Many of London's Victorian buildings are built of coarse-textured yellow
bricks. These are 'London stocks', produced in very large quantities all
through the nineteenth century and notable for their ability to
withstand the airborne pollutants of the Victorian city. Whether visible
or, as is sometimes the case, hidden behind stonework or underground,
they form a major part of the fabric of the capital. Until now, little
has been written about how and where they were made and the people who
made them. Peter Hounsell has written a detailed history of the industry
which supplied these bricks to the London market, offering a fresh
perspective on the social and economic history of the city.