The Middy February 25 1999

Clay gave town a solid foundation

Brick and tile making was Burgess Hill’s main industry at the turn of the century.

Records referring to St John's Common date to the 17th century, although the town's major brick and tile works were not established until the 19 century.

Local historian Fred Avery described the look of the town in the 1830s: “The most familiar sites to residents of Burgess Hill must have been the many rows of long narrow drying sheds, kilns, large mounds of clay left to weather, brushwood bundles, bricks and terracotta products which dominated the scene in almost all directions.”

Albert Gregory in The Story of Burgess Hill, added: “There was every conceivable development in the art and mystery of pottery manufacture…..designs that could not be effected by hand being wrought by machinery of the most elaborate description.”

By the late 19th century, virtually all the land between Station Road and Church Road was being used for pottery purposes. A little pug-mill, (‘pug’ was is the term for clay being mixed to make bricks), survived to this very day, tucked away behind the Royal George public house.

Industry caused problems with the air quality in the town: “At times the atmosphere must have been badly affected during certain adverse weather conditions which frequently caused dense smoke to cover the entire area”.

The smoky air was caused by processes used in the manufacture of brick and tiles.

“Clamps” of bricks were left burning in the open for a week in addition to smoke emitted from the killings. 

As well as more well-known brickworks – Meeds, Keymer, Gravett’s and Normans – Burgess Hill was home to at least half a dozen other works at the turn of the century.

Not everyone was impressed with the state of the town during these formative years. A correspondent called ‘Fitz-Harry’ wrote a series of letters to the Middy complaining about the clouds of smoke that hung over the town and the condition of the roads. 

One letter read: “They describe Burgess Hill as a very pleasant place. Well, so it is – the mud is only a foot deep, and the air is deliciously perfumed with smoke from the potteries - that smoke which gets into your eyes and nose and down your throat. Oh! It makes my eyes water to think of it.”

William Norman, from Chailey was one of the first established potters to move into Burgess Hill, running the works with brother Richard.

Norman began to acquire land in the town in 1820s after the enclosure of Saint Johns Common.

The brick works were established on a site which was boarded by Norman Road, Station Road and London Road, reaching up to The Brow.

The pottery was closed in 1930 and the site is now occupied by Halfords and Jaeger.

Norman's potteries were adjacent to those of Henry Gravett.

Gravett’s extended as far as Station Road and operated on both sides of the road until its closure in 1909. The site is now occupied by Gravett Court.

By the start of the First World War, brick and tile making in Burgess Hill had gone into decline – many brick working sites had become overworked and demand for products was falling.

W. Meeds and Son, was a large works sited in Pottery Lane, (now Station Road).

Bob Steer of Nightingale Lane, Burgess Hill, worked as a clerk at the brickworks from the age of 14.

He remembers the drying sheds being roughly opposite where the entrance to Oakmeeds Community School now stands and the school playing fields are where the kilns once stood.

Meeds products were used locally and shipped abroad.

In an advert published in 1912, the works was described as having: 

“3 silver medals, one bronze medal, one diploma and testimonials from South Africa and other colonies.”

Meeds product range included: “All kinds of bricks, tiles, chimney pots, socket, water and land drain pipes; flower pots, seed pans and rhubarb pots and all kinds of Brownware pottery.”

Decorative pieces included: “New designs in art pottery for decorating drawing rooms, halls and painting, garden vases, umbrella stands, fern holders in great variety.”

Production at Meeds slowed at the beginning of World War II.

Blackout restrictions were in force, kilns were covered with iron sheeting and fire holes were blacked out by hessian.

These measures hindered the flow of hot air – the maximum temperature of the kiln had to be extended and the amount of fuel needed was increased.

Meeds closed in early 1941 as a result of blackout difficulties and coal shortages.

Oakmeeds Community School now stands on the side of the works.

The last remaining part of the brickworks is William Meed’s house in Station Road, now offices, which stands next to McDonald's.

Keymer brick and Tile Company is the only surviving brickyard in Burgess Hill.

The works stand on a former yard which was destroyed by fire in 1884.

The Keymer brick works were built to a modern concept, 13 large kilns with separate chimneys replaced the older clamps, beehive kilns, long drying sheds and mounds of clay.

During the Second World War, the works were completely closed and the buildings and kilns used by the Admiralty for storage.

Due to a drop in demand during the 1970s, a decision was made in 1978 to stop brick making and concentrate on producing handmade clay roofing tiles.

Demand for tiles has been steadily on the increase since, except for a temporary decline in production during the recession of the early 1990s.

Today, tiles are used across the British Isles and are also exported to Europe, America and more recently, Russia.

The signature mark of the brickworks, the imprint of a hand is still in use today.

Acknowledgements:

A very improving neighbourhood – Burgess Hill 1840 to 1914. Ed Brian Short.

Burgess Hill, its history and Guy – Burnett and co-.

Sussex pottery – John Mannering.

From Pyecombe to Cuckfield – Mark Daphne and Eileen Hallett