An exited group of 5 year old children from Holloway School realy enjoyed a tour round the mill on Oct 9th. The 15 children, with their support staff, on a free school visit, were shown how a windmill works by guide Brian Naylor, whilst miller Anthony Sharpe ensured everything was working well, They all thought it marvellous to see the 200 year old machinery in action, and have already pasted some comments on Facebook!
On leaving they made a generous donation of £40 to the mill funds (together with some very desirable eatables for the volunteer staff) – A visit much appreciated by all! – And we look forward to seeing the drawings they have promised to send us!
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Photo Competition Judged – to be a success!
Heage Windmill’s first ever photo competition has been won by David Wharmby with a monochrome depiction of the mill sails turning, set against a dramatic sky. ‘A sublime photo,’ declared the judge, windmill trustee and professional photographer Ashley Franklin who also acclaimed the overall standard of entries.
‘I have always considered our windmill to be one of the most photogenic sites in Derbyshire and the photographers who entered this competition have confirmed that,’ declared Ashley. ‘I was more than impressed; I was bowled over by the quality of the images which also stretched across a wide range of imagery.’
Commenting on the winning photo, Ashley said: ‘Surprisingly, this was the only entry to show movement in the sails, and the superb way this movement has been recorded immediately placed this image in the shortlist. What elevated it to first place was the tight, dramatic composition and the wonderful drama in the sky. Also pleasing is that the rendering in black and white gives the impression this image could have been taken during the windmill’s heyday.’
The Under-16 category winner was Daniel Saunders. ‘What appealed about this image was the careful way Daniel waited for the sun to kiss one of the sails and create instant drama,’ says Ashley. ‘He also took the picture on a beautiful blue sky day with the mill standing strong in the frame.’
- Third place winner: Jackie Burrell.
Below are the runners-up. The first five images – by Roy Austin, Carole Payne, Lisa Pucknell, Beverley Allan and Emma Goulder respectively – were Highly Commended.
Major Maintenance at the Windmill
It’s hard to believe it’s over twelve years since Heage Windmill was restored to working order and started producing flour again, after a lapse of over 70 years. Time and the weather have both taken their toll and, whilst minor maintenance has been performed in the interim by volunteers, it has become necessary to bring in professional assistance. Skilled millwrights able to undertake mill work are few and far between and we have had Neil Medcalf, from Boston, on ‘order’ for almost 12 months. At last he has arrived and is currently doing some essential work for us!
The major task is to re-cover the cap with heavy duty canvas and then to re-paint it, ensuring the mill is waterproof for the next few decades. To do this, Neil has utilised a portable ‘cherry picker’ which enables him to access this elevated area without encasing the mill in scaffold. He has removed the old canvas and is presently replacing this before painting, so that once again we will have a shining white ‘topping’ to the windmill.
He is also resetting the mechanism which adjusts the shutters on the sails, since some of them have been failing to close and open properly. This will increase the power available to operate the mill stones.
The work, costing more than £10,000, is being totally financed by monies from the Trust and funds raised by Friends of the Windmill. It should keep the mill working for a few more years.
New Flour Miller Approved
Congratulations to John Lea from Crich who has become our latest qualified flour miller. To qualify, John had to meet all the criteria set by the Trustees of Heage Windmill to operate the mill and produce meal and flour of various grades. After working alongside other experienced millers, under various weather conditions, he was judged ready to be assessed by operating the mill solo, though under the watchful eyes of a qualified miller. He has passed this test with flying colours and has been awarded a ‘Flour Miller Certificate ‘.
The operation of Heage Windmill is only permitted by those persons who have undergone our detailed training programme, either to run the mill out of gear (free wheeling) or, when in gear, to produce flour. The windmill is Grade 2* listed and every care is taken to ensure the millers are fully trained before they can operate the 200 year old ‘machine’ in order to ensure she is safe at all times.
Why don’t you come and see if being a miller appeals to you? We have both male and female millers. Come up to the mill at the weekend and talk to one of our millers, who will gladly show you what it’s all about. You need to be reasonably fit and to be able to climb the mill steps numerous times during the day, but all the rest we can teach you! We look forward to meeting you!
Scarecrow Winners
A stunning and very scary Plague Doctor won first place at the August Bank Holiday Scarecrow weekend.
