Port Haney planter produces memories of historic brickyard

A photograph of a planter pot in a garden has brought up memories of Port Haney Brick and Tile Company.

Maple Ridge resident Heather Tottenham posted a photo of a planter she has in her backyard in the Facebook group Haney Now and Then, saying, “Funny things you find in the garden. I remember field trips to Haney Brick and Tile when in elementary school”.

She was in Grade 3 at Glenwood Elementary School, and recalled her classmates loading up in cars to go on those field trips about once a year.

She found the planter in a friend’s basement who had passed away.

“I forgot about it until my daughter pulled it out of the basement. Two years ago she planted stuff in it. I happened to be weeding the garden and I looked at it and it said Port Haney on it,” said Tottenham, who guessed it was originally meant to be some sort of piping.

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Port Haney Brick and Tile Company was founded in 1907 along the former Hinch Road, now 225 Street by W. Horie, E. Baynes, and H. Burnet.

The brickyard employed as many as 90 people during the 1920s and shut down in 1977, after it was no longer profitable.

Richard Sutcliffe, who commented on the photo, said a friend of his found some Haney brick in Cuba.

“Would have gone there as ballast on a returning sugar boat, maybe with a load of MR (Maple Ridge) Lumber’ product,” he speculated.

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Marcus Mitton, who also commented on the Facebook post, remembered digging along the bank right across from Port Haney Brick and Tile, finding many “neat” bottles. One dated 1890 said, “Burnett’s pure cocaine Boston Mass. USA”. And Mitton said, he discovered opium bottles there.

“They were so fragile and very tiny. I had about 12 when I sold off my collection. I bet ya could still find stuff there and towards Billy Miner pub too,” he said.

Jim-Cori Terepocki added he sifted through an acre across from Port Haney Brick and Tile in 1970 with screens and found 18 gold and silver rings, and $18 in old coins.

“One ring,” he said, “had a nice ruby and I found one with a very nice blue pear shaped sapphire+ 4x small diamonds….was offered $125 by BC Collateral in Vancouver, in 1971. I Still have the red gold ring…but the stone fell out!”