Chairman’s Letter
I write as we have come to the end of another season of public openings. This has been very busy and thanks are due to all who have been guides and have helped with the sales etc. We have also taken many groups over the mill at other times as Martin has described below. The Tuesday workers will now be able to do some of the jobs which cannot be done during the 'open season'. We intend to continue with lime-washing the interior face of the ground floor brickwork. This will entail moving some items and we may take the opportunity to re-arrange the display. The temporary weatherproofing we applied to the reefing gallery a year or so ago now needs attention. Fortunately the winters do not seem so cold recently so we do not often get 'frozen out'. Perhaps a rum issue would be an idea but that would mean going to the mill by bus or 'Shanks Pony'!
We did not have our usual mill visit this year because, unfortunately, the mini-bus was not available on the Saturday most convenient for the majority of those interested. However we hope that dates will work out better next year. It has occurred to me that members might be interested in a 'non-mill' coach tour. Perhaps members would like to express an opinion on this and maybe someone might like to take on the organisation of a trip.
The next events are the RNLI Card Sale on the 4th November in St Laurence Church Hall, the Christmas Sale at the mill on the 2nd December and the Quiz Night on the 10th February, again in St Laurence Church Hall.
The open season starts again in April and next year the first opening will be Easter weekend. It would help Trevor if guides and helpers could inform him of holiday plans well in advance. If enough guides are available we may consider opening on Easter Monday.
Our thanks to James Read Opticians, 19a Station Road for his sponsorship of the Newsletter. This is much appreciated
Members are welcome to attend events run by the Essex Mills Group. This summer the EMG visited Ashdon mill in North-east Essex. Vincent Pargeter has finished the first stage of restoration, including fitting of sails. The mill looks fine and is now opened to the public. Inhabitants of Ashdon are very
supportive, as is typical of many mills in smaller villages. The work carried out by Vincent is very caring - typically he very carefully retained the date carved in a timber which had to be replaced.
In July a visit was made to Bob Morse's Wind Engine Park when Sheila and I got to know Debra (see her letter on page 8).
The Essex Mills Group Christmas Social will take place on the 8th December in the New Chapter House, Chelmsford. Visitors are welcome, contributions of eatables and drinkables very welcome. Please let me know if you are interested.
The annual four day mill tour of the SPAB Mills Section took place from the 7th to 10th September. Based in St Albans we visited a number of wind and water mills in Mid and West Anglia including two of the oldest post mills, Pitstone in Buckinghamshire and Great Gransden in Cambridgeshire. The date 1627 is carved on a timber in Pitstone Mill and a mill at Great Gransden is mentioned in a deed of 1612.
Pitstone Mill
Unusual governor in Great Gransden Mill
The Mills Section celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. 1931 was probably a good year for mills. Both Kenneth Major, a stalwart of the Section, and I were born in that year! The Section's autumn meeting will be on the 11th November.
Bob Sharp