Plague Doctor, the work of Holly Wheat, was a clear favourite amongst the visitors to Heage Windmill.
Voted into second place was Andy Pandy by Lynn Allen with Jamie Povey’s Help for Heroes coming in third.
Although the turn out scarecrows was down on last year, the mill enjoyed one of its busiest weekends of the season.
Shore Families get together
Descendants of the Shore family may now be able to access information on their ancestors via the internet.
The brothers Isaac and Joseph Shore bought Heage windmill in 1850 and they, and their descendents, worked there as millers until the mill ceased to operate in 1919. From time to time their many descendents have contacted the mill to try to
trace their ancestors. Up till now, this has always been handled on an ad-hoc basis . Just recently, however, use has been made of an email link – the ‘Shore’s Group’ , so far involving some eight different branches of the family. As a result of the ‘Group’ we now have a much more complete Shore family tree.
However, if there are more Shores out there, do please contact us at miller@heagewindmill.org.uk. We can introduce you to the ‘Group’ and you might just find the information you have been seeking!
Flour Power
The windmill has been featured in the first ever issue of Taste The Seasons, Derbyshire’s Food & Drink Magazine. Under the title Flour Power, Andy Darlington pays a visit on Pat and Dave Hunter – ‘two of a 25-strong group of volunteers who keep the old girl looking her best and producing high quality flour.’
‘These volunteers have worked wonders,’ declares Andy.
To read the full article online, click here
Taste The Seasons Summer 2012 is free and widely available. As well as the feature on the mill, you can read about how cheese making has returned to Derbyshire.
Flour Grades rebranded
Following our joining the Corn Millers Guild (TCMG) we have taken the opportunity of re-branding the grades of flour and bran we supply. These are now :-
Wholemeal becomes Strong Wholemeal Flour
White Flour becomes Strong White Flour
Middlings becomes Strong Middlings Flour
Coarse Brown becomes Fine Bran
Bran becomes Coarse Bran
The products remain the same – just name changes!
Heage Windmill features in The Guardian
Under the headline ‘How setting up a trust can help community restorations,’ Guardian journalist Jo Adentuji has written about the daunting task of restoring community buildings and uses Heage Windmill as a great example of how a combination of funding models, volunteers and expertise enabled the mill to be restored to working order.
In the Guardian article, published on May 25, Heage Windmill Secretary Alan Gifford points out how the local community was integral to the success of the project, and that a sense of community added to the mill volunteers’ grant propositions.
To read the article in full, click here
Opening of a New Season
The mill officially opened for the 2012 season on Saturday, April 7th. See all the photos…
Heage Windmill was opened for its 11th season by Mr Alan Gifford, Trustee, Volunteer and Visit Peak Excel Volunteer of the Year 2011.
Alan was driven to the windmill in an open-topped, 1926 vintage, 3.5litre Bentley and was welcomed by the Belper Town Crier and a retired Royal Marines Bugler, as well as fellow Trustees, Friends and other Volunteers, members of Midlands Mills Group, members of the Shore family and many other visitors to Heage Windmill.
Alan was first asked to unfurl the Derbyshire flag to open the site and then to cut a ribbon to open the mill doors for the season. Alan spoke of the journey that both he and the windmill had travelled during his 30 years of involvement, including the immense despairs and great triumphs that occurred during the restoration.
He was then presented with a specially made book recording his involvement working for Heage, and other mills, over the last 35 years.
The Chairman, Piers Bostock, spoke of Alan’s constant presence over the years and likened him to a post mill, as it is “the post round which the whole mill revolves”.
Alan then led the planting of a Hornbeam tree, from which it is hoped, eventually, cogs which fit into the mill’s stone nut, will be made. Many volunteers assisted with the planting.
Alan was accompanied by his wife, Judith, his son Ian and daughter Anita and grandson Elliott Staley. Judith was presented with flowers from the Friends and Alan also presented flowers to two long standing volunteers, Margaret Bonsall and and Margaret Tomkins, who are recovering from illness,. Both were warmly greeted by all the Friends.
The Shore family, several descendants of whom were present today, had been owners, and millers, at Heage Windmill between 1850 and 1919.
