May2007 Friends of Upminster Windmill http://www.upminsterwindmill.co.uk Registered Charity Number 1097976 Friends of Upminster Windmill Chairman Roger Fuller, 66 Highview Gardens Upminster RM14 2YZ 01708 222579 [email protected] Secretary John Winn, 58 St Mary’s Lane, Upminster RM14 2QP 01708 509973 [email protected] file:///H|/Items%20to%20add%20to%20archive/Old%20Newsletters/May07_news/May2007News.html[07/01/2017 13:24:02] May2007 Treasurer Jean Webb, 2 Fairkytes Avenue, Hornchurch. RM11 1XS Vice-Chairman Martin Withers, 40 Chelmer Road, Upminster. RM14 1QT 01708 229564 Membership Secretary Neil Morley, 121 Hacton Lane, Upminster RM14 2NL 01708 505865 [email protected] Editor John Winn, 58 St Mary’s Lane, Upminster RM14 2QP 01708 509973 [email protected] Upminster Windmill Preservation Trust Chairman Bob Sharp MBE, 4 Plough Rise, Cranham Upminster. RM14 1XS 01708 224060 [email protected] Vice Chairman Richard Moorey, 10 River Drive, Upminster. RM14 1AS 01708 225845 [email protected] Secretary Frank Morley, 42 Gaynes Park Road, Upminster. RM14 2HP 01708 703740 [email protected] Chairman’s Letter As this is my first letter for the Mill Newsletter I would like to take this opportunity to thank our retiring Chairman Bob Sharp and his wife Sheila, for all their very hard work over many years in keeping the Mill open and in the public eye. I know you all would like me to wish them on your behalf a very happy retirement and hope they will both visit us at Upminster Windmill from time to time. We are now well into the season of open weekends and Trevor is hard at work ensuring that there are enough bodies to effectively run the Mill on these days. If there are any members feel that they could spare a few hours during the open season to keep the Mill open perhaps they could contact either John Winn, Secretary, or myself for more information. I would like to thank all members who were able to attend the AGM and I feel sure you all found the talk given by Luke Bonwick very enlightening as it certainly explained the work which has to be done before restoration work really can get underway. Lastly I would like to give my thanks to all those who helped with the teas and clearing of the file:///H|/Items%20to%20add%20to%20archive/Old%20Newsletters/May07_news/May2007News.html[07/01/2017 13:24:02] May2007 hall and look forward to a very successful time ahead. Roger Fuller Chairman More file:///H|/Items%20to%20add%20to%20archive/Old%20Newsletters/May07_news/May2007News.html[07/01/2017 13:24:02] The Mill’s Sails The previous Newsletter was published following the storm damage when the stock of the forward pair of sails was broken by the exceptionally high wind on January 18th. At that time we did not know the extent of the damage. The break occurred near the canister or poll end through which the stock is fitted. The sail fell behind one of the rear pair and became jammed between this sail and the body of the mill. The lightning conductor fitted to the sail also helped prevent it falling. During that day a three second gust of 81 mph and a ten minute average of 61 mph were recorded at a wind measuring station in Lincolnshire, the latter being potentially far more serious from the point of structural damage. Nigel arranged for a Council contractor to come to the mill on the Friday, with a ‘cherry-picker’ to decide on emergency repair action and also requested the Council’s security team to place barriers near the mill in order to dissuade members of the public getting near the mill. The photo that John Winn had taken of the damage I later emailed with a report to Simon Hudson, secretary of the SPAB Mills Section. Members of the Preservation Trust were also advised. On Friday morning the contractor arrived and millwright Vincent Pargeter, who had been informed of the damage, also came to advise. The ‘cherry-picker’ was not tall or strong enough for the job and it was arranged that a crane would be brought on the following Tuesday. Photo: Frank Morley The contractors and Vincent duly arrived and the damaged sail was lowered. Some of the boarding of the cap roof was unavoidably damaged in the process. As arranged, Richard had brought his chain saw and this was used to cut through the stock and allow removal of file:///H|/Items%20to%20add%20to%20archive/Old%20Newsletters/May07_news/page2.html[07/01/2017 13:25:26] the undamaged sail. Nigel and I later fitted temporary boards to the cap roof, Nigel working from inside the cap while I worked from a cradle suspended from the crane. Richard had earlier been taken