In March 1895, contractor Sidney Fairbairn purchased the right to make patent brick in the County of Minnedosa and the Town of Neepawa. Fairbairn bricks were used for cornices, arches, and keystone sills, in addition to standard brick. He also produced bricks that were suitable for chimneys, roadway borders, paths, and flowerbeds. The bricks could be made in various colours and were sold for approximately $10 per thousand. They were used in 1895 for Fairbairn’s own residence, as well as the upper portion of the residence of A. C. Sewell on First Street in Minnedosa. Fairbairn bricks were also used when constructing a large addition to the home of E. J. Heppell on Minnedosa Avenue, in 1897. Records do not indicate that the Fairbairn brick yard was in operation beyond 1897.
Manitoba Brick Yards by Randy Rostecki, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch Report, May 2010.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 9 May 2020
Manitoba Bricks and Blocks
A history of the manufacture of bricks and concrete blocks in Manitoba, based on research by Randy Rostecki for the Manitoba Historic Resources Branch and supplemented by information compiled by Gordon Goldsborough of the Manitoba Historical Society. .
Bricks | Blocks | People | Glossary
We thank Hugh Arklie, Gordon McDiarmid, and Heather Bertnick for their help in the development of this online guide. Financial support of the Thomas Sill Foundation is gratefully acknowledged. Additional information was provided by Ina Bramadat, David Butterfield, Neil Christoffersen, Frank Korvemaker, Ed Ledohowski, Ken Storie, Lynette Stow, and Tracey Winthrop-Meyers.
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Randy Rostecki, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch, Gordon Goldsborough, and Manitoba Historical Society.
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