Kent Mills Society: Formation of New Group
FORMATION OF NEW GROUP
Do you have an interest in mills and milling? The Kent Mills Society (KMS) is a new group, formed after the interest generated by the ‘Kent Millers Tales’ project in 2006. This project brought all the Kent mills source material together under one roof at the Mills Archive in Reading; it was evident that there were many people researching the county’s mills, but little coordination between them.
Discussions between mill owners, the Mills Archive, interested individuals and KCC (who have 8 windmills in their care) captured the enthusiasm for a county-wide Society and in May this year the first meeting of the KMS took place. An inaugural issue of ‘Cant Post’, the Society’s newsletter, also appeared, put together by Geoff Holman and Rob Cumming. A dedicated KMS website will be created soon, to share ideas and information more readily.
The first meeting took place at Cranbrook’s Union Windmill. Geoff Holman outlined progress and publicity to date, which included an editorial for the SPAB Mill News (Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) and an article in Kent Life. Acknowledgment was made of the donation received from the Mills Archive to help launch the Society.
Several speakers then took the floor. Wynn Tremenheere from Cranbrook Windmill gave an account of the mill’s history. Philip Hicks spoke of the difficulties encountered whilst researching mills – of maps where artistic licence had moved or omitted the mill and of account sheets where multiple mills in one area made identification unclear. His photos of mill bases and roundhouses now converted for other use reminded everyone of what is left of so many of our Kent mills. The future of Stodmarsh windpump was discussed and a working party arranged to try and record the remains before it disappears altogether. Rob Cumming told of his researches into Kent millwright William Ashby and ended with a brief look at the newly restored Ripple Mill, mentioning the possibility of a visit by the KMS to this mill, but normally open to the public.
If you would like to know about future meetings, practical activities, mill visits or research opportunities, email kentmillssoc@aol.com or ring Geoff Holman on 07960 030095. Membership of KMS is £12 per year and all are very welcome.