Jubilations at the Mills Archives, M. B. E.
An
unexpected bonus to cause a double
celebration at the Garden Party, held to
acknowledge ten successful years of the
Mills Archive Trust’s existence, was the
awarding of an M.B.E. to Ron Cookson for his
steadfast, enthusiastic and firm belief in
the need for such an organisation. Ron has
steered a steady course along the bumpy road
of officialdom, waded through interminable
piles of Heritage Lottery Fund forms, dreamt
up all sorts of ideas for ways to develop
the Archives which has become recognised
internationally, as well as nationally, as
the foremost research organ for all aspects
of molinology. (Television programme
researchers use the Archives resources too.)
On being interviewed by the BBC, Ron
immediately paid tribute to the army of
volunteers for making it all possible,
saying that the award had been earned by the
team and not just the one person. However,
if that one person had not spent the better
part of each day and night for the last ten
years on what he had initially seen as ‘a
project, something to do on retirement’ the
Mills Archive would not be the success it is
today. News headlines proclaiming: “MBE
for the Man Who Wants to Save Windmills”
raised a laugh at the Archives as Ron is
renowned for making it clear he has nothing
whatsoever to do with mills himself, and the
point of the Archives had been missed by the
media.
About fifty
people came to celebrate with us at
Watlington House in July and witnessed Ron
cutting the superb cake made and decorated
with the Mills Archive Trust symbol in icing
sugar by regular volunteer, Elizabeth Trout.
Our latest volunteer has been recruited to
create sites for us on Facebook and Twitter
– popular communications systems appealing
to youngsters. We have just learned that
MAT will be featured in the ‘Who Do You
Think You Are’ magazine’s September
edition. Dr Oliver Douglas from the Museum
of English Rural Life nominated us; also
featured are the Luke Bonwick
website, Hampshire Mills Group, TIMS and
MERL. For more news and the results of the
Mills Archive Projects Awards see:
www.millsarchive.com
