More specifically, of named bricks. The names are stamped into the brick, and provide a roll call of our industrial heritage - of hundreds of brickworks, but also collieries and railways. They range in colour from the deep slate blues of Staffordshire to soapy whites from Suffolk. Seen en masse they are a work of art.

The collection now numbers over 400 unique bricks, a portion of which is shown above. It’s the result of a lifetime of rooting around post industrial sites, scavenging for a well preserved example before the rest is crushed up into hardcore. Alas I can’t take the credit - the hard work was put in by Michael Dunn, who kindly sold me his collection. I have added a few specimens - mostly soft southerners so far. They may not be strong, but they sure look nice.

The real challenge though, is to find a way to display the collection. I feel a new building coming on…