Millwrights

Active and recently active millwrights

UK based

• The SPAB Mills Section - supports the work of traditional millwrights across the UK; can provide a list of millwrights; and runs a course on taking on and maintaining a traditional mill
  
  
• Vincent Pargeter - once the Essex County millwright, laterly branched out on his own, including recent work on Reigate Heath windmill, and Polkey's Mill, Reedham Marshes.
• Adam Marriot of Teme Valley Heritage Engineers Ltd.
• Luke Bonwick of Bonwick Milling Heritage Consultancy.
• Martin Watts - also author of several noted books on mills - is often used by the National Trust, including at Whitemill, Dorset.
• Dorothea Restorations incorporating Ernest Hole and Son (Tony Hole) - Buckland windmill restoration
• Owlsworth IJP have worked on historic mills under a number of company names over the years.
• Messrs Thompson and Sons, Alford, Lincolnshire
• Richard Seago, Norfolk - working on Bardwell windmill, Suffolk, between working on his own mills
• Robert Demaus - now consultant millwright for Lurgashall mill, Weald and Downland Museum
• David Nicholls - Wellesbourne Mill
• Ian Clark Restoration
• John Lawn, Norfolk, died 1999 aged 63 - also owned Caston windmill, Norfolk

Dutch

• VAAGS Molenwerken - site currently in Dutch only - working on the replacement Mennonite Heritage Village windmill, Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada.
• Verbij Hoogmade BV - also involved in the Mennonite Heritage Village rebuild, the DeZwaan windmill, Holland, Michigan, the Pella windmill, Iowa, and De Liefde Windmill, Sakura, Japan.
• Molenmakersbedrijf Molema V.O.F

USA based

• Derek Ogden - an English millwright, now based in Madison, Va, USA. built the replica post mill at Flowerdew Hundred, USA, and worked on Stratford Mill. See also his advice on a tree cross section.
• Ben Hassett
• Andy Shrake - worked on the Jamestown windmill, Rhode Island
• The WaterWheel Factory claim to be "The world's largest manufacturer of metal waterwheels and waterwheel kits".
• Missouri Waterwheels are not full millwrights, but do produce some substantial waterwheels, though often intended for show not real work
• The Timber Framing Guild include several experienced millwrights

Historical millwrights

• William Cooper, Henfield, Sussex - active 1860-1876
• Norwich millwrights researched by Michael Roots
• John Holman, Canterbury, active 1780's-1840's - built many Kent windmills, such as Drapers, Margate
• John Robinson, Isle of Man, 1800's
• George Bloomfield, Thelnetham, 1810's
• Andrew Meikle, Scotland 1719-1811, invented Spring sails. [essay] [grave] [headstone] [Great Scots] [farm machinery] [portrait]
• Sir William Cubbitt, 1785-1861, perfected Patent sails, 1807
• John Rennie, Scotland, 1761-1821
• Sir Willaim Fairbairn 1789-1874 wrote the classic book "Treatise on Mills and Millwork".
• Jorgen Jorgensen, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1778-1838

Other links

• Millwright history
• A Mill-Wright Miscellany
• The Miller's Bookshelf - with much of use to millwrights too
• Kent Millwrights in the C.P.Davies Collection of Mill Memorabilia
• Country Life article on the millwright, Jan 10 2002
• Making the modern world