Mildred
Cookson, Chair SPAB Mills Section, writes:
Sadly
Alan died on 23 October 2021. Many will have known
Alan for different reasons, but mostly for his
knowledge of watermills and milling in general. He
was not only a miller, millwright, and author, he
was always willing to help anyone with questions and
above all a gentleman. Alan’s time with the SPAB
Mills Section goes back many years and he was
Chairman from 1985-88.
Over the
many years he had bought and repaired Venn Mill in
Oxfordshire, milling there for the local farmers. He
was instrumental and passionate for our National
Mills Weekend and with his kindly manner managed to
get the owners of many (16) Oxfordshire mills to
open their doors for the event each year while
living in the area. When Alan moved to Herefordshire
there was little interest in the watermills, but he
soon changed that! He visited as many mills as he
could and with his customary gentle manner persuaded
them how important their mills were and to open
their doors once a year. Many of the mills were not
even known to most of us. He also helped many with
hands on repairs and even built a new waterwheel at
one of the mills we visited on the tour he organised
for us.
Over 30
years ago, Alan also took over the maintenance and
running of Mortimers Cross watermill for English
Heritage, continuing there until very recently and
training up the new miller.
He also
presented a Rex Wailes Lecture entitled ‘Perfect
Pitch: The Millwrights Goal’, a subject which Alan
was an expert on, the dating and pitching of gears
in mills. He wrote the book on Thomas Hennell’s mill
drawings brought about with his connection with Rex
Wailes, also the book on Kentish Watermills.
Another
milling ‘great’ has been lost and we shall not ever
be able to replace his knowledge and commitment.
