Our story

My father Nigel started his business in 1949. He came to Yelvertoft with his mother and father and set up the business on the premises in the High Street.

There were existing buildings on the site which he was able to utilise.

My father made most of the Alabaster working machines himself. He bought surplus  parts from Dick Bluetts dismantling yard on Hixon Airfield. He used parts from aircraft, including hydraulic and fuel pumps, compressors and fittings from Merlin engines. Many of these are still giving faithful service. He assembled a lifting gantry from a pair of aircraft wing jacks. The largest Alabaster block they lifted was 5 tons. I dismantled the gantry this year and donated the still sevicable wing jacks. There are also parts from Cromwell Tanks and a pair of Anti Aircraft gun mounts that have been in service on a frame saw for over 70 years.

Dad and his elder brother Peter grew up with Meccano and he used to say that the parts he bought were just a big set that needed fitting together.

Alabaster is a salt which is very corrosive to metal and attacks concrete.         

The machines he made worked dry to avoid this problem

He worked English Alabaster from Fauld Mine. This material was always in limited supply and block cutting ceased in the 1980's.

When I joined him in 1972 I worked in a building he had set up to work Onyx and Marble.

I expanded that side of the business and continue to manufacture a limited quantity of finished products which appear on this website.