The Loxley Valley in Sheffield became a significant center for refractory (heat resistant) materials during the 19th century, with several firms, including Thomas Marshall and Co., operating in the area. Thomas Marshall and Co. were based at the Storrs Bridge Fireclay Works in Loxley.
In the 1930s, three companies—Thomas Marshall’s, Thomas Wragg and Sons, and Dysons—produced 95% of all hollow refractories in Great Britain. The Storrs Bridge Fireclay Works was severely impacted by the Great Sheffield Flood of 1864 but was rebuilt and continued operations, manufacturing fire bricks, glazed sewage pipes, and chimney tops. The factory sourced pot clay from the nearby Top Cabin Mine, connected via an inclined tramway.
Modernizations in the mid-20th century, including the introduction of electricity and improved haulage systems, boosted productivity. However, declining demand due to changes in steel manufacturing and the downturn of the British steel industry led to the mine’s closure in the early 1980s and the factory’s shutdown in the early 1990s.
