to the high wind causing sparks from some of the fires that had been left burning.”
There is a dating problem regarding when the factory ceased trading; but John B Kennedy appears in the valuation list as owner in 1920 and possibly up to 1928.
