“With flour-dust sprinkled in her greying hair and a beaming smile [she] runs, all alone, the centuries-old watermill of Thunder Bridge.” This jolly Gem is a newspaper cutting from the Daily Mail, from the 21st October 1938. It reports on the life and work of a certain Mrs H. Dickinson, who, having taken over the…
Since starting at the archive five weeks ago, I have gained a real appreciation for the complexity and skill required to run and maintain these fabulous mills and their machinery. One story I discovered this week demonstrates the time and effort that volunteers and millwrights have dedicated to keep these unique parts of our heritage…
Transport links are the lifeline of milling. This photograph shows a steam wagon outside Sonning watermill. The wagon is called Catherine Cooper; it was produced by E R Foden, a British truck and bus manufacturing company, and is an overtype steam wagon. The man on the right is the mill owner Mr Witherington with his son, whilst…
Some mills have miraculous powers. This postcard was produced by the Belgium publisher Marco Marchovici in the early 20th century. The illustration is of elderly women entering the ‘Mill of Old Age’ on the right. On leaving the mill they have been transformed into glamorous young ladies. In the middle of the mill there is…
Mills have been critical to the development of civilisation and play a central role in our culture. Not surprisingly, artists, poets and advertisers have featured them as icons to represent food, comfort, home and so much more. On the following pages, you can read more about the themes of advertising and symbolism in the context…
If an army marches on its stomach it is unsurprising that mills have played a crucial role in all manner of conflicts. See items relating to milling and warfare on our Gems pages here Contents 1: Contents2: Powder mills3: First World War ambulance trains4: Rationing
Here at the archives we have a unique collection of the Northwestern Miller stretching from 1897 to 1945. This incredible collection was rebound following a grant from the Mercer’s Company over 2500 copies were rebound in Scotland in 2016 improving their access for years to come. It contains many articles, images and features on mills and milling.…
Mills occupy a hugely significant place in the landscape. It is no wonder then they have inspired numerous artists. See some art related to milling on our new Gems pages here. Contents 1: Contents2: Sketches3: Paint4: Watercolours5: Lithographs
From measuring the amount of grain in a sack to making sure a windmill’s sails are the correct length, without measurements mills would fall apart and milling would be impossible. CONTENTS 1: CONTENTS2: Architects' drawings3: Trade tokens4: Imperial measurements5: Metrication See some of the items relating to measurement on our new Gems pages here.
Whilst the role of women in milling has often been underappreciated they have been crucial to its development. From its very origins with hand milling to today’s large-scale roller mills they have played a huge role. Millers Milling had its origins in Saddle and Rotary Querns and these were worked by slaves or women. However with increasing…
