Calcium sulfate hemihydrate, commonly known as plaster of Paris or Gypsum, has long been known to be very agreeable for moulding and casting items of varying shapes and sizes. Far less is known of it’s properties for becoming invisible at certain temperatures.

One man who was fully aware of this remarkable reaction was Jonty Climpson, a man of independent means who had spent years and a small fortune refining the process. He published his findings in a pamphlet entitled The Remarkable Gypsum. It was this pamphlet, read by Butler Smith which had made Kings Lynn his obvious choice when deciding where to reside when London had become too attentive to his sartorial dalliances. He very quickly fell in with Climpson, who was also secretly fond of dressing up, though it must be said the latters costumes tended to be more socially favoured, particularly by the women of the day.

Climpson, in turn was enthralled by Butler Smiths inventiveness, and was excited by the Butler Smiths suggestion of making items of clothing fashioned from his gypsum, which they decided to set to work immediately.

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Meanwhile at Pilbeck, Odham MacGuinness had almost completed work on Soames’ chukkeries and had decided to vist Kings Lynn for a short break before the final chukk’s were put in position. On Wednesday 23rd June he asked Soames for the loan of a bicycle and after packing some lunch, set out. The journey from Pilbeck to Kings is roughly 20 miles and Odham MacGuinness, a keen cyclist, made good headway, arriving at The Guildhall by early afternoon. He spent a short time browsing around before deciding to go and see The Customs House. As he was approaching this notable location, a most peculiar thing happened. Odham MacGuinness’ bicycle came to a sudden halt in the middle of a seemingly empty road, and Nod was flung over the handle bars to land on something that made a loud exclamation of pain and yet could not not be seen. He had of course collided with Butler Smith who was parading around wearing a long gown fashioned from Climpson’s gypsum. One can only imagine the ensuing exchanges between the two, history, alas, does not record the exact details, however things resolved themselves amicably enough because within the hour Butler Smith, and Odham MacGuinness had been joined by Climpson in The Kings Mead public house and were well on the way to becoming not only  inebriated but also firm friends.