Even in my short acquaintance with mills, I have seen Groups come and go, so is there any point to them? Recently the group in Kent (of all places!) folded because no-one would continue the good work carried on for many years by Paul Jarvis and his contemporaries.
I think that we need these Groups and the Groups need us! National bodies such as the Mills Section serve a purpose, but the real work and knowledge is in the regions. That’s where all the fun is as well. It is so much easier to go to a local meeting and find out what is going on round you. The Internet helps but you have to know where to start.
All the Groups need more active members. Some groups are listed on our “important sites” http://www.millsarchivetrust.org/important_sites.htm but others are not. Does anyone care?
An article by Brian Pike in the current Sussex Mills Group Newsletter raises some important issues about how Groups communicate. Surprisingly a mechanism has been in place since before the Internet was born. The process, called COGS, seems to dying on its feet. If you want to know more Brian can be contacted via the Sussex Mills Group at http://www.sussexmillsgroup.org.uk/contact.htm
If we do not hang together, then we will certainly hang separately.