Hampshire Mills Group
HOME
Up
MEMBERSHIP
NEWSLETTERS
MILLS BOOKS
MILLS OF INTEREST
LIBRARY
LISTED MILLS
MILL HISTORY
SNIPPETS
LINKS

 

 

Up Next

Page 2

Newsletter 135 Winter 2021   © Hampshire Mills Group

 

 

Alan Stoyel MBE, 1939-2021

 

 

 

We are very sad to announce that Alan passed away a few days ago (actually 23 Oct 2021). He is a major loss to the world of traditional mills and to those with a particular interest in the uses of water power. His work in that area was recognised by the Queen in 2019.

 

From Mills Archive Twitter feed

 

 

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.

 

Up Next

 


HOME ] Up ] MEMBERSHIP ] NEWSLETTERS ] MILLS BOOKS ] MILLS OF INTEREST ] LIBRARY ] LISTED MILLS ] MILL HISTORY ] SNIPPETS ] LINKS ]

horizontal rule

Copyright © 2024 Hampshire Mills Group
Registered as a Charity - 1116607