New Australians Start Brick Kiln

After completing their compulsory two years’ work, five South Australian Lithuanians, three of them brothers began their own brick company.  The Užubalis brothers, Petras, Jonas and Vladas together with Tadas Žurauskas and Hans Blaze rented land 20 miles from Adelaide on the Onkaparinga river at Port Noarlunga.  The Manager Hans Glaze was a mechanical engineer, Jonas and one other were brick makers. 

 They built a kiln that would fire 20,000 bricks a week, enough for one house.  They had an unlimited supply of clay from the river.

Clay Products (Port Noarlunga) Ltd., brick manufacturers, has been incorporated in Adelaide with a nominal capital of £10,000.  The company has been formed to take over the business of Clay Products, Noarlunga.  At that time there were seven directors, six of whom are Lithuanians.  The business was sold three years later, and the men moved back to Adelaide to take up different employment.

 

Jonas Uzubalis (left), his son Alvydas and J. Mockunas with some of the bricks made and dried ready for firing when the kiln is completed.

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954)Thursday 13 July 1950 - Page 13