Hello everyone! Great news – the Mills Archive will be holding its Research Competition for the 3rd time and we want you to enter!
Now before I tell you everything you need to know about the competition, I would like to share a word I only heard today – the word is ‘molinological’. I know most of you already know what this means, but if there are any other non-mill experts like me out there I thought I’d better define it, because I’m going to be using it a lot! Molinology is the study of mills and other mechanical devices which use the energy of water, wind or muscle to power machines. A very useful word for me – I wish I’d found it sooner!
Right, so the research for the competition must be on a topic connected with a traditional use of wind, water or muscle power. Steam power or roller mills are also accepted although research these carefully because you must be able to convince the judges that they are sufficiently molinological. Also, the use of the Archive is recommended – I don’t know where you could possibly find better documentation for your research! – but it is not a condition for entry.
There are 2 competitions within the Research Competition (it’s not as complicated as it sounds I promise!).
Competition 1 – The Research Award – This is an award of £50 for a short (about 5,000 words) original research entry. The winning entry will also be published as a special edition of Mill Memories.
Competition 2 – The Research Prize – This is an award of £500 for a major piece (about 25,000 words) of previously unpublished research which will also be printed as an A4 size standalone publication.
Last year’s winner was ‘Traditional Milling Technology in the English Cement Industry (1796-1899)’ by Edwin Trout. Edwin’s research highlights the use of the traditional wind- and waterpower in a production process that is usually characterised as a heavy, fuel-intensive industry. It also traces the industry’s mechanisation and electrification, concluding with the replacement of traditional millstones with modern ball-and-tube-mills in the 1890s.
Here is Edwin at last year’s Garden Party, after learning about his success:
Ron wrote in a blog post last year that cement mills are a neglected area of research and Edwin’s paper demonstrates how the topic is of great interest.
Edwin is the Manager of Information Services at the Concrete Society so Ron expressed how delighted the Mills Archive was that he had taken an interest in the ‘molinological aspects of the industry’.
The judges described Edwin’s paper as ‘a worthy prize-winner, well presented, clearly well researched and tackling a topic quite new to mill literature’. This comment is a great guideline for what you should be trying to achieve in your paper – clear presentation, well researched and most importantly, innovative and interesting.
Edwin’s paper will be available shortly and offered free of charge to our Friends.
Proposed titles for the next competition are required by the 1st December 2015 and completed entries must be submitted by 31st May 2016. The winners will be announced by the 31st July 2016.
So have fun with it, research the topic well, take advantage of all the Mills Archive has to offer on the website and catalogue, come in for a visit and most importantly – good luck!