Cassandra
For what it is worth I recall seeing some bricks of about the size you
mention in Malaysia (Malacca I think) in some early fortifications. Wonder
if it was an early colonial size which subsequently fell out of favour for
the thicker ones more commonly used around Australia.
> From: Cassandra Philippou <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 12:55:46 +1100
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: split brick question
>
> Dear Histarchers
>
> I am undertaking some research on a brick that was raised from the
> shipwreck MV City of Rayville (1940). This was a US Merchant navy vessel,
> and was the USA's first vessel lost in WWII. The City of Rayville was built
> by Oscar Daniels in Tampa, Florida in 1920. The brick is imprinted with the
> word "SPLIT". Imprinting on bricks normally identifies the maker, however
> web searching suggests that split is a manufacturing process, involving
> splitting the brick along its length prior to firing. This also appears to
> be a uniquely American manufacturing process, although I found the term
> "Soap" brick used in the UK, which also seems to refer to a half-width
> brick. The dimensions of the brick are 230 x 32 x 112: approximately half
> the normal width of a normal sized brick. Some Real Estate links came up
> that refer to split brick court yards etc, but after questioning some
> architects & brick experts here in Australia I have determined that this
> was not common here.
>
> Does anyone have information about split bricks that they could share with
> me? I also thought it was rather strange to imprint the word 'split' onto
> the brick, given that it ought to be obvious that the brick is half the
> width anyway! I located a reference in a builder guide to a company in
> Alabama called Split Brick Inc, however the emails keep bouncing and access
> to the website comes up as 'forbidden'. Therefore I guess my question is:
> is "Split" the maker's mark, or does it identify the process?
>
> Hope you can assist! If you are interested I can email an image of the
> artefact.
>
>
>
> Kind Regards
>
> Cassandra
>
>
>
>
> Cassandra Philippou
> Maritime Heritage Unit
> Heritage Victoria
> Level 22, Nauru House
> 80 Collins Street
> Melbourne 3000 Victoria
> Ph: 03 9655 9752
> Fax: 03 9655 9720
>
> Visit these sites!
> http://www.heritage.vic.gov.au
> http://www.aima.iinet.net.au
> http://www.archaeologyweek.com
>
>
>
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