My grandfather Cecil worked at British Gypsum, the largest plaster mine in the south-east of England.

He started working in the mine when he left school, and in 1939, at the onset of World War II, he left the mines to work on the railways to aid in the war effort. After the war ended, he returned to the mines in 1946 to carry on with his career in mining gypsum.

He finally retired from British Gypsum on July 23, 1973.

My father and uncle both followed in his footsteps in the mines, albeit for a shorter period of time. Mountfield Gypsum Mine 1876-1993. Gypsum seams first discovered in the 1870s during the sinking of the Sub-Wealden Borehole, ostensibly a scientific project.

Sussex gypsum production is now concentrated at Brightling Mine.

We are proud to still use locally sourced British gypsum plaster mined from the same location in all our lighting today.