| Tolhurst & Sons Red Lion Brand. |
Location:
- Grid reference: TQ632744
- x=563200
- y=174400
- 51°26'42"N; 0°20'55"E
- Civil Parish: Northfleet, Kent
Clinker manufacture operational: 1896-1914, 1920-1922
Approximate total clinker production: 530,000 tonnes
Raw materials:
- Upper Chalk (Seaford Chalk Formation: 85-88 Ma) from Tolhurst’s quarry at 563100,173900
- Thames and Medway Alluvial Clay
Ownership:
- 1896-1905 Alfred Tolhurst
- 1905-1/1912 Tolhurst and Sons Ltd
- 1/1912-1922 BPCM (Blue Circle)
Also known as Tolhurst’s Works. The wharf was named after the local pub long before the Tolhursts arrived. Tolhurst's initial business, from 1891, was export of chalk, and cement manufacture did not begin before 1896. There were initially 14 chamber kilns (output 406 t/week) expanded to 19 around 1901 and to 38 (output 1100 t/week) in 1907. In 1909, Edgar Allen quoted Tolhurst for a 233’×10’ rotary kiln, but this may have been for Aberthaw. After 1911 the plant was amalgamated with the Imperial plant. The rating in 1920 was 1000 t/week. The remaining plant was described in the BPCM 1924 schedule. There was no rail link, and all product was despatched by barge. After closure, the site remained derelict for many years before absorption into the Northfleet power station, now also cleared.
Power supply
Originally, all equipment was direct driven from a central steam engine. After 1905, electric power generated using two 330 HP double-expansion steam engines was used to drive the finish mills.
Rawmills
One rough- and one intermediate washmill, followed by six Clarke's screeners.
No rotary kilns were installed.
Sources:
- Primary Sources:
- Greenhithe Archive
- BPCM 1924 schedule
- Ordnance Survey 1:2500 mapping
- BGS mapping and monographs
- Confirmatory Sources: