 Peter Musgrove with Mills Archive staff and interns |
| My journey began over coffee and biscuits at the dining table of Dr Peter J Musgrove. It was a chilly December afternoon in 2022 and our archivist Nathanael and I had been invited to speak with Peter about his personal archive and the potential of the Trust to provide a home for it. My first conversation with Peter goes much further back, some ten years, to a garden party in which I met Peter and who impressed upon me the importance of archiving the application of wind for electricity generation. Peter saw it as a natural extension of the Trust’s remit to protect, preserve and promote the history of milling and the associated traditional power sources. This is just one example of his ability to foresee future needs. His career in wind energy is another. Also, his efforts to retain documents and photographs, which evidence the developments – along with the highs and lows – of the transition of the UK (and in some cases further afield) to renewable energy. |
 Peter Musgrove’s photo of a wind turbine during construction at Carno Wind Farm, Wales in 1996. |
| That first conversation has always stuck with me, and in late 2022 we found ourselves in a position to reengage in the discussion. Fast forward a year or so, and we have now received this important collection. This collection encapsulates Peter’s own journey into wind energy, his successful career and his 2010 publication of the book, Wind Power, which unusually covers the whole story, from ancient times and up to modern times. His collection also preserves the origins and early activities of a range of significant institutions, associations and companies, such as the British Wind Energy Association, founded in 1978 by four people, including Peter who became its first chairman. |
 Peter’s photographs of the Vertical Axis Wind Turbine built at Carmarthen Bay, Wales in 1986. This project was to test the efficiency of the VAWT design. |
| I am studying the part-time Masters course in Archives & Records Management, and one of my modules requires me to catalogue a collection. I didn’t hesitate to select Peter’s collection, and it has been a privilege to catalogue his collection and open up public access. His collection – 18 boxes – is now available to explore on our catalogue here. The next stage will be to catalogue parts of his collection to item level and to digitise some of the most significant records. It has at times been a daunting task, but always enlightening and enjoyable. It has expanded and enhanced my own view of the world, of recent history and the difference that an individual can make locally, nationally and globally. |
 Peter was an early advocate for the potential of offshore windfarms, such as that at North Hoyle featured in this brochure produced by National Wind Power in 2002. |
