In this part of the Black Country, brick making was a major industry in the 20th century, and the nearby brickworks provided many Gornal folk with employment.

Raw materials were readily available, and led to brickworks emerging often as side-lines of the existing coal industry, the local clays were particularly suited to fire brick manufacture, Benjamin Gibbons of Dibdale, Lower Gornal was a major manufacturer and employer.
E.P. Cartwright was another large brick works at the top of Jews Lane in Upper Gornal, and of course Baggeridge Brick in the neighboring Parish.

Brick yard labour tasks were mainly carried out by young girls (pre-marriage) and a smaller number of older or married women.
In 1881 there were 87 female workers from Lower Gornal in the brick yards, in 1891, 143 and by 1901 this had increased to over 160.
Only a handful of men were employed in the works from the same area and period.

All brick making in Gornal and the surrounding districts have now ceased.

Before the 18th century and the first part of the 19th Century, local stone from Ruiton was favoured for building
However it appears bricks were much used for industrial building, sometimes brick kilns were temporarily established in the vicinity of a new build, and bricks made on the spot from locally dug clay.

Brick Kiln Lane (pronounced 'Bricklin Lane') in Gornal Wood, most likely had kilns there at some point in the past however nothing found to confirm this.

Melvilles Directory of 1851 also lists the following brick makers in Gornal:-
James Bates, fire brick manufacturers.
Parker and Fellows, brick manufacturers and quarry owners, Upper Gornal.