Friends of Upminster Windmill

http://www.upminsterwindmill.co.uk

Membership enquiries e-mail to fouwjoin@hotmail.com

BAFM Membership No. SE(EC)/100496

Chairman: R W D Sharp, 4 Plough Rise, Cranham, RM14 1XS

Tel/Fax: 01708 226040 Email: bobsharp@ukonline.co.uk

Secretary: F A J Morley, 42 Gaynes Park Road, Upminster, RM14 2HP

Tel: 01708 703740

Windmill News – May 2003

Editors – Bob Sharp and Brenda Coombs

On our second Open Weekend in April many visitors and local residents enjoyed the sight of our windmill sails turning freely in the wind. Those of us at the Mill watched with delight. Members of our Tuesday afternoon work party have adjusted the brake so that the sails can move more easily and our thanks go to those dedicated workers. It is very satisfying to see progress! The leasing of the windmill to the Upminster Windmill Preservation Trust has to be agreed and significant funds have to be raised before major restoration can start but in the interim period members of our working group are continuing to make improvements to the Mill and to carry out repairs where possible. More information is given later in the newsletter.

The May Open Weekend was very successful and there were more than two hundred visitors over the two days. The Havering Amateur Radio Club operated GB2UW on both days and made many contacts on the short wave and VHF bands. The Romford Tractor Group brought their display of tractors and barn engines on the Sunday. Angela Watkinson and her husband visited us on the Sunday and also spent a long time chatting to people in the 'Ham' tent and the tractor folk.

CHARITY STATUS FOR FRIENDS

After some months of consultation with the Charities Commission our application for charitable status is on the point of being approved. The final Commission requirement was met when we adopted its own model constitution at our AGM on 22 April and George Saddington our Vice-Chairman expects to receive confirmation of our success in the next few weeks. When this happens we will, among other benefits, be able to claim tax relief on our membership subscriptions.

WORK AT THE MILL

Paul Kemp and Colin Finch have been working hard repairing and replacing rotted hemlaths. The wedges which hold the sail stocks tightly in place have been replaced and the sails are now secure. The position of the brake has been corrected and the sails now turn freely. Shutters are being put back in the sails so that their operation can be demonstrated on open days. When there are no visitors in the mill the sails can now be allowed to turn by the wind provided it is coming from the right direction.

Clamps will be fitted to the sail stocks before long to strengthen them. These are large timbers about 15 feet long and 10 inches by 6 inches at their largest section which will be bolted and clamped to the stocks on the outside of the ‘canister’ which is the forward end of the windshaft.

We have also purchased 250 feet of weatherboarding so that we can carry out temporary repairs in the area where boards have split. The boards were specially cut and prepared for us by Bakers of Danbury who have worked on the mill in the past.

A band saw has been ‘permanently loaned’ to us by Susannah Burden of the Essex Mills Group whose mother is custodian of Bocking Windmill. To assist with further projects we have just purchased a mortising machine which will be of great use in making new fittings for the display area. We are indebted to those who have made donations specifically for the purchase of tools and machinery.

SOCIAL EVENTS

Quiz Night

The Quiz Night held at the end of March was a great success. Many people have said how much they enjoyed it. Thanks again, Gill and Steve, for providing us with an excellent evening and for helping us to raise a substantial amount for the Windmill Fund.

Audio Visual Extravaganza

Essex Audio Visual Club gave us a delightful presentation of their work earlier this month. The items in their programme were very varied and of an extremely high standard. Those who went along to the event enjoyed the evening and a small profit was made to add to our Fund.

BICENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

As readers know, the Windmill will be 200 years old this year and it was decided to hold a little event to celebrate this occasion. I have been amazed at the amount of interest shown by people and it seems that our ‘little event’ will be somewhat larger than first anticipated – but all for the good of promoting the Mill.

The event will be held on Sunday 13 July, from approximately 2.00pm to 6.00pm to complement the Upminster Fun Day. We are hoping that most of the people involved at the Mill will be dressed in 1803 costume. Exhibits which we hope to have include corn dollies, lace making, pottery, willow and basket work, bee-keeping, a mobile forge and various country crafts such as wood lathe turning. Upminster Art Society will be there with paintings of the Mill and there will be information on flour making and sugarcraft. Copies of the original deeds will also be on show.

