History is still being written by millers and millwrights. Their legacies grow even beyond their lifetimes, shaping organisations and individuals who make ripples of their own. By supporting us, you will preserve the knowledge to keep our shared heritage alive and provide life-changing experiences for our volunteers. Even one person can touch the lives of many, like
David Nicholls
GBMR-1013.
The legacy of the millwright, David Nicholls (1938–2020), is alive on both sides of the Atlantic. His long career restoring historic mills started at Woodbridge Tide Mill in 1973 where he learnt from the millwright, Derek Ogden. While Ogden’s collection contains plans that have been used to restore mills in the UK and the US, David focused on the Caribbean.
His surveys facilitated the restoration of Morgan Lewis Windmill, Barbados—the only remaining sugar mill in the region. Between 1994 and 1999, people from and outside the island came together to open the mill to the public. David set up The Amy Nicholls Mill Wall Project for the Barbadian Ministry of Education, involving schools plotting the island’s remaining mill walls. David’s company, The Chiltern Partnership donated prizes for winning entries. Your help will ensure these tools to save mills are preserved and their stories are shared worldwide.
Restoring Morgan Lewis Mill, the David Nicholls Collection.
Wellesbourne Watermill, Warwick Castle Watermill and Wilton Windmill—just some of the UK mills David helped to restore. After working on Mapledurham Mill, he ran a weekend milling operation there from 1981 before handing over the keys to one of our founders, Mildred Cookson in 1985. David and his wife Diana’s support shaped Mildred’s career and her impressive collection of milling records. This is now being transferred to the Archive to be catalogued. Your support will allow us to care for incoming collections that will inspire others to safeguard their history.
In 2000, David sold The Chiltern Partnership to IJP Building Conservation Limited (later Owlsworth IJP), where he served as director of millwork until 2002. Owlsworth accumulated records needed to restore mills and preserve the skills to do so, which were transferred to the Archive last year. David helped shape this collection, not to mention his own.
Our volunteer Amanda worked for six months to catalogue David’s plans, surveys, photographs, research and more making up decades of work protecting built heritage. This experience propelled Amanda into the archiving team at the Museum of English Rural Life. She wrote: “If I hadn’t gained such excellent experience at the Mills Archive, I would not be about to make this next step”. Your generous help will allow more volunteers to preserve their heritage.
How we store and share knowledge directs the course of the future. Millwrights like Nicholls’ kept milling alive and allowed it to grow, shaping lives from aspiring millwrights to our volunteers.
Currently, volunteer Jamie is working to catalogue the records of North Leverton Windmill, the oldest UK windmill in continual operation, so they are available in our archive. Volunteer Ashley has already used his experience at the Mills Archive, cataloguing the records of the watermill expert, Alan Stoyel, to enter the archiving profession. By supporting the Trust, you will ensure that knowledge can continue to grow, giving the next generation the skills to keep our heritage alive.
Please consider supporting us in carrying on David’s work, bringing heritage to life and using it to change the lives of our volunteers.
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