G&S Brown Drainage Contractors

Family History

G & S Brown are the oldest established dedicated drainage contractor in the South East. We are a family run business, run by Graham Brown, a 3rd generation drainage contractor and his twin sons, Richard and Robert Brown. Eldedst son, Stephen also helps out weekends and when necessary. Their great grandfather Edwin, starting the family business in 1947 trading as EH Brown & Sons. Early land drainage and ditching work was carried out by hand or by Edwins first investment of a dragline with a banksman behind it. As trenching technology improved a rotary hoe trencher was next purchased and a second one soon followed. With the introduction of plastic land drainage pipe in the seventies, much narrower and deeper digging trenchers were developed, and so Edwin’s sons Bob (Graham’s father) and Peter who were running the business then replaced the Rotary Hoes with 2 Barth chain trenchers.

Being the era of generous Agricultural grants for land drainage, the equipment was replaced and upgraded regularly by more modern accessories such as laser grading etc. Although a surge in golf course construction and sportsfield drainage continued, the agricultural grant aid was reduced and finally withdrawn, thus leading to a big reduction in drainage and so investment was forced to be cut. Several of our competitors then finished, but we continued doing what we do best, it being in our blood. This resulting in our latest investment of a 2010 Mastenbroek 15/15.

Dragline
Rotary Hoe
Barth K140
New Machine
Barth K171 left to right 4th generation Robert and Richard, 2nd generation Bob holding Louis the 5th generation in the making, 4th generation cousin Matt, and 3r generation Graham

Barth K171 left to right 4th generation Robert and Richard, 2nd generation Bob holding Louis the 5th generation in the making, 4th generation cousin Matt, and 3r generation Graham

With the next generation of young grandchildren showing a keen interest in diggers etc, we hope to continue for many years.