Today, Mark was assisting students from the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute, technical college, to finish off the building of a small trial lime kiln, at Lears Quarry, Barbados. After we had filled the kiln with layers of coal and charcoal and pure calcium carbonate coral stone, we set it alight. We are very grateful to CO Williams for providing the coral stones and sand for the build and burn, as well as the quarry venue.

Quicklime production stopped on the island in the early 1960’s, and M Womersleys on behalf of the Queen Elizabeth II, Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training Programme, funded by the Hamish Ogston Foundation, working with the local college is trying to develop appropriate conservation mixes for the island’s historic buildings. The lime burn will give us the quick lime to slake, so that later on this month we can trial different mixes for building, plastering and render repair.