I have come to the final day of my internship. Little did I think when I started back in the warmth of July last year that I would still be here in February with snow falling outside of the window! My initial three months here flew by, and I was very grateful to be invited back for another four months to continue work on the roller milling project. Now, after roughly eight months, I feel an established part of the archive and will miss coming in each day and hearing the latest milling and Archive news.
When I started last year, I remember feeling slightly daunted about the project I was about to begin, to create webpages for the Roller Flour Mill Project, as I knew nothing about roller milling or web design! However, everyone was very welcoming and helpful and, taking advantage of the numerous resources housed here at the Archive, I soon came to grips with the topic. Indeed, the wealth of information I have learnt over the past months has made the simple task of entering the baking isle in the supermarket take double the time, as every brand name I see is followed by a mental run down of the history of the firm! Despite resulting in this added shopping time, I have found the research on roller milling to be very interesting and informative, meaning I now have a greater appreciation for the amount of work that goes into many of the products that can be found on shelves today.
Whilst my work here has been a rewarding experience, and I have enjoyed learning about a new aspect of history, there have been challenges. The greatest was probably getting to grips with the new webpages and helping to design the templates. This process was entirely new to me and it took time to become comfortable with the site. However, over time I did and I am proud of the work that can now be seen on the Modern Milling section of the website (see below image for a screenshot of the home page).
My association with the Archive now spans almost three years, from when I first volunteered in 2016. My return to the Archive has allowed me to appreciate anew the important work that daily takes place here, and I am pleased to have been able to contribute to it for a short while. The time here has also confirmed my wish to pursue a career in archiving and assisted in me gaining a place on the Masters Course in Archive Administration at Aberystwyth University, for this September.
This, then, is my final blog, bringing an end to my weekly ramblings on some interesting roller milling topic that had come to my attention. I would like to thank the Mills Archive for the opportunity to work here again and all the staff and volunteers who have made me so welcome here, I will miss you all.
