Industry > Mills
Upchurch Windmill
DaveTheTrain:
That is an interesting photo and yet a little deceiving to the eye. The mill house and buildings seem much closer to the photographer than they are in reality. I think the confusing thing for my brain is that Horsham lane is just out of shot.
I think only one of the semis on the left now remains and is much altered. I believe it was on the TV recently in a make-over program.
Mike Gunnill:
--- Quote from: DaveTheTrain on June 01, 2020, 10:37:17 PM ---That is a great picture Mike that I have never seen before, despite living in Lower Halstow for ten years with an active interest in local history. The window display makes interesting observations, what on earth were those masks for?
At the very large risk of going off-topic (sorry) there is potentially another thread about how these shops were serviced by "commercial travellers" before the days of the distributor and wholesaler. I recall one Mrs Gillingham who ran a group of commercial travellers specialising in fancy goods.
Back on topic, DTT
--- End quote ---
Ellen Whiddett was the owners name for the shop at 131 Wallbridge Lane, Upchurch. The building was pulled down in 1983 and the site cleared, but has remained an empty plot since. She sold everything, so perhaps the picture was taken near bonfire-night when everyone used to make a Guy Fawkes. The image is from the book Upchurch in old picture postcards.
DaveTheTrain:
That is a great picture Mike that I have never seen before, despite living in Lower Halstow for ten years with an active interest in local history. The window display makes interesting observations, what on earth were those masks for?
At the very large risk of going off-topic (sorry) there is potentially another thread about how these shops were serviced by "commercial travellers" before the days of the distributor and wholesaler. I recall one Mrs Gillingham who ran a group of commercial travellers specialising in fancy goods.
Back on topic, DTT
Mike Gunnill:
--- Quote from: bertroid on May 29, 2020, 12:30:16 AM ---
--- Quote from: Mike Gunnill on May 28, 2020, 07:57:27 PM ---
--- Quote from: bertroid on May 28, 2020, 06:39:50 PM ---No problem, Mike. I've actually got Medway down as Vol IV of my books, so it may not be around for a decade or more. I started with the same sources as yourself, but just noticed an increased number of anomalies in Coles-Finch as I looked deeper. Me and Smiffy on the old forum were finding all sorts of oddities in e.g. Chatham, which was a bit alarming as it was Coles-Finch's home town!
For the record, Coles-Finch missed up to 20-25% of mills, including a couple that were standing at the time of survey.
--- End quote ---
How did his books become so important? Seems very strange research.
Regards
Mike
--- End quote ---
He was the only one mad enough to do it. I can't vouch for his others, but with the Windmill one, most of the groundwork was done by a chap named Alfred Tiffin from Staplehurst, who at the time, felt it better to let an established author do it, with his way with words. Alfred actually write to every parish vicar, who in turn went to the oldest people in the parish for info. There was a questionnaire to fill in, which did provide amazing info from good memories, but also a lot of not so strong memories as well. I've seen some of the returned ones. To be fair, in the 1930s nothing on that scale had been attempted, and there are bits gathered which are invaluable. The problem since, is that we just rely on a book written 87 years ago as a windmill 'bible' without questioning it. Ironically, the entry for Wakeley's Mill at Upchurch is pretty strong.
I exchanged a couple of letters with Alfred in the 80s, then living in Australia, and in his 80s. And he just said he did it for fun, and not any money.
--- End quote ---
Strange I go past the old Windmill site every morning on my walk. Across the road was a row of terraced cottages and along Wallbridge Lane a shop selling everything and anything and popular with the barge captains from near by Otterham Quay.
Mike Gunnill:
--- Quote from: bertroid on May 29, 2020, 12:30:16 AM ---
--- Quote from: Mike Gunnill on May 28, 2020, 07:57:27 PM ---
--- Quote from: bertroid on May 28, 2020, 06:39:50 PM ---No problem, Mike. I've actually got Medway down as Vol IV of my books, so it may not be around for a decade or more. I started with the same sources as yourself, but just noticed an increased number of anomalies in Coles-Finch as I looked deeper. Me and Smiffy on the old forum were finding all sorts of oddities in e.g. Chatham, which was a bit alarming as it was Coles-Finch's home town!
For the record, Coles-Finch missed up to 20-25% of mills, including a couple that were standing at the time of survey.
--- End quote ---
How did his books become so important? Seems very strange research.
Regards
Mike
--- End quote ---
He was the only one mad enough to do it. I can't vouch for his others, but with the Windmill one, most of the groundwork was done by a chap named Alfred Tiffin from Staplehurst, who at the time, felt it better to let an established author do it, with his way with words. Alfred actually write to every parish vicar, who in turn went to the oldest people in the parish for info. There was a questionnaire to fill in, which did provide amazing info from good memories, but also a lot of not so strong memories as well. I've seen some of the returned ones. To be fair, in the 1930s nothing on that scale had been attempted, and there are bits gathered which are invaluable. The problem since, is that we just rely on a book written 87 years ago as a windmill 'bible' without questioning it. Ironically, the entry for Wakeley's Mill at Upchurch is pretty strong.
I exchanged a couple of letters with Alfred in the 80s, then living in Australia, and in his 80s. And he just said he did it for fun, and not any money.
--- End quote ---
bertroid
Many thx, let us know when you have the corrected items available. It should make interesting reading.
Mike
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