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HRH The Duke of Kent, KG, officially opened the new offices, showroom and works of A Burslem and Son Ltd in Frant on November 19th 2008.
The company, founded in 1845 by Thomas Burslem, who had previously walked from Burslem in Staffordshire to Tunbridge Wells to set up his business, specialised in churches and new stone buildings. However, following the 1st Word War and the founding of the Imperial War Graves Commission by local author Rudyard Kippling, became heavily involved in the manufacture and inscribing of headstone for the numerous soldiers lost on The Western Front as well as the war memorials at Etaples, Tyne Cot, Kensington, Tunbridge Wells, Dar Es Salam and Gallipoli the company also supplied all the engraved Portland Stone Panels to the war memorials at Thiepval and The Menin Road Gate at Ypres. In all over 150,000 headstones were made as well as the numerous war memorials. More recently the company has been involved in the new war memorials at Detling Hill and Tonbridge both in Kent. The Duke is patron of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and thus the company's long association was a primary interest for him.
Whilst occasional contracts are carried out for The Commonwealth War Graves Commission the emphasis of the business has now moved towards supplying hand made memorials to local churches and cemeteries, architectural stone supply, granite marble and limestone for kitchens and bathrooms and more recently the supply of Quartz stone.
David Hall, Managing Director of Burslem commented "we have been trying to find the right location to bring our business together for a number of years and are delighted with the outcome. We are able to offer our customers a huge range of materials in stock here and from local suppliers and offer a wide range of samples and demonstrated applications in our show room. It was of course and honour to host His Royal Highness who has a keen interest in the work we do, the skills and technology we employ and the materials we work with. It was wonderful to be able to introduce him to the team here as well as a number of our regular clients."
For further information:
Sara-Jane Wrightson or David Hall
Tel: 01892 750 120 Email: enquiries@burslem.co.uk
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