Victorian Flour Mill

[Mike Shimwell]

I visited an old victorian flour mill at the weekend, to buy some flour, and was given a tour of the old workings. Here's a quick snap (on Portra 400NC, converted to black and white) from whilst I was there. I've also got permission to go back and do some more shooting - a project idea is emerging.

Mike

 

[Jim Galli]

I visited an old victorian flour mill at the weekend, to buy some flour, and was given a tour of the old workings. Here's a quick snap (on Portra 400NC, converted to black and white) from whilst I was there. I've also got permission to go back and do some more shooting - a project idea is emerging.

Mike

I love places like this that have been lost in time. Great project. Nice conversion too.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Mike,

An enjoyable industrial relic. I wonder what a new place would look like? Would it be so different? So what camera did you use? The shape suggest 35 mm. The asymmetry of focus LF.

Asher

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Jim, Thanks.

Yes, I'm looking forward to going back for a couple of days to see what I can make of it. The whole mill is spread over 4 floors and runs from two water wheels. The newer wheel produces just of 57 Kw at 125rpm. The trust that runs it has recently installed an electricity generator on one of the turbines, so the whole place is now self si=ufficient for electricity, but all the machinery is still run by belts and pulleys from the water turbines.

Asher, This was shot on 35mm with the Ikon, using the 50 C Sonnar lens I think. I'd realy like to shoot the project on film (format undecided at present), however the whole building is in ontinuous vibration and so I may need to work handheld - which will lead me straight to the dslr for image stabilisation and higher iso. I'll see how it pans out when I go back - probably in May.

Mike

 

[Asher Kelman]

Mike,

Where is this located? So they still grind grain? Impressive!

Asher

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Hi Asher,

The mill is in a village called Rowsley in the Derbyshire Peak District. Sadly they haven't milled since 1978 due to the volume that you need to put through a place like that - they have something like storage for 20 or 25 tons or raw grain - this is a roller mill designed for high volume work. Originally the mill produced flour and provender or animal feedstuffs.

The trust that run the mill still sell flour that is milled to their specification in the UK, but the mill itslef is maintained with loving care and the machinery runs without grain. Speaking with the people there, I think they would love to be able to go back into limited production, but they would need sufficient market for even occasional runs.

I also know another mill in north yorkshire that is electric and uses grindstones. This is still in production after being transferred from it's retiring owner to an enthusiastic farmer who installed in one of her barns and now produces small volumes of very high quality and specialist flours for the local market. Her range includes spelt and rye as well as wheat, oat and barley based flours. The working mill is maybe less photogenic than the preserved, but maybe I should visit one day to see if I can photograph.

Mike

 

[Asher Kelman]

This is so fascinating. Amazing that the trust has the hubris to see the grain but not genuinely from the machinery they maintain for show! It's good to get into the workings of things like this, the inside of bridges and the workings of Big Ben. These often have local craftsmen, few of which know how these things really work.

Tim Armes, in Drôme, France photographs artisans. and that important. I really enjoy his work. The equipment without the worker, misses a lot, but at least it must be recorded. So your work on this one mill is important. I hope you do do more and also get to the other mills with real grindstones.

Asher