Ken Major will feature on BBC Radio 4’s “Last Word” this Friday 21 August at 4pm Matthew Bannister presents the obituary series, analysing and celebrating the life stories of people who have recently died. The programme reflects on people of distinction and interest from many walks of life, some famous and some less well known.Ken’s…
Author: Ron Cookson
Ken Major Funeral and Memorial
Ken’s funeral (which was held in accordance with the custom of the Quakers) took place on Thursday 6 August at 11.30. The service took place in the South Chapel of Reading CrematoriumHelen has asked that no flowers be sent and instead donations be made either to Cancer Research UK or the MIlls Archive Trust. See http://www.millsarchivetrust.org/memorial.htm for…
Ken Major RIP 1928-2009
Ken passed away peacefully in the early hours of July 25 after a short illness. Details of funeral arrangements will be posted later. Ken was a Trustee of the Mills Archive (2002-2009), Chairman of TIMS (1977-1993) and Chairman of the SPAB Mills Section (1978-1984).
Weirs under threat from the Environment Agency
The BBC reports that historic wooden weirs on the River Thames and River Kennet may be replaced under a new flood management scheme. The Environment Agency wants to replace weirs in Northmoor, Radcot and Mapledurham in Oxfordshire, Molesey in Surrey and at Blakes Lock in BerkshireIt said mechanised weirs would be safer to use and…
Micro-wind turbines may not be the answer
The Energy Saving Trust has just published a nationwide study of the UK’s best locations for micro-wind turbines. Some households could lose money, some could make £2,800 a year. The study looked at 57 turbines across the UK and the EST website allows you to enter a postcode to determine an area’s potential value for…
Barry Mill to remain open
Gareth Hughes has just passed on today’s good news that Barry Mill will remain open. We highlighted the threat to this important Scottish mill in April. see http://www.millsarchivetrust.org/index.php/blogs/more/barry_mill_under_threat The full story is on the National Trust website at http://www.nts.org.uk/NewsStory/568/ National Trust for Scotland Chief Executive Kate Mavor said:“Barry Mill is a wonderful property and we are very…
Kodachrome RIP
Kodak have just announced they are discontinuing Kodachrome colour film. The Daily Telegraph “Digital cameras kill Kodachome slides” quotes the company as saying customers prefer to capture images with newer technology The Company’s wesbite has this link: http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=15359&pq-locale=en_GB Following on the earlier demise of the Kodak Carousel projector (although mine still works) this announcement is the…
A Mill Discovery?
John Boucher has pointed to new evidence of Pinxton Mill in Derbyshire. Pictures taken by Hugh Potter show the mill, which burnt down in 1844, depicted on a cup. The mill is not listed in Alan Gifford’s excellent Derbyshire Watermills (£5 from the Midlands Mill Group or from http://shop.millsarchivetrust.org/ ) John writes: These are the only known…
Who were the most interesting?
We all know the names of the great and the good in the mill world – but who were the most interesting mill people? My vote goes to EM Gardner, but you may have better ideas. Miss Gardner managed to persuade Rex Wailes and the powers that be of the importance of watermills. She must…
Any Hampshire Windmill Experts out there?
Did HES Simmons make mistakes? We posted this image on the eBay site recently describing it as Wicor Mill Porchester. The owner of the mill has pointed out it is the mill in his garden and Wicor mill is down the coast The card is stamped with Simmons’ name and labelled Wicor Mill Porchester 4-10-31…