The Pot Kilns and the Poisounous Fumes
The first kilns were pot kilns that were replaced by more efficient continually roasting kilns in 1924. Towards the end of the 1930s a large Hoffmann kiln was built. The early kilns were heated using wood and peat. This was later supplemented by lignite (brown coal). The Hoffmann kiln was heated by true coal. Burning these materials produced poisonous and etching fumes and workers commonly suffered from nosebleed. Vinther Christensen took over Sevel Lime-works in 1960 and started to modernise the quarrying procedure. Workers had previously used picks, shovels and simple lifting equipment, but he introduced mechanical diggers. About a year later, however, operations came to an end. Since many people who did not live locally thought that Sevel Lime-works was close to Sevel town, the town name was changed to Bjergby in 1960. The name Bjergby is probably derived from “æ bjerebak” which is the name of a large hill in the vicinity.
