Publication:

Sugar windmills

Full details

Authors & editors

van Bergen, Willem [Author]

Publisher International Molinology
Year of publication 2021 no 101 pp 2-9
Languages

Medium Article
Edition1
Topics

Food (non-cereal) processes > Sugar
Wind & watermills > Rest of the World (not Europe) > Caribbean

Tags

Scope & contentThis article deals specifically with wind-driven cane sugar mills of the Caribbean. The author explains that these were situated along the windward coasts, and very few complete examples now exist.

The earliest form were horizontal mills but from the early 18th c. were of the vertical tower type. The openings in the towers were always aligned with the prevailing trade winds; the mills had no brake and the caps had limited winding capability (due to the annexe for the crusher). Vertical crushing rollers were replaced by horizontal ones from around 1800.

The article describes the equipment and staffing of the mills, and includes a number of historic photographs.

Copies held

Accession no. 230659

  • Shelf location: INTERNATIONAL MOLINOLOGY
  • Notes: see boxed set