Mountfield Gypsum Mine - Queries!

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Vanoord
54.4% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

13 years ago

Two queries have been received regarding Mountfield Gypsum Mine:

Quote:

I am trying to find out whether it is possible for members of the public to visit the Mountfield mine. A group of geography and geology graduates from Queen Mary College are having a reunion in early October this year, staying at Seddlescombe, and we were wondering whether it would be possible to visit the mine.

If you have any contacts for the mine that you are able to pass on, or information re visits that would be really helpful.

Quote:

am finding it very hard to find a means of contact to speak to someone associated with ‘Mountfield Gypsum Mines’.

I am secretary of the Hastings Senior Men’s Forum and wondered if someone could come and talk to our members about the history and workings of the mine at Mountfield.

If you cannot help me yourself perhaps you could point me in the right direction.

Can anyone assist? :flowers:

Hello again darkness, my old friend...

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rikj
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

13 years ago

Is not Brightling/Mountfield British Gypsum?

Peter Burgess
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

13 years ago

Yes. In 2005 when we held the NAMHO conference in Surrey we tried to arrange a trip to Brightling. Although initial enquiries looked promising, eventually it transpired that visits would only be entertained for British Gypsum clients. We declined to set up a contract with them to provide us with a large stack of unwanted plasterboard panels, so the trip had to be dropped from the schedule. Mountfield is also BG.

As for giving a talk - sorry, I don't have any contacts I can think of.

Peter Burgess
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

13 years ago

It might be an idea for the second enquirer to contact Sussex IA Society in case they are aware of anyone who knows the history of the gypsum mines.

http://www.sussexias.co.uk/

Tocsin
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

I have been trying for some time through KURG with little or no joy. I had a series of correspondence with the mine manager back in 2006 / 7 and he said that their previously regular evening trips had stopped temporarily but he would advise when they restarted. I prompted a few times to no avail and here we are six years on. :glare:

I do have a contact (who I am seeing at a dig tomorrow) whose next door neighbor works at the mine and he is making enquiries. I think this is the best way ahead because some groups certainly do get in, apparently the Village Institute from the nearby Mayfield got a tour last year.

If I eventually do get anywhere I'll report back.

I don't like the look of that woodwork.

derrickman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

I'd be interested to see Mountfield. I worked there in 1986-ish on a contract to stabilise the drift through a zone of bad ground and excavate floor pockets for the forthcoming conveyor system. I also worked on the construction of an underground bunker a short while later.

When I worked for Foraky there was a big stage in the yard which had been used for ground freezing at the Sherburn-in-Elmet mine some years before.

''the stopes soared beyond the range of our caplamps' - David Bick...... How times change .... oh, I don't know, I've still got a lamp like that.