Bibliography - Burgess Hill Local History Society
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Emily Temple: A Burgess Hill Benefactress , by Pat Farrell and Shirley Penny, published 2005 (Occasional papers, no. 1, 31 pp., Burgess Hill Local History Society, ISBN-10: 0954928105 & ISBN-13: 9780954928100) accessible at: British Library & Burgess Hill Local History Society & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

The Burgess Hill Local History Society have published a small booklet about Emily Temple who was an early benefactress of our town although is little known. Born in the early years of the nineteenth century she became a successful woman in what was then a man's world. Madame Temple, as she like d to be called, came to live in Burgess Hill building St. John's House for herself. Later she built five villas in Upper St John's Road, five pairs of semi-detached villas in Lower Church Road and the St John's Institute (now Park Centre). Madame Temple also gave generously to the poor.

Norman and Burt: Local Builders of Renown, by Frederic M. Avery, published 1 November 2007 (Occasional papers, no. 2, 42 pp., Burgess Hill Local History Society, ISBN-10: 0954928113 & ISBN-13: 9780954928117) accessible at: Burgess Hill Local History Society & West Sussex Libraries

A History of the Keymer Tile Works, by Frederic M. Avery, published 1 July 2011 (Occasional papers, no. 3, 31 pp., Burgess Hill Local History Society, ISBN-10: 0954928121 & ISBN-13: 9780954928124) accessible at: Burgess Hill Local History Society

Keymer Tile Works has been one of the foremost works in Sussex since the nineteenth century producing good quality bricks and tiles which were used on many buildings throughout south-east England. This book traces the origins of the works and of its many owners in a great deal of detail. The works was originally set up by Sampson Copestake, an entrepreneur who bought large parts of what is now Burgess Hill and the works was well established by 1875, with Henry Johnson, by then a partner, as Johnson & Co. The works was located to the south of Cant's Lane and adjacent to the Eastbourne to Lewes railway line, firing bricks using the clamp system. After a disastrous fire in 1884, the works was substantially rebuilt and was then trading as the Keymer Brick Company, with all bricks being kiln fired and including one large Hoffman kiln. After WWI the works expanded and two more Hoffman kilns, eleven circular beehive kilns and some tunnel kilns were added.
One criticism of the book is that there is not a very coherent description of the structures on the site - the architectural drawing of No 1. Brickworks is the only one included whereas there were several; other drawings were available. Two unfortunate mistakes are that mathematical tiles pre-dated the Brick Tax by several decades and the correct name of the Brighton Children's Hospital was The Royal Alexandra Hospital for Sick Children. It is also unfortunate that some of the illustrations have not reproduced well.
As a history of the firm and its personalities this is an excellent publication and well worth having for anyone interested in brickmaking and Burgess Hill.