Events

Saturday 24th April 2010 -
The Society's Spring Meeting at the White Hart, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire.
During the morning session Tom Pert will introduce The People's Collection, a developing public web resource project involving many Welsh institutions, including the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales.
[some background: CYMAL June 2008 (PDF - see Item 5, p.7); CAST Ltd Case Study ; Sequence Collective Ltd ]
He will be followed by Cliff Blundell speaking on Conservation of Welsh Vernacular Buildings.
In the afternoon we will be visiting Newton House Pumphouse in Dinefwr Country Park, Brane Mill Llangadog - a site of early electricity generation as well as a corn mill - and, for the second time in 20 years, Felin Newydd Crugybar.

Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th May 2010 -
National Mills Weekend - Co-ordinated by SPAB Mills Section .

Friday 21st May 2010 - one-day course Practical flour milling
in Boston, Lincs organised by SPAB Mills Section Contact: Simon Hudson at SPAB.

3-7 June 2010 - SPAB Mills Section tour of Netherlands Mills (now sold out).

Friday 25th June 2010 - one-day course Promoting your mill to the public
in Hatfield, Herts organised by SPAB Mills Section Contact: Simon Hudson at SPAB.

23-26 September 2010 - proposed Society visit to Somerset. Details will be available at the Spring Meeting (see above).

Saturday 16th October 2010 - Note change of date -
The Society's Autumn Meeting and 26th AGM at the Goat Inn, Garndolbenmaen.

13 November 2010 - SPAB Mills Section Member's Meeting at Artworkers Guild, London.

Ongoing Activities -

Mucky Mills Gang

The Gang aims to give practical encouragement to mill owners by turning out for sessions helping with restoration and maintenance work.

Following the rescue of a waterwheel and machinery, we now have a 13 foot 6 inch overshot waterwheel, gearing, and two sets of millstones available for sale, preferably to a WMS member. .

If you are interested in joining the gang or know of a suitable project, please contact Andrew Findon by phone 01974 251231 or email afindon@fsmail.net

Mill research in Radnorshire -
New member Dr David Caldicott is researching ancestors who were millers in Radnorshire and Herefordshire. During the 1800s the family were involved in at least 12 mills in that area. If you have any information on millers of that surname (or variations ) please contact David by email - platypus@senet.com.au

See  About us - 2 - Past Events for recent Mucky Mills activity.

Millers Forum

Mill owners Forum - 20th March 2010

The Forum took place at a member's mill near Llandrindod Wells, hosted by the owners. Apologies were received from four members, unable to attend due to other commitments. There were 15 mill owner members from across Wales. The day started by everyone describing their mill activities so far, and their plans for the future, which prompted discussions on various subjects, and an opportunity to look round the mill taking us up to lunchtime. Further discussion covered , grants, income generation, the different choices of hydro systems and the new feed in tariffs, pond restoration, insurance, mill history research, hygiene, and waterwheel corrosion control. A full report of the Forum will be included in the next Forum Enews.

A proposal that an on line discussion facility would benefit members, will be put to the next Committee meeting, to see if it is possible. If you have any views or suggestions on this, please contact Andrew Findon. Many thanks our hosts and their family for providing the facilities, food and drinks during the day.

Forum Enews 4 was emailed out during January 2010. News of members mills and other topics mainly of interest to mill owners will be covered, but it is available to all WMS members free of charge. If you have not received a copy previously, contact Andrew (see above).

Millers Forum Newsletter - Enews 4 - February 2010 - web edition - can be downloaded from here (word document, 42 KB). The Enews is primarily meant for mill owners but any WMS member can have a copy of the full version sent to their email address free of charge.

Recent activities - see  About us - 2 - Past Events

 

---