Entertainment will include childrens’ games, rides in the wagon pulled by Bonnets Shire Horses, music by ‘Highly Strung’, and, with a pageant on the hour every hour, it should be a lively afternoon.

We are also hoping to see the sails turn on the day. This, to me, would be the highlight of the event as one can see the Mill from many view points around Havering.

Hope to see you that afternoon. I shall be in 1803 costume but I’ve not quite made up my mind what costume it will be!

Cllr Linda Hawthorn

There will be tents to put up and displays to organise in the morning of Sunday 13 July. A lot help will be needed. Two large tents have been purchased by the Windmill Sub-Committee of the Hornchurch and District Historical Society and it will require at least eight people to erect each of these tents easily. Help will be greatly appreciated.

OTHER FUTURE EVENTS

Our Friends Group will be taking part in the Planet Havering Exhibition in Harrow Lodge Park on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th June. Friday is reserved for school groups only and Saturday is the day for the public. In previous years we have had quite a number of parents visiting the exhibition on the Saturday after their children have been on the Friday and told them about the show. We shall share our stand with Sue Smith the Borough Conservation Officer and part of her display will probably be used on the 13th July at our Bicentenary event.

Bob and Sheila Sharp will be at Planet Havering on the Friday but have a prior engagement on the Saturday. Trevor Watts has volunteered to look after the stand on the Saturday and will be glad of other volunteers to help him especially with the removal and transport of the display items at the end of the afternoon. Passes will be arranged for all volunteers.

We shall also have a stand at the Havering Show on Sunday 24th and Monday 25th August. This will be shared with the Tithe Barn display and we share the cost with the Hornchurch and District Historical Society as Windmill Sub-Committee members also attend. Again help would be appreciated at this event and passes will be available.

Bob Sharp

2003 OPENINGS

The Mill will be open on the following weekends during 2003:

Saturday & Sunday 21/22 June

Saturday & Sunday 19/20 July

Saturday & Sunday 16/17 August

Saturday & Sunday 20/21 September

SWEATSHIRTS AND POLO SHIRTS

Last year, Trevor Watts kindly organised a bulk order of sweatshirts for ‘Friends of Upminster Windmill’. The sweatshirts are of good quality cotton with a discreet black logo on the front top left hand side.

Many members have already made their purchases but if you missed the bulk order, sweatshirts can be purchased on an individual basis from ‘Inprints’ T-Shirt Printers, 35 Rumford Shopping Hall, Market Place, Romford. Short sleeved polo shirts are also available and these will be ideal for warmer weather.

Current prices for polo shirts: sizes small to extra large £10.10 +VAT, extra extra large £10.85 +VAT. Sweatshirts are slightly dearer.

To buy a sweatshirt or polo shirt, just go along to Inprints stall, choose your shirt and ask for the ‘Friends of Upminster Windmill’ logo. There are printed logos at the stall ready for use. The finished products look very attractive and give members an identity.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of our group is continuing to increase and we now have 181 members. Welcome to the following new members:

Gerald and Sylvie Gould Len and Marion Buttelman Mr and Mrs E Sawyer

Mrs B Prigmore Christine Woodward Mr and Mrs Kenneth Hay

Margaret and John Roome Mr & Mrs D Mandie & family Glenda Morton

Mr and Mrs D Goodwin Mr and Mrs C Mowat Jon Walker

Andrew & Tina Simpson & family

The fee is £7.00 per year for Individual Membership and £10.00 per year for Family Membership (for family members at the same address). Please contact the Membership Secretary if you know someone who would like to become a Friend of Upminster Windmill:

Brenda Coombs, Membership Secretary

1 Highview Gardens, Upminster, RM14 2YU

01708 221298

e-mail: bd.coombs@virgin.net

CONTACTS

If you have any ideas for fundraising or if you would like to contribute an item to a future newsletter or to help in any way please contact Bob Sharp on 01708 226040 (e-mail address in our letter heading) or Brenda Coombs (address above).

We hope to have a very successful summer season. Your support will be greatly appreciated.