up in the cradle to take pictures of the damage. Photo: Richard Moorey Many Friends turned up to help and we thank them for their support. The ‘good’ sail was dismantled and a section of this will be used to demonstrate to visitors how the shutters are controlled. As Nigel was concerned that there could be a danger of children hurting themselves by climbing onto them, the ‘whips’ of the two sails and the two halves of the stock have now been cut into approx 4’ 6” lengths as baulks of this size may well be useful to millwrights when the cap is removed for repair. As the mill is a listed building, English Heritage wish the sails to be replaced as soon as possible, as does the Council. We hope Vincent will be given the contract as he knows the mill well. In 1971/2 he and Phillip Leonard fitted the present sails to the mill and also repaired the roof of the cap. It will, however, be a while before repairs are carried out as timber will have to be procured and Vincent will have to work it in with all his projects at other mills (e.g. Willsborough in Kent). The damage has raised people’s awareness of the mill and many individuals and groups have phoned, written supportive letters and made donations, totaling approximately £700, specifically towards the repair of the sails. Many of these have been from school children dismayed to see ‘their’ mill damaged. The social section of the Upminster and Cranham Residents’ Association have given £500, and the Lions Club of Romford contributed £100. We are very grateful for these donations which show how fond people are of the mill. The Trust has recently been told that the Council’s buildings insurance will cover the cost of the repair and any incidental costs. When the Trust has the lease of the mill the buildings insurance cover will continue to be provided as part of the support package to which the Council is committed throughout the term of the lease. - Bob Sharp file:///H|/Items%20to%20add%20to%20archive/Old%20Newsletters/May07_news/page2.html[07/01/2017 13:25:26] Photo: Roger Fuller More file:///H|/Items%20to%20add%20to%20archive/Old%20Newsletters/May07_news/page2.html[07/01/2017 13:25:26] Chairman's report AGM April 2007 We have had a successful year and I thank all members of the Friends who have supported our efforts at mill openings and work days. Thanks also to those who have helped with parties of visitors to the mill and have represented us at Planet Havering and the Havering Show. These two events are occasions when we have the opportunity to tell the public what we are trying to achieve. On the Friday of Planet Havering, which is for school parties to attend, many of the children were obviously becoming aware of ‘green’ issues, which is the purpose of the event. Often children who have attended on Friday with their schools come back on the Saturday bringing their parents. Special thanks are due to Jane and Richard Moorey for organising the Craft Fair last June. This took a lot of time and effort and we cannot expect them to run an event of that magnitude every year. Richard’s success in obtaining the £5000 grant from ‘Awards for All’ has provided us with plenty of tables and easily erected tents. Thanks also to the members who helped with setting up the tents and operating side-shows. Perhaps some-one could organize a different type of event for this summer – perhaps a kite festival? Unfortunately the Ford minibus was not available on a convenient date last summer and we were not able to run the usual outing. We shall run this again late in September. Trevor is thinking possibly of going to the Buckinghamshire area. Brill and Pitstone windmills, two of the oldest post mills in the country, are possibilities. Our Christmas Sale was the usual successful occasion even though one or two visitors managed to get their cars stuck. First suggested (and continued) by Jo, this is now a regular event. Another highlight was the Quiz Night run by Gill and Stephen Roome in February . This is a firm favourite and is one of our major fund- raising (and brain-torturing) events. My table failed (only just) to be the lowest scoring table this year - perhaps we shall do better next time! Another of their quiz nights produced a £100 donation towards the repair of the sails from the Lions Club of Romford. We did not seem to suffer from the activity of vandals quite so much last summer, so maybe the previous summer was exceptional. The security lighting promised by the Council has not yet materialized but will be provided when the necessary funding is available.