Animals have gone hand in hand with milling for centuries from when millstones would be turned by mules, donkeys, horses or other animals. Although wind and water power became more commonly used, and the invention of roller machinery ruled out the use of animal power, this did not mean that animals and horses became an obsolete part of the industry. Indeed, they remained an integral part of it for a variety of reasons.
Transport: One of the most important parts of the milling process was the transport of wheat to the mill and the transport of flour from the mill. Before the days of bulk transport, vans, or even traction engines, it was to the lowly horse and cart that the miller would turn. Carts would be loaded up with sacks and then the drivers would go on their rounds delivering flour, a traditional daily scene. Even Joseph Rank, founder of the great Rank milling group, started as a hands-on miller and he too turned to horses as a means of transport to collect orders and then deliver flour. He was described as having ‘an especial pride in his horses, particularly the mare he drove in the dog-cart when canvassing for orders’ (Through the mill, pp.45-46). This love of horses did not diminish as his milling empire grew, as shown by an incident during World War II after Clarence Mills, Hull, were bombed. Mr. Rank went to visit the site and his first question was reportedly whether they had got the horses out. All will be relieved to hear that they did. Read more about Transport in the ‘From Field to Shelf’ section in the new Modern Milling Pages.
Feed: As roller milling was adopted by more and more millers at the end of the 19th century, there began to develop a serious issue of over-production of flour, leading to greater competition between mills. Many firms, large and small, looked for a second source of income and many settled on the same solution: provender. The production of animal feed, a process that was growing more scientific at this time, proved a salvation for many millers. The country millers, Over Bros., decided that ‘”Provender” was the answer’ to their issues in the 1920s and after getting a ‘new lorry, some new plant, and a new traveller’, this new venture was ready and allowed them to win through.
Another example proves that, in some instances, feed milling could provide greater longevity for a business than flour milling could. W. L. Duffield & Sons of Norfolk, is an example of this. Flour milling since 1893, this family business started producing animal compound feed in 1940. The firm still exists today but solely as animal feed producers as flour milling operations ceased in 1991. So flexibility and a willingness to adapt to different situations clearly allowed many firms to survive through the different difficulties faced.
Pets: A quick search in the Mills Archive catalogue for either ‘cat’ or ‘dog’ reveals multiple entries for these animals commonly kept as pets. However, these animals could also earn their keep through the hunting of mice and rats and other pests that could damage the flour. Indeed, a good mouse catcher was almost as valuable as any other worker. So much so that in Carr’s biscuit and milling factories, it was noted ‘the factory cats were well looked after, all 14 of them’. Clearly a valuable part of the industry! Take a look at our Flickr album called “Mill Cats and Dogs”.
Sources:
- Burnett, R. G., Through the Mill: The Life of Joseph Rank (Oxford, 2004).
- Over, T. R., Fifty Years of Milling (OVER-007).
- http://www.campdenfb.com/article/carr%E2%80%99s-carlisle
