Builder solves stones mystery while search continues to find final brickie

A county-wide search to find employees who worked on a former ceramics factory in Stoke-on-Trent in the 1980s has proved successful with two people coming forward – while the hunt continues to find the final brickie.

Persimmon Homes West Midlands is currently demolishing the former Dyson Industries factory, in Shelton New Road, to make way for more than 130 homes.

Demolition work is well under way but during the works, unusual bricks and tiles were found and Persimmon launched its search to find the people who had signed them.

There are several bricks and tiles with the words Harts Hill on them and the image of a hand. However, on the back of them, there are white discs which have been signed by the people who were working on the site around 30 years ago.

One says P Beech Dec 17th 1986 To All The Bricklayers while another is signed Dec 1986 D F Cotterill.

Draughtsman Mr Cotterill, who still lives near Stoke in Wolstanton, has himself now come forward, as has Alan Mason, an electrician who worked at the site for nearly 49 years.

However, the search continues to find bricklayer Phil Beech, who is believed to still live in the Stoke area and is a Port Vale fan. Mr Mason is himself keen to find former colleague John Hackney, who used to live in Bignall End, near Newcastle under Lyme, with whom he worked for nearly 49 years.

Stephen Cleveley, sales director at Persimmon Homes West Midlands, said: “I have been informed that Mr Beech is regularly seen at Port Vale games, and we are appealing for help to get the message across to Mr Beech that we would love to speak with him.

“Ideally, we would like the gentlemen to come to our development in the New Year and relay the brick and tile so that we can keep an important link with the past.”

Mr Cotterill said: “We were carrying out excavations on the site in 1986 and found the tiles that had been made by a company called Harts Hill Brick & Tile. I have always been interested in history and thought it would be nice to have them built into one of the walls. At the same time, I decided to sign some of the refractory tiles for a bit of fun and I had forgotten all about them until now. When I heard of Persimmon’s search it was a real surprise.”

Mr Cleveley added: “We are delighted that Mr Cotterill has come forward and can help solve the mystery of these tiles, but it would be the icing on the cake if we could find Mr Beech too.”

For more information, contact Persimmon Homes West Midlands by calling 01902 787989.