Brickworks images & stories

Over the years, many people have worked at, researched, sketched, photographed and visited  the Hoffman Brickworks in Brunswick. For research, go to our Key Documents and Links page

The story in film

An oral history project undertaken by Save the Brickworks recorded interviews with some workers and campaigners. The result is a three short films about the Brickworks.

The first one has John Black explaining how the kilns worked. Thanks to also to Aaron Murphy, Sarah Rood, Chris Johnston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf9Ni3-8JUg

“Working at Hoffman’s” has interviews with former workers set to photos. With thanks to photographer Aaron Murphy, historian Sarah Rood, and the workers who generously gave their time and stories.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcmUKxuw0pI

Here’s the story of Save the Brickworks… a community fighting to retain and give new life to our industrial heritage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNTwd1HcHe4

Images

The gallery below includes a selection of images. We’d love to add your images too – please use the Contact page to get in touch with us.

  • Workers in the Brick Press Shed (SLV Image H95.230.57)
  • Inside the Brick Press Shed – north end (SLV Image H95.230.56)
  • Repairs underway (SLV Image H95.230.55)
  • Workers smoko – in the Brick Press Shed (SLV Image H95.230.53, Grant Hobson)
  • Paletting the fired bricks (SLV Image H95.230.52, Grant Hobson)
  • Wick ‘mudded up’ prior to or during firing (SLV Image H95.230.51, Grant Hobson)
  • One wicket being unloaded (?) the other still sealed. (SLV Image H95.230.50, Grant Hobson)
  • Closing up the wicket (SLV Image H95.230.49, Grant Hobson)
  • The bricks stacked in the kiln before firing (SLV Image H95.230.48, Grant Hobson)
  • Inside the upper level of the kiln – firing underway (SLV Image H95.230.47, Grant Hobson)
  • The gas burner (SLV Image H95.230.46, Grant Hobson)
  • As the bricks come off the brick press! (SLV Image H95.230.45, Grant Hobson)
  • The scale of the brick making operation – looking down the shed (SLV Image H95.230.44, Grant Hobson)
  • Inside a kiln
  • The scale of the Pressing Shed is impressive
  • Pressed bricks emerge from the machine onto these rollers
  • Detail of a scoop on the conveyor system
  • Part of the conveyor system that moved materials upwards in the Brick Pressing Shed
  • Fly wheel and workers’ crib
  • Brick press: revolutionary technology
  • Inside the brick press shed
  • Looking down the line of brick press machines
  • Fly wheel and rope – part of the steam driven brick pressing system
  • Hoffman Brickworks: Workers 1939
  • Workers c1970s – next to a brick press (Photo: John Werrett)
  • “As long as you could see Hoffman’s chimneys you wasn’t lost” (Photo: Grant Hobson)
  • Hoffman workers campaigning for an 8 hour work day
  • Kiln 3, looking towards the Brick Pressing Shed – before the conversion of the kilns to residential