R S branded bricks

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DescriptionFor close to fifty years I've been aware of R S branded bricks turning up in the Hokitika area. Recently I decided to check to see if they were produced by a local brickworks as I was aware of past brickmaking in the Hau Hau and Chesterfield areas.
Papers Past quickly identified that these are not locally made but Christchurch manufactured bricks from the Wincolmlee brickworks at Heathcote Valley. This existing brickworks was purchased by merchants Royse Stead & Co. in 1875. Shipping notices from the port of Lyttleton indicate Royse Stead & Co shipped bricks to the West Coast for a period of at least 8 years from 1875. Hence it is not surprising that such bricks turn up in Hokitika and Greymouth and respective hinterlands. They are likely to turn up in the Buller too as there is a record of a shipment going to Westport.Map^[1]ContributorGlenn Johnston

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EventWincolmlee brickworksR S bricks

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Date Created8th July 2021CommentsDave Lyes
Met a guy who collected bricks. You can imagine....
But I like them myself. Great history in them

Glenn Johnston
I generally leave bricks in situ when I come across them up in the bush but do sometimes photograph them especially if I think they may be locally manufactured. These bricks were close to a road and I have a use for them in the garden so grabbed a few. Now I know they were not locally manufactured.

Dave Lyes
Glenn Johnston I found a few from the old Glentunnel brickworks that were fabulous for striking matches on.

Lyn N Moe
Glenn Johnston I found a heap of them at the 12 mile Coast Rd. I just went and took these pics, hard to see but all have RS on them. I had googled and like you was surprised, will have to clean them up they are under the bird bath.
May be a closeup of outdoors

Lyn N Moe
another look.
May be an image of outdoors and brick wall

John Crossan
These bricks were made by Royse Stead and co Heathcote ( William Royse and George G Stead )

Glenn Johnston
John Crossan Yes thanks, I mentioned that I found out R S stood for Royse Stead & Co. They were a bit earlier than I suspected.Peter Moore

Great bit of history and good on you for putting the time in
· Reply · 22h
Stephen Laurenson
Fascinating bit of history
Glenn Johnston
Thanks for the encouragement guys. I was hoping to find out the R S bricks were locally manufactured but that was not to be. I've still learnt that despite local brickworks the Hoki area was not self sufficient in brick manufacture but somewhat reliant on imports from elsewhere in NZ and from England and Australia as well. I guess bricks were a handy cargo that would act like ballast for incoming ships intending to leave with timber from Port Hokitika.

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R S branded bricks

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