Lime kiln captures heritage of man and place

The remarkable life of limestone entrepreneur Thomas James Briggs has been recognised through the State heritage listing of the commercial lime kiln, which he built at the age of 15.

  • 1874 lime kiln built by 15-year-old Thomas James Briggs

  • Second site in Carine to be entered into State Register of Heritage Places

The remarkable life of limestone entrepreneur Thomas James Briggs has been recognised through the State heritage listing of the commercial lime kiln, which he built at the age of 15.

Heritage Minister Albert Jacob said that while only a ruin of Briggs' Kiln remains in Carine today, it was important it was heritage listed to ensure its recognition and preservation into the future.

"Heritage is so often about the stories - the stories behind buildings, places, monuments, and in this case, the ruins of a lime kiln," Mr Jacob said.

"Thomas james Briggs was a remarkable man, who not only built and operated a lime kiln as a very young man but opened a quarry and established and sold several lime-producing businesses until his death in 1935 at age 76.

"In fact, Briggs became synonymous with the commercial lime producing industry to the extent that when he sold his company Briggs & Co and then set up a new company Briggs & Rowland, the new company claimed to have "~the only Briggs in the trade'."

During his life, Thomas James Briggs was active on the political scene. He was Mayor of Claremont from 1907 to 1909 and ran unsuccessfully for the State seat of Claremont and the Federal seat of Fremantle.

Briggs' Kiln, located off Reid Highway, is a rare example of commercial lime burning in Western Australia during the late 19th century. The circular kiln measuring two metres in diameter was constructed of random uncoursed limestone rubble, lined with red brick, with a single half metre opening. Today, only the base of the kiln remains.

Limestone was burnt at a high temperature to produce quicklime and slaked lime. Both products are used in the manufacture of cement, plaster and lime mortar, which were essential for the building industry as the State grew following the gold boom of the 1890s.

The kiln is the second site in Carine to be included in the State Heritage Register. An 1880-constructed cottage known as Bestry or Duffy Cottage on Old Balcatta Road was heritage listed in 1999.

      Fact File

Minister's office - 6552 5800